Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-men (although I wish I had Wolverine or Gambit to cuddle with Gimme!) Marvel owns them. I do however own Dom and Astral and Nicole/Mindfire.

Please be gentle! This is my first X-men fanfic! Reviews welcome, no flames! I burn easy.

Thanks for the Reviews! I was excited that people are actually reading! Ya'll keep reading and I'll keep writing!

One Month Later…

"You lied to me Chuck!" Logan growled. "You told me this was a standard mission. They were just going to go and talk to the girl, not follow her across the country!"

"This is hardly following her across the country. They just had to relocate to Miami. Apparently Mystique and Sabretooth intervened-" Xavier wheeled around his desk. Logan had just barged through the door after learning that the girls had relocated.

"They were only supposed to be gone a week at the most! It's been a month."

Calm down, Logan. Do you want the children to hear you? Jean's voice interrupted his tirade from a nearby room.

"Maybe I do! Who is this girl?" Logan asked. "Why is she so damn important?"

Xavier took a deep breath. "She's the reason I sent Rogue. Nicole is like Rogue… If someone touches her, then her body will absorb their powers and life force, just like Rogue, but Nicole just taps into their powers. It is her mind that drains their strengths. Her powers are stronger than Rogue's and she can't control them. She also has forms of telepathy and telekinesis."

"So she's dangerous."

"She is if she doesn't learn to control it. She's already put three people in comas. I thought Rogue could help her the most. Calm her a bit. Show her that there is hope to control her powers."

"Rogue is only able to control them for a little while. Not all the damned time!"

"She has made remarkable progress. I hope the same for Nicole."

"I'm going after them."

"It is not necessary. If they had problems, Rogue would have contacted me."

"I don't care. I'm going after Rogue! We should have never sent children on a mission. She's only eighteen."

Xavier gave him a look. "Rogue is twenty-two, Logan."

Logan stopped his tirade. "She is?"

"Since January."

"I have to go after her, Charles."

Xavier sighed, "If you insist. Take Jean and Scott with you. I'm sure the girls are fine. Rogue called a few days ago and-"

Logan stormed from the room. "You heard him Jeanie! Pack up One Eye and let's go!"

Jean sighed from the other room and looked to Scott. "You heard him. I guess we are going after the girls."

Logan stepped into the bar and his nostrils flared at the smell of blood and beer. He watched as two men attacked each other in a caged stage in the middle of the bar. It reminded him of where he had met Rogue in Canada. Jean and Scott were right behind him and he took a breath and caught Rogue's scent. Across the cage he saw Jubilee, Kitty and Rogue all sitting at a table. They were staring at the cage and the men fighting in it. He could see Jubilee whispering about the fighters and could guess she wasn't discussing their fighting skills.

His gaze went back to the cage, where a large, dark headed man was standing. He rolled his head around, the joints cracking. He towered victoriously over the fallen fighter. He spit out a mouthful of blood and exited the ring. He went to Rogue's table and she handed him his shirt with a smile as he sat. Logan growled at the smile she gave him. Who the hell was he?

Another guy made his way to the table and began talking to Rogue. Logan tensed and started to head towards them. Jean put a restricting hand on his arm as the large guy at their table stood and grabbed the guy that was bothering Rogue by the shirt front. The cage fighter snarled at the guy and the drunk pushed him back. The cage fighter lifted the guy as if he were a rag doll and threw him into a table. One of the moron's friends jumped Rogue's savior and soon it escalated into a brawl. Logan rushed to Rogue and grabbed her arm.

"Rogue!"

"Logan? What are you-"

"We need to get you girls out of here, now."

"No, we can't!"

"Yes. Now!"

"We can't leave Dom!"

"Who?" Scott asked.

Rogue wrestled her arm free from Logan and leapt on top of a guy. Logan cursed and started to attack whoever came close to Rogue. His eyes widened as he watched Rogue get thrown to the floor. She grunted in pain. Kitty gasped as two fighting men tumbled her way and she phased through them.

"Get Dom!" Kitty yelped. "This is getting worse!"

"Dom! Let's get out of here!" Jubilee yelled as fireworks erupted from her palms to fend off attackers. "Live to fight another day, ya know?"

"Why fight another day when I can fight right now?" a guy growled and he punched a drunken man. He extended his hand to Rogue and pulled her to her feet. "You okay, Rogue?"

"I'm fine. You didn't have to start all that. He was just being a jerk." She said as they exited the building into an alley.

"You told him no and not to touch you. I figured I should just beat it into him and maybe he'd remember. Damn we lost her." Dom looked up and down the alley.

Logan stared at the guy standing before him. He was muscular and tall with dark hair that hung long and wild around his face. What alarmed Logan the most was that he had a strange scent… almost like a predatory scent. The guy's nostrils flared and he stared Logan down with his deep hazel eyes.

"You're a mutant." Logan growled.

"So are you." Dom growled back.

"I don't trust you."

"Same here."

"Logan back off!" Rogue ordered. "Dom helped us out in New York. Mystique decided to show up and he stopped her. He fought Sabretooth."

Jean chuckled. "That's impressive."

"I don't care what he did. Why is he here?" Logan snarled and got nose to nose with the guy.

"Rogue asked me to come."

"Her name is Marie." Logan released his claws and held the tips against Dom's taunt stomach. "I'll cut you apart if I even see you looking at her funny and-"

Dom's fist came up and two blades framed Logan's face. "Nice set of knives… Too bad I got a set too. Don't have a handy middle one though."

Logan retracted his and stared the guy down. He asked, hoarsely, "Where did you get those?"

"I'm guessing the same place you got yours, seeing as how they are so much alike."

"Stryker… I knew Sabretooth and Yuriko were part of the Weapon X program, but-"

Rogue cut him off. "That's why Dom is with us… He's like you Logan"

Dom looked a round. "Look we can talk about how much I'm like him later. Cop's will swarm this place pretty soon."

"Meet us at the hotel." Rogue went to the vehicle.

Dom grabbed a bag from the back of the SUV and slung it over his shoulder. "I've got her scent and I wanna find her before I lose it."

"Be careful."

He jogged off into the night and was gone. Jubilee grinned and nudged Jean.

"He's hot isn't he?"

Bundled in her cloak, the young woman almost sweltered in the hot Miami heat. Granted it was still night, it was still hot. She glanced down at her glove covered hand. She had to cover her skin… her poisonous skin. She choked back a sob. She hugged her legs and stared as the wave rolled in to the shore. She heard a noise behind her and turned around. She saw the large man from New York. The one with the claws. He held out his hands in a peaceful gesture.

"Nicole, right? My name is Dom… I was with Rogue… The one who talked to you before at the bar? She tried to help you in New York?"

"The one who is like me? Who has the poisonous skin that she can control?"

He nodded.

She looked down at her hands again. "She said maybe I could learn to control mine, like she did?"

"Maybe… I don't know."

"Why are you with them?" she stared him down with her endless blue eyes. "You aren't an X-man."

Dom shrugged. "They know someone like me. They might be able to help me."

He felt a tug in his mind and realized she was reading it.

"Someone with three claws, not two and metal bones…"

"Don't go snooping around too much."

"Sorry." She stared at the ocean. "Sometimes I can't help it."

"If you give them a chance, then maybe they could help you."

"As if anyone could help me. I'm poisonous to anyone I touch. My touch can kill someone."

"Just talk to them… I trust Rogue."

"You don't trust anyone. You only know that she's not scared of those," she said pointing to his hands. "Doesn't hurt when they come out?"

Dom looked down at his knuckles and the scars on them. He nodded, "Every time. Every damn time."

"Where did they come from?"

"I don't know. I can't remember."

"Strange that you can't remember something like that. Do you believe that they could help me?"

"Why don't you come with me and ask? If you don't like it then tell them where to shove it and leave. No one's forcing you. It's a free country."

"The blue woman tried to. She had awful thoughts in her head. I'll go with you and see them again. If I don't trust what they say then I'll leave and I don't want to be bothered again."

"Fair enough. Come with me and we'll go and talk to them. You don't like hat you hear and you can keep on running."

She rose and followed him down the street. "Why do you follow them if you trust no one?"

"They could help me find answers to my life."

"What if they aren't the answers you want?"

He shrugged and thought, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

"Only as long as it doesn't burn behind you," Nicole whispered as she heard his thought.

"We've talked to her some," Rogue explained as they drove to their hotel. "She's really skittish."

"She's been on the road for six months. Traveling around and staying in one place only long enough not to be noticed," Kitty interjected. "It's sad."

"She wears this robe thing that covers her whole body like she's in Saudi Arabia or something. She's so scared of her skin." Jubilee stated. "And then Mystique-"

"Whoa go back. Where did you run into Mystique?" Jean asked.

"New York. She and Sabretooth showed up. They were after Nicole. It got really bad, but then Dom showed up. He just waltzed up and smart mouthed them. Sabretooth recognized him and attacked. Dom helped us fight them off. He was amazing! A lot like you, Logan!" Kitty exclaimed.

Rogue pulled into a small motel. "After the fight, Dom seemed ashamed by his claws… He tried to leave, but I stopped him and asked about them. Nicole had run away, and after some persuasion we talked Dom into going after her with us. We were talking to her in the bar tonight before the fight started."

Scott nodded. "You girls did the right thing."

Tears came to Rogue's eyes. "You should have seen him, Logan. He was so ashamed after the fight. Like we were going to turn on him or hate him or something. He turned so animalistic."

Logan pulled her from the driver's seat and into his arms. She sobbed against his chest and clung to his shirt. "Its okay, Rogue."

"He's so much like you." She looked up at him with her tear filled eyes. "We have to help him."

Logan gave her a smile. "I'm just glad you're okay, kid. I don't know what I would have done is Magneto had gotten his hands on you."

Rogue gave him a shy smile. "I'm sorry we worried you all."

"I love happy reunions," a voice commented.

They turned and saw Dom seated in a lawn chair outside the door to their rooms. He had a beer in one hand and was smoking a cigarette. He nodded his head towards the seat next to him.

"Look who I found."

The girl was there wrapped in her cloak, staring. She seemed scared. Jean gave her a smile and stepped forward.

"Hello Nicole. My name is Jean-"

"Dr. Jean Grey, a teacher at Charles Xavier's School for the Gifted, Alkali Lake, Scott, telekinesis," Nicole stopped speaking. Sorry, but sometimes I can't stop my mind from reading others.

Jean gave the girl a warm smile. You don't have to be afraid. We can help.

"How do you know? How do you know you can help me? That blue woman promised the same thing."

"Mystique is a liar," Logan growled.

"And how do I know you aren't?" Nicole rose to her feet.

"At least come with us to the school. Let the Professor talk to you," Jubilee said. "He helped all of us. He could help you too."

"Can the damned be helped?" Nicole asked.

Rogue walked close to the girl and held out her hand. "I'm damned too, you know."

Nicole stared at Rogue's hand and slowly extended her gloved hand. Rogue took the girl's hand into both of hers and gave the girl a smile.

"I learned to control mine and I think you can too."

Nicole squeezed her hand. "I will go to this Professor, but if he can not help me I will leave."

"You aren't a prisoner," Scott stated.

"I am Mr. Summers. I am a prisoner of my own body."

Logan sat outside with Rogue later that night. "I was worried about you."

"Why? I'm fine. We all were fine."

"You were gone longer than I expected is all… So you like this Dom guy?"

She stared at Logan and laughed. "Dom is my friend, nothing more. Besides, there is only enough room in my world for one Wolverine."

"Oh… So you really think Wheels can help this girl?"

"Nice change of subject. Yes. He helped me."

"She's worse off than you."

"He's helped others who were worse off than me. Have a little faith, Logan."

"I'll try. Don't scare me like this anymore, Rogue."

She smiled and hugged him. "I like it when you come chasing after me."

"For some reason, I'll always be chasin' after you, darlin'."

Nicole slowly walked a short distance away from the motel, lost in her own thoughts. They seemed genuinely concerned for her and trustworthy, but she was still afraid. What if that professor could not help her? She rubbed her arms and walked out onto a pier. She looked out over the ocean and tears came to her eyes.

"Need some company?" A voice broke her thoughts. She turned to see Dom watching her.

"If you want to. I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither. Bad dreams?"

She nodded. "Only they aren't dreams. They are here even when I' awake."

"Don't fret it to much, kid. You'll be fine. Maybe that guy can help you."

"I don't think I can be helped. I've hurt so many people."

Dom came to stand closer to her and put his hand on her arm. "It's okay to be scared."

"Yes, but is it okay to hate yourself? I should not be alive! I am a curse, a demon!" Nikki jerked away from Dom. "My touch kills. I kill."

"It's not your fault. You didn't ask for this."

"Every child asks to be different. I did ask for this in a way."

"No one asks for this. Not is any way. Do you think I asked for this?" Dom unsheathed his claws. "No. I learned to live with it. Put it to good use. Ya know… like cutting fire wood and peeling apples."

She chuckled at the image that came to her mind and he smiled back.

"See, I knew you could laugh."

"Can I touch them?" she asked.

"What?"

"Can I touch them?"

He shrugged. "Sure. Just be careful, because they're sharp."

She raised her gloved hands and took his hand into hers. She ran a finger down one of the claws and pressed her finger to the point. She dropped his hand and looked back at his face. He had trusted her with his claws. She wanted to be able to trust him with her skin. Slowly, she raised her hands to the top of her cloak and pulled the hood down. Dom's eyes widened as he saw the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Her hair was coal black and hung in waves. Her eyes were an endless blue that hypnotized him. She smiled and he couldn't help, but smile back.

"You are a good person, Dominic. Don't change that."

He chuckled. "You seem to be one of the only ones who think so."

Dom caught a familiar scent in the air. He growled and took a fighting stance. Another growl came from the shadows and Sabretooth stepped forward.

"You smell so familiar boy. Who are you?" Sabretooth asked. "You smell… like old memories."

"Yeah and you smell like a wet dog," Dom growled and unsheathed his claws again. "Run Nicole."

Nicole turned and Mystique stood behind her. She gasped and stepped back. "Leave me alone. I don't want to go with you!"

"It would be in your best interests if you didn't put up a fight." Mystique smiled. "I told you before. This time your little metal friend won't be able to help you."

"What makes you think that?" Dom growled.

"I do." A man floated towards them on a metal disk. He grinned. "I hear that adamantium coats your skeleton, young man."

Magneto waved his hand and Dom's body went rigid.

"Damn." Dom grunted and Magneto smiled.
"Dispose of him," Magneto ordered Sabretooth. "He is worthless to us."

Dom growled and Sabretooth lunged into him. Magneto released his hold and turned his attention to Nicole. Dom's claws sunk into his arm and Sabretooth roared. Spinning around, Dom planted a spin kick to the side of his head. He growled and grabbed Dom by the arms. Sabretooth picked him up and threw him to the ground, hard.

Magneto advanced towards Nicole. "Don't fight us. We can help."

"Back off!" Dom growled as he stood. "The girl is with me!"

Dom advanced on Magneto and Sabretooth stepped between them. "How many times will I have to hurt you before you'll go away?"

With a loud scream, Nicole leapt at Sabretooth and landed on his back. She grabbed his face with her bare hands and he howled as she drained him. He knocked her away and fell to his knees.

"Get away from them!" Logan ordered as he and the others advanced on them.

"Grab the girl!" Magneto ordered. Mystique grabbed for her and Nicole knocked her away with a growl. Logan leapt for Sabretooth and they tumbled. Magneto advanced on Nikki.

"You silly girl. Look at all the trouble you have caused."

"Get away from me!" Nicole used her mind to knock him away. He stared at her, amazed at what he saw in her mind. Fury's past. How did she know?

"Leave the girl! Now is not the time!"

Sabretooth leapt away from Logan and Mystique followed. Magneto turned and smiled at Dom and Nikki. "One more thing."

He levitated Dom and threw him at Nicole. He hit her and they stumbled back to the edge of the pier. They fell over and Rogue screamed.

"NO!"

Dom sailed through the air and it seemed to go in slow motion until he headed down. He hit the icy water and it stung his flesh. He hit a rock and something scraped his head. He fumbled in the water and felt his arm hit something soft. He groped for it and felt Nicole. Tugging her upward, he prayed she wasn't hurt. They broke the surface. He dragged her to the shore and coughed.

"We're here! Down here! Help!" Dom was frantic. "She's not breathing! She's not breathing."

He frantically looked for help and looked to her. He took his bare hand and carefully touched her cheek. Nothing happened. He laid his palm against her smooth skin and felt a pull. Her eyes snapped open and she saw his mind; open to her like a book. She saw a dark headed woman, then it flashed to a laboratory, she felt an immense amount of pain as metal was fused to her bone, and she snapped awake.

Dom stared at her wide eyed and she watched as he crumpled to the sand. Blood poured freely from his head wound. She stared down at her hands and saw the small abrasions disappear as they healed themselves.

"I've killed him," she whispered.