Hello friends! Before I get started, here's a short list of authors that anyone who enjoys good fanfiction will luv reading. Don't forget to R&R!

todd fan – I'd start with the story 'I turn to you'. It's a goodie! Also a too cool 'Forge' site. Lookie!

L1701E – Read any thing any by this dude! L could write a chappie that was just disclaimers, and it would still rock!

The Uncanny R – Man – His 'URM' universe is too cool. Check it out!

Agent –g – Start with 'Enter Mayhem'. 'Nuff said.

DBZAddict – Check 'From Toad to Prince' for an interesting take on Todd, a.k.a. the Toad. Good Read!

Quillian – A darn good XME/HP crossover writer. Also a good group over at Yahoo! Take a look-see!

Readerrr Grrrl – Do 'Songs of Power'. Zany, crazy, wacky good OC stuff! Good times…. Good times. READ! REVIEW!

little miss tiny shoes – This is one of the better OC's on the site. Not a mary-sue, and not 'all-powerful' either. Plus, the Oc's name is 'Mattie', so I guess I am a little partial…

Fire Chica1 – good start on a 'Rahne' based story… although Senorita Chica needs to UPDATE! Dooo IT. Doooooo IT.

Chuckles123 – Fun stuff! Try 'Those Stormy Days' or any of his other stuff.

Raliena – This writer has not updated in a bit, but she's got some good stories going on. Maybe some new reviews will get her goin'…

Ok; also thanks to any & all who read or review, or both, its wonderful to hear from all of you! I hope you are enjoying the story. Only 2 more chapters left in this storyline...including this very one…so here we go!

Chapter 30 – Final Battle?

Friday Night, after 10, The Institute, Rec Room

"Like, who even cares where they are? It's not like you miss that witch Wanda, I mean, is it?" Kitty wondered.

"Bite yer tongue!" Rahne exclaimed. "Not like I be missin' any of those blokes, but, well, I be wonderin' where they are? Where'd they git to?"

"Yah, I vonder too. I mean, Magneto is not a nice man. Vhat if he'z got them living sumvhere vorse than da Brotherhood House?" Kurt said, frowning. "Vitch vould be like the city dump maybe…"

"Somebody was still there, at least until last night…" growled a gruff voice from the doorway.

"How you know that, Mr. Logan?" wondered Sam, sitting with Jubes.

"Yeah, you been spyin' Mr. Logan?" giggled Jubilee.

"I wouldn't call it spyin' runt," smirked Logan, "call it recon."

He turned his attention to Kurt.

"Nightcrawler, meet me in the ready room in fifteen minutes."

Noticing Kurt's sour look, Logan explained.

"Chuckles wants me an You ta check on somethin'. Sorry, elf."

Logan paused, frowning.

"What am I sayin' 'sorry' for? Get offa yer fuzzy butt, ya little blue monkey! Jeesh, I am getting' soft…" he mumbled, walking away.

"Crikey, that blows, mate. Want me ta come with, help ya get ready?" Mally asked Kurt.

"…nah, no reason your night should be gebumst also." He replied, down in the mouth.

"I'll come help you, my fuzzy-wuzzy;" Kitty moped, "and I'm, like, gonna let Mr. Logan have it too! It's FRIDAY NIGHT for gosh sakes! Ewww, he is such a weenie-head sometimes!"

The students heard a crash from down the hallway where Mr. Logan's room was.

"Alright then, half-pint, you get suited up too! TEN MINUTES!" came a guttural shout from that direction.

Kurt sighed. "At least ve vill be together, meine liebe…"

The duo walked out hand in hand, Kitty whining something about '…like, silly super-senses, gaaawd!'

Outskirts of NYC, about an hour later…

"…so, I gotta make one stop first, then we go take a look at the Brotherhood kids. No contact, just observe. Got that Kitty?" he arched his bushy eyeblows at the young mutant in the rear view mirror.

"Yessss-sir, Wolverine…" Shadowcat sighed, "I got it… 'Even if ya can act like a ghost,' she imitated the feral mutant sarcastically, 'it dudn't mean they can't see ya.'"

Nightcrawler smiled slightly, receiving a glare from both Shadowcat and Wolverine.

"You too, Nightcrawler. Yer hard to see… " Logan stated, "but that brimstone funk you bring is like a calling card. Use the 'ports only for emergencies, got it?"

"Ja… can do." The blue boy answered.

"Good. Now, I gotta go look in on some friends real quick…" Logan said, pulling to the curb, parking. He opened the door in a urban neiborhood area. "If I'm not back in 30 minutes, go home. Got it?

"Got IT!" the young couple said together, exasperated.

"Jinx…" Logan smirked, stepping out of the cab. "You two oweme a beer."

Logan sprinted off, heading towards the building that the Parkers' flat was in.

'Webs said his place was on the 7th floor… ' he thought, looking up at the building as he arrived. ' That looks like about forty feet down from the roof.'

Wolverine scouted the area. Ascertaining the easiest way up, he began his climb.

When he got to the roof, we moved to the ledge above the Parkers place. Flipping over the gutter, he vaulted silently down to the blind side of the Parkers balcony, his back against the doorframe. He took a look & listen inside.

"Kinda nice it being just us girls, isn't Aunt May?" MJ smiled, stretching out on the sofa.

"Well, it may not be 'just us girls', my dear…" Aunt May tittered, her eyes sparkling. "There may be one or even two boys here, don't forget!"

MJ grinned wider. "Maybe so… Aunt May, was raising Peter a hard job? I'm beginning to wonder if I'm up to raising two children…"

"Pish-Tosh! You will do a fine job! I have seen you at the children's room at St. Patrick's on Sunday, and you are very loving and caring." Aunt May answered.

"I know Aunt May, but that's only for an hour or so at a time." MJ said. "I'm going to have two infants, 24/7. I wouldn't have it any other way, but it makes me wonder…"

Aunt May set the page of coupons she was clipping down, and looked at Mary Jane over her glasses.

"Nonsense! I believe you will do better than fine with yours and Peters children…" she said, with a wink, "I wouldn't have let you marry my Peter if I didn't feel that way."

"Aunt May!" MJ exclaimed, laughing.

"Don't you 'Aunt May' me, Mrs. Parker." tittered Aunt May. "How about you and I go to the library Sunday evening and look up everything on twins…?"

Wolverine had heard enough. Sounded like the Parker ladies were doing just fine. 'I gotta get back to the kids…' he thought, jumping back up to the roof.

'That Peter is a really lucky guy. A super Aunt, and a sweet foxy wife. With babies on the way…' Logan thought.

'Damn lucky guy.'

Logan came to rest in the alley beside the building, just after jumping down from the fire escape.

'I can't remember ever having kids, or even wanting them. Might not be a bad thing…if I found the right woman.'

Lightning and thunder crashed and flashed on the night horizon.

"…he's only been gone twenty minutes, Kätzchen. Wolvie will be back don't worry." Nightcrawler stated, patting Shadowcat's shoulder absentmindedly with his tail.

Just then the vehicle door opened; Wolverine quickly climbed in, almost scaring the two younger mutants.

"Mein Gott, Wolverine!" yipped Nightcrawler, who had moved to cover Shadowcat. "Vhere did you come from?"

"The street, elf, where else?" growled Logan. "And don't ever refer to me as 'Wolvie' again, bub."

"Wha…? Ja, ok Wolverine. I vill not." Smiled Nightcrawler. "I zink you should consider a new code name though, someting that rolls of the pallet smoother. Like 'Chops', ya know, like your sideburns, or maybe just 'Claws'.

Shadowcat lifted a hand to cover her smirking face.

"Oh elf…" replied Wolverine, "You just wanna LIVE in the danger room, don't ya?"

"No, HerrKriegshunden! Nein! I vill stay in my room, danke!" grumbled Nightcrawler. "Me and my big mouth…"

"Alright, lets get on with da mission." Stated Wolverine. "When we get to this place, you two stay undercover 'til I run the perimeter. If it's safe, we'll go to the roof. Got it?"

"Why not like say 'capeesh?' or 'comprendo?' or even just 'understand?' once in a while, Wolverine?" Shadowcat asked, innocence on her face.

Logan saw right thru here like she was… intangible.

"Capeesh?" he growled ferelly.

"…yes…" she meekly replied.

"Good. Let's go. Get yer game faces on."

Mickey's Gym, a.k.a. Brotherhood HQ, NYC, near Midnight

Wolverine had run the outside of the building. He could smell the scents of the Brotherhood kids real well; also traces of Mags and Mystique. And another scent he knew, but couldn't recall.

'Shit. Bugs the hell outta me when I can't remember…' He thought.

Nightcrawler and Shadowcat were hiding in an alley across the street. Wolverine could smell them, and he could see a little glint of yellow where the elf was peaking out. He gave them the 'GO' sign.

The little eye disappeared, lowering down into the ground. In a minute, the young mutants rose out of the ground beside Wolverine.

"Nice entrance. Stay close." Wolverine whispered. "What's the quickest way up to da roof, elf?"

Nightcrawler scanned the area, squinting.

"Ja. The quickest way is me." He stated, looking at Wolverine. "I know you said 'emergencies only', but it iz the quickest way."

"Alright. Shadowcat, hold on to him, tight." Logan agreed, placing his hand on the blue mutants shoulder.

Shadowcat smiled. "No prob, Wolverine…" she said, placing her hands around Nightcrawler.

"Sheesh…" hissed Wolverine. "Whenever, elf."

!bamph!bamph!

They were on the roof top. Wolverine spun into a crouch, followed by the other two. The roof was empty. Wolverine made hand signals, telling Nightcrawler to check the area behind the HVAC room; Shadowcat to keep her eyes open and stay put. Spotting a skylight, Wolverine stalked over, looking in.

'Chuck? Chuck, you there?' he thought.

'Yes, Logan, I am here. Are you and the children alright?' inquired Professor Xavier, sitting at Cerebro back in Bayville.

'Yeah, fine. Listen, you might want to take a look at this…'

Wolverine looked to check on Nightcrawler and Shadowcat, feeling Xavier 'join' him. He turned to the window.

They saw the boxing ring, training area, weights, and weapons all around the gym. One corner, however, had a nice living room set and an entertainment center. Some of the Brotherhood kids were sitting there, watching TV. Logan saw everyone but the frog kid and the red headed girl.

'Typical movie night Chuck, that's my guess. You wanna listen in?' Logan wondered.

'I think not, Logan. Where are the Tolinski boy and Eric's daughter, Ms. Maximoff? Did you sense them here?' asked Xavier.

'Yeah, they are around. Can't you give me a hand Chuck? I'd like ta do this quick as possible…'

Xavier scanned for the pair of mutants with Cerebro. It didn't take long.

'Move to the smaller skylight, to your right Logan.'

Logan moved. He peered down thru the skylight. He saw Froggie and Red, practicing martial arts forms. The boy seemed to taunt the girl; she advanced, but the lad easily put her down. Hard. She got up right away, and you could see she was not happy.

'Think I oughta listen in, Chuck?'

'Yes, Logan, that might be prudent. Someone has been training them. I sense a new confidence, especially in the boy. Don't you?' wondered Xavier.

The light blinked 'on' in Wolverine's head.

'They got some training, alright…' growled Logan's thoughts, 'Taskmaster.'

'Who?' Xavier wondered.

'Taskmaster. Hero fighting styles trainer. Not a good guy…' answered Logan. 'I smelled him on the way in. Couldn't place the face. It's been awhile.'

'I see…' answered Xavier.

The two focused on the pair below.

"You don't have to throw me down so hard, Todd. We're just practicing…" bitched Wanda.

"'Pain makes you not make the same mistake'" Todd quoted Taskmaster.

"Whatever. Just don't do it again." Wanda threatened.

"Fine. I ain't workin' wit you no more, yo. Session over." Todd picked up his towel and made to leave.

Wanda glared at the boy, bringing her hands up to hex him.

"Go ahead, yo. Hex me. I ain't scared. I may fly inta the wall, and have it fall down on me, but I'll be back Wanda. I told you, I ain't the Brotherhood joke no more." smirked Todd. "Besides, you mess me up before Sunday night, and yer Daddy will be pissed. I'm out…" he moved towards the door.

"Wait!…" Wanda yelped. Todd turned.

"Ok, Todd, throw me down as hard as you want. I'll come back too, every time. I want to be ready also. Train me." She stated. "You're a better leader than you ever were a gooch, anyway."

Todd stared hard at the redhead. 'I don't trust her, no way, yo. Even if she is nicer to me, I don't trust her.' He thought.

"We'll see Wanda, we'll see on Sunday night. Now, yer leavin' yer middle way open, yo…"

'You get all of that Chuck?' Logan wondered.

'Yes, unfortunately so, Logan. Sunday night? Any ideas, Logan?' Xavier asked.

'None. These kids have been trained well. The frog boy looks good.' Logan mused. 'It's like they're preparing for something…'

'Yes, I wonder what Eric has planned…' thought Xavier.

"Wolverine…." Nightcrawler whispered, moving beside him.

'Kid can't stay still fer longer than ten minutes, Chuck…' Logan thought.

"Wolverine…Logan!" Nightcrawler tugged at his sleeve. "Gott, It looks like they are getting ready for the final battle…"

'He's correct, Logan…this seems like training for a battle…'

"…yea…" breathed Logan. "I gotta bad feelin' about this Chuck."

The end.

Chapter 31 - ?

That's right my friends, the final chapter will be next. It may be a bit, as I am still getting it together. It's gonna be a long one. Hopefully a good long one.

Keep an eye out though, new things are in store for the future……same matt-time, same matt-channel……THANKS!