Disclaimer: Snort… I don't own any of the X-men. Marvel owns them.(Someday… they will be mine!) I do however own Dom (SCORE!) and Astral and Nicole/Mindfire.

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

I am so sorry it took so long to load a new chapter. I've been seeing this new guy… and moving top a friend's part time and…. Ya know how that goes… You get distracted.

Thanks for all the reviews. I was nervous about the fight scene between Dom and Logan cuz I don't think I write very good fight scenes. Yet, you all liked it so rock on! Thanks for reading!

The song in this chapter that I used for the title is "Behind Blue Eyes" by and Limp Biscut. I think it was originally sung by The Who, but I'm not sure so don't quote me on it.

Greenleaf- welcome to the flock! Glad you're reading!

Bima- ask and you shall receive.

Wolvieluvr- glad you like the orgasm line. It just came to me. I was worried about the fight scene, but I'm glad you liked it.

Starbaby-210- U still reading chick?

Mm4ever2gether- thank for joining up? Who is Chloe?

Rogue smoothed her black dress as she waited for the curling iron to heat up. Leaning close to the mirror on her vanity, Rogue began to apply mascara. Nicole sat on the bed, cross-legged, and watched. Nicole tugged on the sleeve of her sweater, nervously.

"So, how did you talk Logan into this?" Nicole asked.

"I simply explained that the young girl he considers a daughter is going to be there and so is every hormonal male at this school and that his son is taking her."

Nicole laughed. "I bet he loved that."

"You should have seen how fast he hopped onto his bike and headed for the tux shop."

Nicole peeled off her gloves to study her manicured nails. Jean had done them earlier in the day, using gloves of course.

"So… How are the lessons with the Professor going?" Rogue asked, nonchalantly.

"Good… Why?" Nicole seemed suspicious.

"Just something I overheard."

"Did he tell you! I wanted to surprise you and Logan!" Nicole sighed. "You didn't tell him did you?"

Rogue laughed. "No, I didn't say anything to Logan. Xavier didn't tell me as much as I 'accidentally' heard him and Jean discussing it. I was surprised."

"You cheat!"

"Sorry, sugar! You can still surprise Logan."

"I really want to surprise Dom."

"I'm sure he'll be bowled over. Just make sure he doesn't talk you into doing anything stupid."

"What? Like having sex? My control isn't that advanced. Trust me we'll be good."

Rogue grinned. "I know you will. Logan is the one worrying. This will be a treat to see the two of them dressed up, won't it? Now put on your dress so I can do your hair."

Nicole complied and Rogue stood behind the girl to curl her hair. Nicole watched, Rogue sweep her hair up and curl it.

"I heard about Logan and Dom's fist fight."

Rogue winced. "Yeah… That was an experience. I was hoping you wouldn't hear about it."

"Were they fighting about me?"

"Some. Logan and Dom are like fire and gasoline."

"Yeah, mix it together and you get explosions."

"I'm not wearing that!" Dom exploded.

"You have to, mon ami. It's a formal dance. La petite won't be happy if you show up in a t-shirt and jeans," Remy reasoned.

"It's a purple tuxedo."

"It's all I could find on such short notice," Hank said. "The mansion isn't a tuxedo shop."

"No, I'd rather go naked."

"As much as the girls would like that, I think you need to be dressed, comrade." Piotr smirked.

"Not in that," Dom chewed on his toothpick.

"How about a stylish tweed suit?" Hank offered.

"That's it. I'm going naked."

Kurt bamfed into the room. "Hope is not lost! I found this!"

He held out a black dress shirt and black pair of pants to Dom.

"It was in Scott's closet. He said you could borrow it and these pants."

"He needs a tie," Hank mused.

"A coat would be the best," Remy offered.

"Will you all stop trying to dress me? What is your deal?"

Remy grinned. "You need to impress your papa. He looks at Nicole like she is his daughter and doesn't know that you are taking her. We want you to make a good impression."

Dom groaned. "Give me the clothes, fuzzball."

Nicole waited nervously in her room with Kitty and Jubilee. They had all finished getting dressed and now were waiting on their dates. She glanced at the clock.

"Men. They are always late," Jubilee brushed her hand down the skirt of her puffy yellow dress. "And they bitch about us."

Kitty giggled. A knock sounded on the door and she jumped to answer it. Remy stood on the other side. Jubilee leapt to her feet.

"Hey, hot stuff."

He raised an eyebrow at her low cut dress. "Gambit doesn't think he'll make it to the dance…"

She laughed and smacked his arm as they left. Piotr peeked in the still open door.

"Are you ready, Kitten?"

Kitty almost melted at the Russian's nickname for her and whispered. "Yes."

Nicole shooed them away when they tried to stay and wait for her. "I'll be down soon."

Nicole sat down on her bed and waited. She had been waiting for fifteen minutes and that's when she started to cry. He wasn't coming. She heard a noise at her window and rose to look to the balcony. Dom stepped though the curtains. She stared.

He wore a black button down shirt with the top three buttons unbuttoned and black slacks. His normally long hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, but he hadn't shaved. He looked sexy as hell.

"Sorry I-" He stopped and took in the woman before him. Her hair had been swept up into curls on her head and her body was swathed in the shimmering gown. It came all the way to the floor, but was strapless and bared her shoulders and arms all the way down to the white opera gloves. "Damn."

"I didn't think you were coming," she whispered. "Don't you know how to use a door?"

"Forgot to get this."

He held out a white rose.

"Oh, Dom…" She took it and smiled. "Where did you find it?"

"Scott's garden. Figured it was important. Ready?"

"Before we go… I wanna show you something."

"What?"

She stepped close to him and put her arms around his neck and leaned up to press her lips against his. Dom was shocked and opened his mouth to give her access. His hands went down her back to cup her ass and pulled her to him. The kiss deepened and he realized what she was showing him. There was no pull. She could control her powers.

She pulled back and smiled. "Surprise."

"When?"

"A few weeks ago. I wanted you to be the first I told. What do you think?"

"I'm proud. How'd you manage?"

"The Professor taught me how to put a mental block on the part of my mind that orders my skin to drain. I can control if I concentrate hard enough, but only for a short time."

Dom cupped her cheek with his hand. "You amaze me, doll."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for sharing it with me," Dom dropped kisses on her eyelids.

She blushed. "You clean up really well."

He chuckled. "Thank Remy, Piotr, Hank, Kurt, and Scott. They are all very adamant that I impress Logan, seeing as how he dotes on you."

"You pass my inspection," she grinned. "Are you ready?"

"I guess. I've never really done this dance thing before."

She took his arm. "You'll be fine."

"I know. I'm not worried, just stating a fact."

"You have a very big ego, you know that?"

He got a smug look on his face. "You know what guys with big egos also have?"

She turned red again. "What?"

"Big heads."

He led her down to the ballroom and they came through the door. Nicole could feel people staring at them and her exposed skin.

"They're staring."

"They're jealous," Dom gave a low growl.

Logan broke through the crowd and smiled at Nicole. Rogue had ordered him into a black tux, but he was missing the tie and left it unbuttoned just enough for Rogue to drool over. "You look beautiful, Nicole. A little… uncovered, but beautiful."

"Thanks Logan. I've got a surprise for you." She took off her gloves and took his hands into hers. "I can touch some now."

Logan's grin widened. "How? When?"

"The Professor helped me. I've been able to for a few weeks. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, consider me surprised. I'm proud of you," Logan said as Rogue came and took his arm. His gaze finally fell on his son. "You clean up good, kid."

Dom snorted. "Why is everyone so amazed by that?"

"I believe they are under the impression of the phrase 'like father, like son'." The Professor wheeled close to them.

Dom laughed and gave Nicole a smile. "You wanna dance, doll, or stand here all night?"

She laughed as he dragged her away.

Xavier gave Logan a smile. "So, does he seem good enough for her, Logan?"

Logan grunted and shrugged. "He's too much like me.

"You turned out okay."

Rogue tugged on Logan's arm. "Stop worrying about them and dance with me, sugar."

Logan let Rogue drag him away to the floor. "I still wonder, kid. He's been acting strange and leaving the institute a lot."

"Relax. Look at them. Dom cares for her." Rogue assured him.

"I know, but he's off…"

"So, he's a little discombobulated. Wouldn't you be if the girl you left behind grew up while you were gone?"

Logan grew silent. "Like what happened to us?"

"Yeah, sugar. I grew up and you grew wise." She kissed him.

"I was an ass… I'm afraid he will be too."

"Then Nicole will just have to straighten him out, won't she?"

Nicole let Dom drag her to the dance floor. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she let him pull her close to him. Idly, she played with the hair at the back of his neck and he grunted.

"That tickles."

"Sorry." She stopped.

"I didn't say stop." His eyes locked on hers.

"Oh."

Dom leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Let's go outside for a minute, doll."

She nodded, numbly, and let him drag her out onto the terrace. He led her to a bench and they sat alone. He put a hand to her cheek and stared at her.

"All that time I was gone… You were always in my mind… All I thought about… All I saw."

"Dom, I-"

"Shh… Let me finish. I care about you Nicole. I care a lot."

"Dom… My feelings for you are…"

"Obvious?" he smirked. "You act like Rogue when she's around Logan."

"Dom, I lo-"

"You are so damn addicting." Dom leaned in and caught her lips with his. She tensed and then relaxed against him. He threaded his fingers in her hair and groaned.

Dom muttered some words in Japanese.

"What?" she asked and leaned back. "Was that Japanese?"

Dom rose and held out a hand to her, "Dance with me again."

She nodded and took his hand. He pulled her even closer to him and she fought to control her skin. As she listened to the opening notes of the song, she smiled.

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
And no one knows
What it's like to be hated
To be fated to telling only lies

Dom's thoughts drifted to the words behind the song. Behind blue eyes. Nicole's blue eyes held the world to him. He refused to do what he was order to. He would not hurt her. Ever.

But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

Nicole's mind drifted. Was Dom a bad man. Had he lied? They had empty dreams and nightmare's they shared. Maybe that was what tied them together so much.

No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do, and I blame you!
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

Dom bit back a growl of outrage at himself. He couldn't hurt her. He had to fight it. He was not going to do it. Dom was not the beast they wanted him to be.

No one knows what its like
To be mistreated, to be defeated
Behind blue eyes
No one knows how to say
That they're sorry and don't worry
I'm not telling lies

Nicole felt his muscle tense and wondered if the song had hit a nerve. She wished he would let her see his mind, see why he was acting so strange.

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man, to be the sad man
Behind blue eyes.

As the song ended Dom leaned back and stared at her blue eyes. He whispered. "I won't do it."

"What?"

Dom broke away from her and disappeared into the garden. She watched him, confused by the way he was acting. She clutched her skirts in her hands and followed him. Logan watched from the window, a scowl crossing his features. Nicole found Dom out near the gazebo. He was leaning against it, smoking. She went to him and stood before him.

"Dom, what's wrong?"

He whispered. "Something's off."

"Let me read your mind and I'll-"

"No!" he cut her off. "No."

"Why not?"

"You don't want to see what's inside my head this time."

Nicole was aware of another presence and gasped as a woman just appeared in front of her. "Dom…"

He looked at her, sadly. "I'm so sorry."

The woman cackled. "Come with me, Nicole."

Nicole realized he had been set up and her eyes flashed a fiery blue. Energy crackled around her and she rose in the air. She held out her hands to defend herself, the power of her mutation coursing through her.

"Dom. Grab her."

Dom looked at the woman. "I won't hurt her, Astral."

"You'll do as I say, Fury!"

The woman bent him over and used an eyedropper to put a drop on the back of his neck. He stood up straight and she could see that his eyes had turned silver. He growled and unsheathed his claws.

"Come quietly or he will cut you up." Astral grinned. "He'll do anything I say. Just come with me, Nicole."

"My name is Mindfire," Nicole growled and used her mind to throw Astral to the ground.

Dom leapt for her and knocked her from the air. She felt his claws graze her shoulder and she screamed. Logan heard her scream and raced towards the gazebo. She was fighting with Dom, using techniques that Logan had taught her. Using her mind, she threw him back into the gazebo, shattering one wall. He shook his head and rose. Logan gave a feral roar and tackled his son. Dom grinned, wickedly, at his father and Logan gasped. The look on his face was almost identical to the one Yuriko had when Stryker had control over her. Dom slowly raised his leg and kicked his father away.

"Forget him! Let's get the girl and go!" Astral ordered.

Dom advanced on Nicole, who backed up against the hedges. Suddenly, he howled in pain and Nicole saw Logan behind him with his claws in Dom's back. Astral hissed and projected herself to knock Logan away. Slowly, Dom's back healed itself and he grabbed Nicole's arm, careful to mind her skin.

"Please Dom… Don't do this," Nicole begged. "Please Dom."

Astral was busy fighting off Logan. She moved too fast for him to attack her. He went to strike her and somehow she appeared behind him. She slammed her fists into his back and knocked him to the ground. She stood over him in victory.

"So you are the prized Wolverine? I see why you were the failed experiment."

"Leaver her alone!" Logan growled and Astral pressed her foot on the back of his neck.

"You're in no position to be giving orders. Fury! Get her and let's go!"

Dom's claws went back onto his arms and he reached for her. Nicole tried to fight him, only to be drawn against him so she couldn't move. She was facing him and stared into his cold silver eyes. She wrestled one arm free.

"Please forgive me, Dom," she whispered and grabbed a handful of his hair. She pressed her lips against his and instantly she felt the pull. She didn't stop even against his struggles. Memories and power flooded into her and her shoulder healed itself. Dom sputtered and choked until he fell to his knees. She let him collapse and gasped at the sudden understanding of him. Blood began to pool around him from his stab wounds. Nicole looked over at the astonished Astral.

"What did you do to Fury?" Astral shrieked.

Logan took advantage of her distraction and sunk his claws into her leg. Astral howled in pain and was gone in a blur. Logan rose to his feet and hurried to Nicole.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay!" she screamed. "There is no way I am fucking okay!"

"Calm down, Nicole. Dom's just in your head."

"Is he dead? Is he dead, Logan?" Nicole asked.

Logan dropped to his knees and felt Dom's neck for a pulse. "He's alive."

Jean and Hank raced across the gardens to them.

"What happened?" Hank asked staring at Nicole's tattered dress.

"What the fuck does it look like?" Nicole snapped.

"Don't mind her," Logan stated. "She absorbed Dom."

Hank and Logan lifted Dom between them. They took him to the med lab and met the Professor and Rogue there. They put Dom on a table.

"I'd lock him up. He's not on our side," Logan warned. "Some bitch named Astral was with him."

Nicole leaned against a doorframe, suddenly craving a cigarette. "She was controlling him with the same stuff Stryker used on Yuriko and Scott."

Xavier went to Nicole. "What did you see?"

"Horrible things. You might want to do as Logan said and lock him up."

Xavier nodded and Hank placed Dom in a caged area. Xavier took Nicole's hand into his. "Tell me, Nicole."

"Not long after he and Logan parted in the desert, Dom ran across Astral. She lied to him and told him she'd help him find his past. Instead she took him to another lab and used that serum on him like they did Yuriko. Then they came back here to get me. He kept fighting her, but at the last minute she'd use more serum." Nicole shuddered. "She is evil. They want me so that they can revive Weapon X. They want a mutant who can be all mutants at once."

"You tell it beautifully," Dom's voice came from behind them. He was awake and standing in the cage, his borrowed dress clothes, torn and dirty. His hair was loose from the ponytail and framing his face.

"Dom?" Nicole whispered

"Don't you get it? There never was a Dom. All that there was and is, is Project Fury."

Xavier stated, "Astral didn't hope to get away with this did she?"

"Of course she did and she knew she could use me to do it," Dom spat. "Weapon X went on long after you, Logan. Yuriko was next, but before they did the process they managed to mate the two best killers they had. Wolverine and Yuriko. That produced me; the supposed ultimate fighting machine. Dominic Logan James, named for my father at my mother's request. They were ready to raise a killer. That is until Yuriko ran away with her son, but not before they performed the procedure on her. She and I hid for years. Still Stryker found us and started Project Fury.

He operated on her first, making my mother his total slave. Then he started the process on me. I was sixteen years old. I was still getting a hang of my powers and when they performed the operation, I took along time to heal. A very long time. He wanted to have another Wolverine. He only gave me two claws to set me apart. He and mother disappeared, only sending orders and missions for me. I was sent on missions periodically. I was there for three years before I got wind of my mother's death at my father's hands. I blamed Stryker, but I couldn't touch him since he drowned at Alkali. So I turned on them."

"So Astral found you and decided to start Project Fury again?" Jean asked.

"No. She wanted to revive Weapon X. She wanted an unconditional killing machine. So she used the son of Weapon X. She used my code name, Fury, and focused on capturing Nicole. She knew Nicole trusted me, maybe even loved me."

"Damn it!" Logan howled. "I killed my own son's mother."

"No Logan. You killed an empty shell that used to be my mother. You should have killed me."

"Shut up. I won't kill anymore of my family!" Logan growled.

"Wouldn't you? What if not doing so resulted in other casualties?" Dom looked at Rogue and Nicole. "What if you had a choice between the two women you love or the son you barely know?"

"Shut your damn mouth!"

"You'll have to make your choice, Logan. The time will come and if you don't choose, I will."

Rogue pulled Logan from the room and put her hand on the side of his face. "Calm down, Logan."

"What if he's right darlin'?" Logan took her hands in his. "I killed his mother. Yuriko… I never knew."

"Oh, sugar." Rogue wrapped her arms around his neck.

Back inside the med lab, Nicole walked closer to the cage. She stared at Dom and looked down at her own hands, images of them bloody and sporting adamantium claws flashing before her eyes.

"Got me up there again, huh?" Dom asked, quietly.

"Yeah. What do you care?" Nicole asked, his personality still edging in on hers.

He shrugged and she noticed his eyes were still silver.

"The serum still controls you."

He chuckled. "Astral's version is a bit more potent."

"How can we be sure what you weren't telling us was a lie? How do I know that you aren't talking that serum willingly?"

"You saw into my mind." He shrugged again and alarms began to sound. He looked around. "Astral won't let me go without a fight. I hope you're prepared for what she has in store."

Logan slowly made his way down the deserted halls, sniffing for that fast moving bitch. He caught her scent and spun around to send her crashing against a wall. She snarled and got to her feet.

"Give me Fury and I'll leave."

"You're not taking Dom anywhere," Logan growled and unsheathed his claws.

"He's mine!" she hissed. Within an instant she was gone and Logan let out a low growl. He'd kill that bitch.

Dom stared at the lock on his cage, trying to figure out the way it worked. Hank watched him warily from across the room.

"So the serum controls you?" Hank asked.

"My body, yes. No one, but me, controls my mind."

"So to over come the serum would mean to use mind over body? Simply having a strong mind would suffice?"

"Yeah."

"As you have fought to do."

"Yeah."

"How do you feel about Nicole?"

Dom's eyes snapped up to the blue man. "None of your damn business."

"So you do love her? What was Astral planning?"

"She wants Nicole's genes. She wants to slice me and Nicole's genes to create a perfect killing machine. How much simpler do I have to make it?" Dom growled and unsheathed his claws. "And I'll kill Astral before I let her hurt Nicole."

"Dom-"

Dom sliced through the lock and stared Hank down. Slowly, he opened the door and stepped out to face Hank.

"I don't want to hurt her."

"I'm sorry to say I am in no position to believe you." Hank started towards the young man to restrain him and caught an adamantium fist to the temple. He fell at Dom's feet.

"Sorry, Hank."

Dom snuck through the school. They were still looking for him and Astral. He knew they wouldn't hesitate to kill him. He rounded a corner and that's when he caught her scent.

"It's not nice to try to sneak up on people," he whispered and an unseen force threw him against a wall. He got back to his feet shakily and stared at Nicole. "I don't want to hurt you."

"How do I know you aren't lying? You did before!"

Dom took a deep breath. "I've got nothing to prove myself to you, doll."

She held out her hand and he slammed against the wall, hard. Suddenly, she turned and using her other hand, she threw Astral beside him. Astral hissed.

"You stupid bastard! Why did you let her touch you? She knows everything!"

Dom just stared ahead.

"You moron! All of my plans ruined! Kill her or I will myself!"

Jean and Scott raced around a corner and Nicole's attention went to them. Astral used the moment to project herself out of Nicole's grasp. Brandishing a dagger, Astral lunged for Nicole.

With a roar, Dom released his claws, and sunk them into Astral's side. Scott let forth an optic blast that knocked Astral and Dom away. Astral made a choking sound and held a hand to her bleeding side. Dom shook his head and got to his feet. Nicole was standing just away from him, her hands out to protect herself. Jean was standing much the same way with Scott. He felt the serum tugging on his mind, ordering him to follow Astral's orders. Glaring at Nicole, he swallowed hard, some of him still human. Some of him not Fury.

"Please forgive me. Please stop me." He moved to attack her and was cut short by a piercing pain in his back. He tried to speak, but blood came instead of words. He turned slowly and stared into the eyes of his father. Logan held his claws into Dom's back. The blades just missed his adamantium ribs, and piercing both lungs. Logan knew he had mortally wounded his son.

"I'm sorry, son." Logan drew his hands apart vertically and Dom gurgled in protest.

Dom went down on his knees. "Da-"

"Logan!" Rogue yelled and stopped short before them. "Oh my god."

Logan released his claws and stepped back form his dying son. Dom fell forward and tried to reach out to Nicole. Nicole stared at him.

"Tou… Me…" Dom gurgled.

Nicole bent down and her fingers brushed his cheek. Burning pain shot through her and she screamed. Memories and feelings flooded into her, more powerful than ever before. Images of cages, laboratories, metal, blood, rolling hillsides, Japan, Yuriko, Logan, herself, they all flooded into her. Her scream stopped short and she collapsed. Dom's ragged breathing stopped and all was still.

"No!" Logan howled and sunk his claws into a nearby wall. "My son…"

Rogue kneeled before Nicole's unconscious form. "Let's get her to the med lab, Logan."

"I hope she dies. I hope you all die!" Astral hissed and Jean cut off her voice with a wave of her hand.

Logan scooped Nicole into his arms and carried her away. He ran to the med lab, startling Hank.

"What happened?"

"Don't let her die!" Logan growled. "God help you if you do!"