Maine
"You sure you know what you're doing?" Alison asked from the back of the jeep careening down some random dirt road in the middle of nowhere, chasing a group of very pissed of military soldiers, who as Alison was noting, were taking great relish in shooting at them. Several bullets ricocheting off the front windshield, others kicking up even more dirt alongside the racing vehicle.
"Don' worry, chere. Stormy know what she doing." Gambit turned to the woman in question and in a lowered voice said. "Don't you?"
Storm laughed. "Hardly. Hold on!" With a quick jerk of the steering wheel Storm narrowly evaded a large animal that plowed from the underbrush, apparently startled by all the commotion. "What the hell was that?" She asked, looking in her rearview mirror, watching the deer on steroids lope away.
"I t'ink it was a moose," Gambit muttered.
"Heads up!" Alison cried, pointing ahead of them. Roadblock.
Storm smiled, gunning the engine.
Alison threw herself into the back seat searching for a seatbelt. "Damn."
"Stormy…?"
"Gambit, you think they play cards?" Her eyes narrowed, her focus on the barricade in front of them.
"Dey gonna, chere." He was already pulling a deck from his front pocket.
"What, we gonna engage them in a rousing game of go fish?" Alison asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Non." Gambit's eyes glowed. "Was t'inkin' more about a quick game of war."
"Gambit! Clear me a path!" With that Storm rotated the steering wheel sharply, spinning the vehicle so that Gambit's side faced the road block as he released a barrage of glowing pink cards from agile fingers, explosions so forceful they rocked the jeep onto its side.
Crawling from the tipped over vehicle Gambit muttered, "Sorry, chere."
"Not a problem, Gambit." Storm was already up, racing towards the streaming smoke.
"Merde." Gambit rose to his feet, pulling Alison up with him. She cried out, clutching her leg. "You are 'urt," he accused.
"Never said I wasn't." Alison shot back.
"Storm!" He called, but she had already disappeared into the smoke.
"Go." Alison said. "She'll need your help." As the words left Alison's mouth Storm came racing back through the smoke, shouting for them to "Get back!"
Behind her several Sentinels were marching forward, flanked by smaller whirring silver and black robotic creatures, that looked like wasps.
"Holy fuck." Alison's eyes widened.
"D'accord." Gambit let fly with several charged cards, picking Alison up and running towards the trees to their right.
Storm leapt into the air, buoyed by her winds, soaring high, releasing lightening from her fingertips, charging the air with a dense electromagnetic field, the wasp-robots crashing to the ground.
Alison used their buzzing sounds to fuel her mutant powers, sending forceful blasts of light at the offending machines.
"Behind you!" Gambit's warning came a fraction of a second too late as a gigantic sentinel hand clamped around Storm.
Storm smiled widely into the optical camera she was sure was recording her, "Howdy, boys, hope you weren't too attached to your toys. They look awfully expensive and very big. Compensating?" Her eyes swirled white.
"Oh my God," Alison said as the sky split and Storm channeled a massive strike through her body, effectively taking out the sentinel holding her as well as the three large sentinels bearing down on them.
Storm hit the ground hard, still clutched in the falling machine's hand. She winced as her face planted into the ground, cracking with enough force for her to hear bells, splitting her lip and bruising her chin.
That stunt had taken a lot out of her, and she lay panting for a moment. She wiggled her body, sliding free of the metallic hand still holding her, the fingers jarred apart on impact. With an angry wipe of her hand she pushed the tick mass of her hair from her eyes.
Storm.
So
glad you could join us, Charles.
Forgive the delay. I was…occupied. Scott and the Red team have been deployed. Fall back and await retrieval.
Storm shook her head. They have Wolverine.
I know.
I'm not leaving with out him.
We will get him back, Storm, but he is no longer even in the area. They transported him by jet three minutes ago.
Storm pounded her fist into the ground. "Fine." She stood slowly, not trusting her legs completely. "Okay, guys, we fall back to the Bird." Storm said to Gambit and Alison.
Alison groaned. "That's like three miles back."
"Her leg's broke," Gambit added.
Storm nodded, looking back towards the smoke and fallen sentinels, knowing they needed to move, that more would be coming. "Pick her up." she ordered.
Gambit swung Alison into his arms. Storm wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hold on."
Gambit chuckled. "I done died an' gone t' heaven." He winked one devil red eye at her.
"Flirt." Storm chided out of habit, but there was no humor in it.
"Isn't he though?" Alison said, squeezing Gambit's rear.
Gambit looked down at Storm, his brow furrowed. "You all right, chere?"
Instead of answering Storm summoned a small current to carry them back to Kitty and Kurt…and the boy she had failed to save…
Black Bird
"You're all right!" Kitty raced forward as soon as her three other team members came into view, her light brown pony tail bouncing as she ran.
The winds settled and Storm, Gambit and Alison landed, less than graceful, as Storm was becoming drained, on the ground. She quickly rose to her feet. "Get into the jet, all of you. Kitty engage the shields."
"Where you goin', Stormy"
"I need to take care of something." She shot him a look over his shoulder. "I'll be back." She was making her way towards the decimated, still flaming farmhouse and without a doubt Gambit knew where she was going. "Ah, hell, padnat." He shook his head and sighed.
Ororo's steps faltered as she approached the fallen form laying alone in the yard. She lowered herself slowly to her knees, her breathing ragged. "I'm so sorry." She whispered, stroking the portion of the young boys head that remained intact. "Adam." She lowered her head to his, holding her breath to keep from crying. "I'm sorry. I should have known, should have seen." She looked at the burning farmhouse. "Was this your home, Adam? Were you happy here?" She asked softly, still stroking his head. "Is that your sister we have? Don't worry, Adam, I'll make sure she gets a good life." She spoke softly for several more minutes then rose, calling forth a number of bolts of lightening, turning the body of the young sixteen year old to ash, the only sending she could give him. "To the earth with you, Adam. Blessed Goddess watch over his spirit."
Shoulders stiff Ororo headed back to the Black Bird, hands clenched at her side, her mouth set in a grim line. Wraith. That bastard would pay. For Adam, and for Wolverine.
As she got closer to her team she noticed a smaller jet landed next to the Black Bird and Cyclops was speaking with Alison.
"Storm. Status," he demanded as she got closer.
"Got our asses kicked." she said, reaching for the Black Bird's hatch. Cyclops grabbed her arm. She turned giving him a narrow look, eyes going white. "What?"
"What the hell happened here? I do not like the X-Men looking like jokes and costing sixteen year old kids their lives," he stated, voice hard, still holding her arm. She shook him off.
"When we arrived the house looked abandoned, we entered, an explosion was set, soldiers arrived, five tanks, two helicopters, Wolverine referred to one of the men as Wraith. A shootout ensued, Wolverine was taken, we pursued, but we turned back by four Sentinels and some flying bugs. Now, you're up to speed."
"You entered even though the place looked abandoned? That should have been your first clue that this was a trap." Cyclops said angrily.
Storm looked away, knowing there was more than a grain of truth behind those words. "I know. I am sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to bring that kid back from the dead."
"Hey, easy, homme."
"Stay out of this, Gambit. As far as I'm concerned your less of an X-Man than she is." He indicated Storm.
"Hey, back off, toy soldier," Alison spoke up, glaring from the interior of the jet.
"Look at you. All of you. Beaten, broken," he glanced at Alison's splinted leg, then he looked directly at Storm. "Failures."
Enough, Cyclops.
Professor. I am just stating facts.
Now is not the time, Cyclops.
Orders, sir?
Start flying, Cyclops, I will have a course laid out in moments.
On our way. Cyclops motioned for Jean to start their jet. "Let's roll, people."
Storm turned to Alison. "You up to piloting?"
Ali shook her head, her eyes unfocused. "Can't, the fuzzy elf loaded me."
Grinding her teeth, Ororo turned to Scott. "I need a pilot."
One corner of his mouth turned up. "What's the magic word?"
Cyclops
Cyclops frowned, then jerked his head at Jean, saying, "They need a pilot."
"What's wrong with Dazzler?" Marvel Girl questioned.
"Busted leg. You take the Bird."
Jean opened her mouth to refuse, but the firm set of Scott's jaw stopped her. "Men," she muttered, climbing from their plane and making her way over to Storm.
"Looks like I'm flying you out." She said.
"Good. Kurt take co-pilot." Storm said climbing into the jet.
Once they were in the air, Jean couldn't resist saying, "Looks like the squad of Misfit Mutants really screwed up."
"Blow it out your--"
"Alison." Ororo interrupted gently. She gave Jean a hard look. "I am proud of my team, Jean. I would go into battle with them any day."
Jean said nothing for a moment, and then, "Yes, well now they have one of ours. If anything happens to Wolverine I will personally turn your brain to mush."
Storm didn't reply, staring about the window, thinking that if they didn't get Wolverine back, Jean wouldn't get the chance, she may just die of a broken heart. When had she fallen so hopelessly in love? The guy was as arrogant and smug as they came, full of himself, always sniffing after Jean. Well, that wasn't entirely true, aside from the locker room incident, she had not seen the two of them even in the same room together.
Storm closed her eyes thinking about her late night trip to the refrigerator the other night, and her stomach clenched.
She had been unable to sleep, a usual problem for her. She had quietly slipped out of Gambit's arms, padding down the stairs and made her way to the kitchen. Once there she had proceeded to hunt in the back of the freezer for her hidden Ben&Jerry's, Karmel Sutra.
"Looking fer this?"
Ororo had spun, catching the freezer door with the back of her head, wincing. Her heart had immediately tripped over itself at the sight of him. He leaned against the doorjamb, half hidden in shadows. He moved forward, fully revealed, by the light of the moon beaming through the windows, and Ororo thought maybe she'd stopped breathing. He was bare-chested, clad in only a faded pair of jeans, his bare feet silent as he moved towards her. She backed up hurriedly, nearly tripping.
"Careful, there, darlin.'" He moved with lightening reflexes, and caught her about the waist, pulling her upright.
"Wolverine. Why do you have my ice cream?" She had asked, for lack of anything better to say, trying not to touch his bare chest, but desperately yearning to do so.
"Don't have yer name on it." he said huskily, his breath fanning her cheek.
"That's because it was hidden."
Without taking his eyes off her he flicked the top with his thumb, opening the sweet smelling treat. Then, still watching her, he dipped his index finger into the chocolate portion of the ice-cream, scooping out a small amount. His eyes glittered as he brought his finger to his mouth, licking the dairy from his calloused pad.
Unable to help herself Ororo had watched transfixed, licking her own lips as he licked the ice-cream. "Wanna taste?" he had asked.
Ororo nodded, unable to speak, reaching for the container, but Wolverine lowered his head, his cool mouth catching hers, his tongue sliding easily past her startled lips. She had gasped in surprise, aware that he tasted of the sweet ice-cream mixed with the faint taste of alcohol.
Her hands fluttered for a moment before settling on his muscular shoulders, delighting in the way the muscles rippled under her fingers. Without realizing it, she had begun making deep mewling sounds of longing in the back of her throat and he pressed her against the counter, his hands sliding under her long T-shirt, teasing the skin on her ribs, all the while his lips and tongue nudging and teasing hers. He lifted her, seating her on the countertop, spreading her legs wide and stepping between them. Ororo had instinctively tried to close herself, but he had moved forward too quickly, so instead all she had ended up doing was pulling him closer, tighter against her.
"God, 'Ro. Ya feel so good." He was kneading her breasts with his warm hands, his thumbs flicking over her nipples, causing her to whimper into his mouth. It wasn't until she felt his hand pressing against her damp center through her white cotton panties did she panic. She immediately lashed out, planting her foot in the center of his chest, shoving him across the room.
"Stop." She hopped off the counter. "I don't like to be touched."
Wolverine growled at her. "Could've fooled me, darlin'."
"I don't."
Wolverine's breathing was ragged and his lip curled, baring his teeth slightly. "So, what yer just a cock-tease?"
Crack! Ororo's hand whipped out, slapping him with enough force to turn his head. He turned back to her with a growl. "Stick to redheads, Wolverine. You have no class anywhere else." With that she hopped off the counter and left the room, leaving the ice-cream and a growling Wolverine behind her. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard him.
"I'm sorry."
Ororo had looked over her shoulder to say something scathing, but the wounded look in his eyes silenced her. "Accepted. Good night, Wolverine."
"Logan." he had said softly after she had departed.
Wolverine snapped his head up, coming awake with a start, images of Storm in his head, in time to meet the ass end of a rifle to his face. He growled, spitting blood. "Fuckers," he snarled.
A hand gripped his hair, jerking his head back. "Awww, c'mon, Wolverine. Aren't you having fun?" Another blunt hit to his mouth.
Wolverine shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He was in a plane of some sort, his arms strapped behind him at odd, painful angles, some sort of metal cuffs preventing him from extending his claws. Must be made of adamantium, he thought, unable to even pierce them.
"Wraith said to make sure you were good and submissive when we get to base. How long you think that'll take with your ability to heal and shit?"
Wolverine snarled, earning him a boot to the stomach. "That the best ya got, pussy?"
Several rounds of ammunition were emptied into his chest and Wolverine lost consciousness again.
"Wake up!" Storm was calling him. He could see her beautiful mouth moving, her breath brushing his ear. "Wolverine, open your eyes you stupid fuck." Definitely not Storm.
Wolverine blinked against the harsh white light directed into his face. "Morning, sunshine." A large man with dark red hair, wearing a blue plastic apron over gray coveralls stood in front of him. "My name's Smith, and I'll be torturing you momentarily."
Wolverine looked around, realizing he was no longer in the plane, but in a very sterile room white room, with bars on the windows, naked and strapped to a slanted table. The man called Smith was moving towards him with a syringe.
"This will help speed things along." He slipped the needle into Wolverine's arm, pressing the plunger, injecting some type of clear liquid that burnt as it was absorbed. "There, isn't that lovely."
Wolverine growled. "Why is it all you fuckin' nuts that torture act like yer at some goddamn tea party."
"Well, Mr. Wolverine, that's because this is pleasant for me." Smith picked up a long device that looked like a corkscrew and smiled at Wolverine through his deep red beard. "Sadly, I can assure you, that this will be most unpleasant for you."
"Oh, I don't know," Wolverine grunted. "That looks like one of my ex's bedroom toys."
"Hm. Interesting." Smith pulled on a pair of large, yellow latex gloves. "I'm afraid this won't be nearly that enjoyable." Another smile. "For you."
The tip of the corkscrew device plunged into Wolverine's stomach, and he ground his teeth. "Yer gonna have ta do better than that, Bub."
"Oh, we're only just beginning." Smith assured him, twisting.
Wolverine roared.
After several minutes and three other devices Smith stood, setting a timer. "Mmmm, that's better." Smith said, ruffling Wolverine's sweat dampened hair like he was a boy. "The serum should take effect in a moment, but with your mutant ability, I doubt we'll have long for this interview." Smith lifted a straight razor, running it along Wolverine's chest, creating a big, bloody X. "Who are the X-Men?"
"Fuck you." Wolverine panted, leaning forward, sweat dripping from his nose, dripping onto the blood red floor.
"Hm. Not the answer I was looking for." A heated soldering iron was placed against Wolverine's eye.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Wolverine jerked his head back and forth trying to escape the pain.
"Is there a limit to what your body can handle, Mr. Wolverine?" Smith ran the straight razor along the back of Wolverine's ear. "If I cut this off, do you grow one back?" He lowered the razor, tapping it against Wolverine's exposed groin. "How about this?"
Wolverine's blood turned to ice, but he still said nothing.
"A tough one. What a treat." Smith backed up, pulling a small laptop over to the rack. He clicked a few buttons and then set the screen so that Wolverine could see it. On screen an image of Kurt appeared, bamfing from the farmhouse. Smith paused the video. "Who's that?"
"My mother," Wolverine snarled. "She has issues."
Smith frowned. "Come now, Wolverine, we both know you don't remember your mother." He ran the razor along Wolverines chest again, deeper, carving the X into muscle. "Who are the X-Men."
Wolverine panted against the pain, his head foggy from whatever they injected him with. "Fuck. You."
Smith smashed a beefy fist against Wolverine's face. Then again. Then he picked up a bat and swung, cracking the wood against Wolverine's skull.
"Manners, Wolverine."
Wolverine's head lolled and Smith slapped him twice. "Stay awake, Wolverine."
Moving back to his table o'torture Smith pulled out a long serrated blade. "You have very strong legs, Wolverine. But everyone has an Achilles heel."
Wolverine hollered as he felt the blade slice the back of his foot. "Mother fucker." Blood ran from his lips where his fangs were gnashing. "I'm gonna gut ya, ya fat fuck."
"Doubtful." Smith studied him closely, then as if struck by an idea moved back to the table, picking up to cables with clamps. "Tell me, Wolverine, are you a good conductor?"
No response except a watchful glare. Smith smiled. Good, they needed him feral.
With a quick slit here and a cut there, Smith actually clamped the clips underneath Wolverine's skin. "Okay, here we go." He pressed a button and Wolverine arched off the table, "YEEARRGG!"
"Music to my ears." Smith doubled the voltage. "All right, now that I have your attention." Smith pressed a key on the laptop. "How about her?"
Wolverine glanced at the screen and his heart stopped. It was Storm, held by a sentinel. Had they caught her? Then the video played and his heart not only beat again, but he felt a flare of pride when she smiled, "Compensating?"
Smith paused the screen capturing the image of Storm conducting lightening from a relatively clear sky. "Who is she?"
Wolverine looked away, growling.
"She's a pretty little thing," Smith continued. "I can only imagine the plans Wraith has for her."
Wolverine snarled, spittle and blood spraying, jerking against his restraints.
"Ahh." Smith smiled, his index finger caressing the image of Storm on the screen. "This is the one." Smith stood. "You have been most helpful, Wolverine."
Wolverine frowned. His thoughts clouded with rage and pain. Smith placed another syringe in his arm, and Wolverine's head went fuzzy.
"Who is she?" Smith asked.
Wolverine fought but her name tumbled from his thick tongue. "Storm."
"And who is she?"
Nothing.
"C'mon, Wolverine, who is she?"
"My…love…"
"Wolverine, that's a surprise. I should thank you. So thank you, Wolverine, for showing us how to break you." Smith glanced at the image of Storm again. "Now we just have to go get her."
KRAKA-BOOM! RRRRUUUUUUMMMMMMMMBBBBBBLLLLLLEEEE...KRA-BOOM!
Smith jerked at the sound of thunder crashed over head. Wolverine's head snapped up, his teeth bared. "Well, well, well. Looks like she came to us," Smith said.
He reached across the table pulling a red vial from a silver container. Wolverine growled, he knew what that was. Rage in a jar, they'd called it. A chemical that instantly shut down the human side of his brain, leaving the animal in complete control. Smith placed his hand on Wolverine's thrashing head and injected the substance directly into his temple. Backing away quickly, Smith smiled, releasing the locks via remote, that held Wolverine strapped down.
"Have fun, Wolverine."
Wolverine leapt, slashing at the door as it slammed shut behind the retreating Smith. No. No. No. He could feel his mind shutting down the animal taking over. He sniffed the room, but all he could smell was his own blood. He glanced at his wounds, already mostly healed and he growled. Hunt. Hurt. Kill.
He could hear shouts outside the building and gunfire.
Hunt. Hurt. Kill!
The sound of jets buzzing the building made his head ache. He clapped his hands over his ears.
Hunt! Hurt! KILL!
Outside
"I believe you have something that belongs to us," Scott said to one of the cowering soldiers.
"Stocky fellow, big mouth," Gambit added.
The soldier shook his head. "N-no, please, I gotta wife and kid."
"Then it's a real shame you're never going to see them again," Storm said, crouching down beside him, eyes glowing. "Wolverine. Where is he?"
"Miss?" A large red haired man poked his head around the corner of a building. "Psst."
Storm looked up.
"You looking for the prisoner?"
"Yes." Scott said. "You know where he is?"
"I think so. I'm not sure, I'm just the cook."
Well, that explained the bloody apron. Scott motioned for Jean and Gambit to flank. "Lead the way."
The portly cook indicated the building they were already beside. "I think he's in there."
"Stand clear." Scott punched a hole in the wall with an optic blast. Immediately a naked and pissed off Wolverine leapt from the wreckage, fangs and claws bared.
"Holy shit!" Scott cried as Wolverine lashed out at them. "He's gone feral! Back! Get back!" Cyclops commanded, waving Gambit and Jean away and halting the approaching Iceman and Kurt.
Storm stared in horror at the very bloody Wolverine emerging from the wrecked wall and despite Cyclops's warning she stepped towards Wolverine involuntarily. She reached for him--
"Storm! Get back!" Scott sent a low powered optic blast into the ground directly in front of her, knocking her backwards. She glared icy daggers over at him from the flat of her back.
"Don't hurt him!" Storm said angrily, as Cyclops fired another blast at Wolverine, who dodged and leapt at them, moving like nothing Ororo had ever seen before.
"It's not him I'm worried about!" Cyclops said, positioning himself in front of Jean as he lifted his wrist saying, "Hank be on standby. Have Warren finish up on Alison's leg if he hasn't already."
"Is Wolverine hurt?" Beast came back.
A pause. "Just be ready. Possible multiple injuries coming back."
There was a startled pause from Beast. "We shall be prepared."
"Good. Send Colossus out." Scott ordered. He turned his head and the ruby quartz of his visor glinted in the sun, catching Wolverine's attention
Wolverine rushed him, his fierce growl turning the other X-Man's blood cold.
Clang!
Gambit stepped in front of Wolverine, preventing his charge, adamantium staff drawn, blocking his attack. "Easy, homme. We be friends, remember?"
Wolverine snarled at him, moving with the natural grace and skill of a born predator, deflecting Gambit's staff and flaying the other man's arm open from shoulder to wrist. Gambit cried out, dropping his weapon, blood spraying the ground. Wolverine slashed again, and Gambit evaded, but barely. He rolled, but before he could get up Wolverine stood over him, bare foot cracking Gambit's jaw, claws extended, arms drawn back, viscously snarling.
Jean unleashed a telekinetic pulse, sending Wolverine careening across the ground. He snarled at her, claws sinking into the soil, digging up small trenches, halting his progression. Jean screamed as he leapt, covering the distance between them in one smooth motion and flinging her to the ground. Hunt. Hurt. Kill. No! Yes! Hunt. Hurt. Kill. He raised his arm.
A silver and steel fist caught Wolverine under the chin, sending him soaring back. Mid flight Wolverine arched his spine, flipping and landing on all fours with animal grace. He was quickly becoming surrounded, but the animal in him refused to back down. It was kill or be killed. Narrowing his black eyes Wolverine attacked without hesitation, evading Gambit's flung cards, and Cyclops optic blasts.
Cyclops swore, knowing that if they didn't stop him soon, Wolverine would single handedly bring down the X-Men. "Jean can you get a fix?"
"Are you kidding? I couldn't touch his mind before this!"
"Storm, take him down with a bolt, or send him to Kansas, or something!"
Storm glared at him. "I can reach him. I know I can. Just give us some space."
"Storm, you're insane. You don't know Wolverine, he's a killer. An assassin. We've known him for years and the only person to get more than a growl out of him was Jean." This was said with great reluctance and more than a bit of anger.
"Give me a chance."
"No!" Finality.
"Heads!" Iceman shouted as Wolverine lunged for Cyclops.
"Wolverine!" Storm tackled him, heedless of the danger, using the force of her winds to propel them several feet away from the others, back into the building that he had erupted out of. He glared up at her, roaring in rage. "Stop." She said gently. Something akin to recognition flashed in his eyes, but before Storm could say more she was kicked from him and he swiped at her, causing her to flinch.
"Wolverine." She said, scrambling backwards away from him. "It's me. Storm. Remember?" She looked around the room seeing all the hooks and blades and the strapped table, and she felt her stomach roll. Oh Goddess, what had they done to him? Her hands slid in something sticky and she realized she was crawling through a layer of Wolverine's blood.
Wolverine's head swiveled towards her, fangs bared, snarling. Hunt. Hurt. Kill! With deadly accuracy Wolverine sprung to his feet and launched himself at Storm, only to stop directly over her, straddling her, his claws skimming her chest, almost gently, but still cutting thorough the leather and lycra of her uniform, leaving three crimson marks. She cried out softly, trying not to.
Hunt. Hurt….Mate. Protect. Wolverine shook his head, his vision still crimson, but some part of him was screaming in protest at the thought of hurting this prey. She was looking up at him and he could smell her fear and it turned his stomach and excited him at the same time. He lowered himself to her level, leaning into her, pressing his nose to hers, growling low and deep.
Ororo met his gaze, slightly defiant. "You are not an animal." She said gently, but firmly. "Come back to us, Wolverine."
"Storm!" Cyclops rushed in. Taking in the scene in front of him he blasted Wolverine, punching him through the far wall. He looked at Storm, helping her to her feet. "We have new orders. We retreat, a swarm of Sentinels are coming."
"But Wolverine…"
"Is no longer our priority. We move."
Storm glared. "I am not leaving without him."
Cyclops planted his hands on his hips. "You don't have a choice. We haul ass, yesterday!"
"You seem awfully eager to leave him!"
Cyclops's jaw jutted forward. "We can't beat him," he admitted reluctantly. "In every DR session Wolverine annihilates the team, I can't risk it for real. He's just too dangerous right now. I'm not giving up on getting him back, Storm, but we can't take him, and unless you want me to blow a hole through his chest and take him out, we leave."
Storm's heart felt like lead. She knew the odds were against them, but after losing Adam she couldn't lose Wolverine too. "I can reach him," she said. "I know I can. Let me try!"
Scott!
Jean's mental screaming interrupted them and Cyclops heard the distinct sound of metal shredding. "Son of a bitch! He's attacking the team!" Cyclops shouted, rushing out of the semi-erect building. "You can't reach him, Storm. What we have to do now is try to survive him!"
Storm followed, stunned into stillness by what she saw. Iceman lay on the ground, unconscious, Kurt was trying to lift him, and Alison was in much the same condition, her head rolling to the side while Gambit was trying to lift her with one arm, to keep her out of harms way.
Jean lay on the ground, her lip bloodied and Wolverine was standing over her, claws poised to strike. Cyclops raised his hand to his visor, but Storm knocked him aside with a blast of artic wind, frosting his brown hair.
"Fuzzy Elf! Get Jean!"
Kurt bamfed to Jean, dodging the strike by Wolverine with his natural acrobatic ability, then clutching Jean's shoulders BAMF and they were clear.
"Cyclops, where the hell are Colossus, Angel and Kitty?" Storm demanded.
"I sent them back with the baby as soon as things got hairy," he said, rising to his feet, glowering at her. Jean screamed his name as Wolverine's foot came out of nowhere, slamming Scott about a dozen times in rapid succession, knocking the Red Leader aside. Cyclops landed hard, throwing up and blood pouring from his broken nose.
Wolverine's feral eyes glittered black onyx at Storm and his nostrils flared, picking up her scent. Hunt. Hurt. Mate. He snarled at her and she made out a single word mixed in with the growl "Mine."
Storm's stomach clenched.
Jean turned to Cyclops. "What do we do?"
Scott staggered to his feet. "We follow our orders. Get in the plane."
Storm shook her head, her eyes still on Wolverine. "You follow your orders Cyclops, but I am not leaving him. Did you see where those monsters had him?"
"Stormy?"
"Trust me."
"Always, padnat." Gambit looked at Wolverine and frowned. Wolverine was staring at Stormy in a way that was very dangerous. Hope you know what you're doing, Stormy, he thought.
Without another word, or any sign of warning, Storm rushed Wolverine, wrapping her arms around his middle from behind, summoning her winds to carry them high into the air.
"Storm!" Cyclops bellowed, but she was already moving away from them.
"She's crazy!" Jean said.
Gambit shook his head. "Non, she's in love," he muttered under his breath. He looked down at Alison, who was slowly blinking up at him. "Welcome back, chere."
"What'd I miss?"
Gambit looked over the trees where Storm had disappeared, a worried frown marring his handsome face. "Beauty jus' went t' tame da Beast."
"Let's roll, people." Cyclops said. "Jean contact the Professor. Find out what he wants us to do about Storm and Wolverine."
"Follow them." Jean said a few minutes later, the jet soaring through the air. "He wants us to follow."
"And what?" Cyclops asked.
"Do whatever necessary to ensure Storm's safe return." Jean said, mildly confused by the Professor's orders. He had seemed almost indifferent when Jean had relayed their recent events to him and for some reason that disturbed her, but not nearly so much as his next projected thought had. "If we can not subdue him, we're to take Wolverine out of commission. He's too dangerous left alive."
Scott blinked in surprise. "Xavier wants us to kill Wolverine?"
Jean turned, looking at the beat up and worn out cast of characters behind her. "If we have to."
Alison was looking out the plane window, worrying her lower lip.
Kurt was talking to himself, praying probably, murmuring in his native language.
Gambit sat stiff as he shuffled a deck of cards with his good hand.
Iceman was still unconscious, but breathing steady. Hank was attending him.
Jean turned back to Scott. "You think she'll be all right?"
Scott shook his head. "I think she's probably already dead."
Woods
Still high above the tree line Storm released Wolverine, allowing him to tumble to the ground. His claws had nearly slashed her twice now, and she was getting tired of trying to control him and the winds at the same time.
She followed him down, landing a healthy distance away.
"I know you can hear me," she said softly, her tone dulcet and surprisingly neutral. "You have excellent hearing, don't you?"
He was watching her warily, his eyes glittering in the shadows of the trees. He shifted, his body completely absorbed in darkness and Storm grew tense. "Wolverine?"
She took a hesitant step forward. "Wolverine?"
She was hit from behind, her breath knocked from her lungs as she hit the ground. She rolled and Wolverine was straddling her, his breathing heavy, sniffing her. Again recognition flashed but was quickly gone and he grabbed a fistful of her hair, dragging her across the ground, her feet sliding in the mud, unable to find traction.
He continued walking until he reached a large tree. He looked down at her, remembering pain. Pain caused by her…for her…? He shook his head, growling.
Storm tugged on the hand holding her hair and he slapped her, hard. Ororo saw spots dance in front of her eyes. "You ass!" she swore angrily. "You wanna play rough, sweetie, okay. We play rough." Ororo's eyes swirled and Wolverine inhaled the distinct scent of ozone a second before he felt electricity coursing through his body, causing his to howl in pain. He panted heavily, now on his knees, but still clutching her hair in one tight fist.
He glared at her and Ororo saw a look of hurt betrayal flash in his black eyes. He stared at her angrily, but made no move to retaliate. She sat on her heels, watching him warily. "I know you're in there. Come back to us." She leaned forward one hand planted in front of her for balance, the other reaching out to him. "To me."
Wolverine pounced, knocking her onto her back, releasing her hair to instead grab her wrists, holding her hands above her head. His breathing was erratic and his lips drew back, exposing his long canines. His eyes glittered and Ororo knew she had made a fatal mistake. He didn't know her, and he was going to kill her. As she thought it, she felt his teeth pierce her throat in a savage bite, her blood filling his mouth.
"Logan." She whispered and he drew back startled, chin crimson.
He reached for her, touching her face uncertainly. A red hot optic blast slammed him from her torso and punched him through a far tree, splintering the wood with a hideous crack. Ororo sat up, clutching her neck. "Wolverine!"
"Stay down!" Cyclops commanded, rushing past her towards Wolverine.
Capturing Wolverine was obviously no longer an option for them, she realized. She wanted to scream in frustration. She knew he had recognized her. All she needed was some time and she knew she could get under the animal to the man… Wolverine sprang loose from the underbrush, knocking Cyclops aside with a deft backhand. He turned, fangs bared, stalking towards Storm now, low and fast.
-SNIKT-
"Stormy!" Gambit cried plowing through the foliage, "Get away from 'im!"
Wolverine whirled on the Cajun, now tossing pink phosphorous cards towards him, charged low so as not to hit Storm.
There was a strange humming sound and Ororo knew that Cyclops was gearing up to take Wolverine down.
"No!" she cried as Cyclops fired. At this close range it would be impossible for Wolverine to dodge both Gambit and Cyclops. Reacting on instinct alone Ororo threw herself at Wolverine, wrapping her arms around his neck and knocking them to the ground, taking the brunt of Gambit's cards in her back.
Ororo gasped, barely feeling the three blades enter her midsection, her head dropping forward to rest on Wolverine's shoulder. Instead of rolling to the ground she leaned into his deadly embrace, tightening her arms around his neck. She lifted her head and said into his ear, "It's all right, Logan. It wasn't you, I know…It's all right…" She kissed him, her lips moving on his and slowly he responded, his tongue darting out to taste her and she sighed. She let their lips touch as she was mouthing the words against his lips, holding him, turning them so Cyclops couldn't get a shot without hitting her.
Wolverine's head was swimming, the scent of fresh blood filling his nostrils. He shook himself but it was still there. A soft voice was whispering to him through the rage, through the blood lust. "It's all right…It wasn't you…I know you…Logan." Logan. Logan. His name was Logan.
Wolverine blinked several times, his vision slowly clearing. He found himself staring into the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. "'Ro?" he whispered, voice raw.
"Hi." She smiled tenderly down at him. "Welcome back." Her eyes suddenly went hazy with pain and his brow furrowed confused.
"Storm?" It was then that he felt it, warm liquid seeping between his finger. He looked down, horrified to see his fist pressed into Ororo's midsection, the tips of three adamantium claws protruding from her back. He roared in agony. A sound so terrible that the other members of the squads covered their ears.
Sensing his panic and inner loathing Ororo grabbed his face. "Sshh. It wasn't you," she murmured. "I know you, I do... It wasn't your fault." Her eyes were glazing over and she was rapidly losing strength.
"Help me!" Wolverine bellowed, looking over Storm's shoulder at the other X-Men.
Jean was the first to rush forward, shaking off Cyclops restraining hand. "He's himself again," she said, walking toward them.
"I'm not certain it makes a difference anymore," Cyclops stated flatly.
"Whatever you do, don't retract," Jean ordered.
Wolverine was growling in his throat.
"You're going to have to carry her to the Bird. Can you do that, Wolverine?"
He nodded, unable to speak, the effects of the serum still raging inside. He rolled, lifting Ororo against him, she groaned but said nothing. Her eyes were still open, looking at him and mixed with the pain was a look of such tender understanding that Wolverine's steps faltered.
Once at the plane, a journey that felt like it took forever for Wolverine, Jean had him lay Storm down on the medical cot in the back of the jet. She reached for some gauze and a protein filler that would stop any bleeding that would occur as Wolverine retracted.
"Okay. Now." Jean said filler in hand.
Wolverine retracted and Storm grunted, but didn't cry out. She looked at him, her eyes surprisingly clear. "It wasn't your fault." She said again, firmly.
"Who's fault was it den, chere? Cause from where dis Cajun sat it looked like Wolverine was wanting t' kabob da lot of us." Gambit entered the back of the plane, his arm still flayed open to the bone, glaring fire at Wolverine, his red on black eyes promising retribution.
"It was those government monsters, Gambit." Storm said, panting slightly as Jean filled her wounds. "What is that?" she asked as the burn intensified.
"Protein."
"Burns." Storm mumbled her head feeling light.
"I bet."
"You're just loving this aren't you, pom-pom." Storm muttered, wincing in pain, one corner of her mouth tilted up.
"A little."
Suddenly Ororo's body began convulsing, her teeth chattering.
"What's wrong wit' 'er?" Gambit demanded frantic.
"Shock." Jean said, holding Storm's shoulders. "It'll pass. Someone get Hank, he'll need to help me. Gambit get that arm covered. You don't want it to get infected." "Wolverine?" Storm said softly, her tremors lessoning,.
He looked at her.
She smiled glancing down at him. "Put some pants on."
Xavier Institute
Just past Midnight
Roof
"You sure you're all right, chere?"
"I'm fine, Remy. Relax." Ororo shifted her weight against him, wincing slightly as she did, her wounds still tender. They had been deep, but luckily non fatal. Upon her arrival she had been sent to the med lab, but was released soon after, Hank realizing that she wasn't going to stay put. He had warned her to take it easy, but otherwise to most everyone's amazement she had been given a clean bill of health.
Gambit kissed her snowy hair and settled his cheek on the top of her head. "Dis be a nice night, non?"
Ororo inhaled the sweet night air, taking in the clear shy and smiled. "A very nice night."
"Dat was a foolish t'ing you did," Gambit said for the fourth time.
Storm shifted again, saying, "I did what any leader would do for a team mate."
"Uh-huh."
"What?"
"Not'in, Stormy."
They sat in companionable silence for a long time, Gambit occasionally running his deft fingers through her hair, his arm stitched and mended. There would be a scar, but thanks to Warren's healing powers it would be exceptionally small.
A movement on the ground below caught their eyes and Storm felt a familiar stirring in her heart as she watched Wolverine walk across the courtyard, cigar clenched between his teeth. He was moving quickly towards the woods and there was something about the set of his shoulders that bothered her. She sat up, leaning her forearms on her knees, hands dangling by her ankles as she watched him.
"You should check on Alison," Storm said without looking at Gambit.
Gambit said nothing by way of response. He watched her profile intensely. She looked over her shoulder at him, raising one eyebrow. "You should. Don't think I haven't noticed how you flirt with her."
"Jealous?"
Storm laughed softly. "You wish."
With out another word, just a quick kiss on her cheek Gambit rose to his feet, but before he swung himself down through her skylight he said very seriously, "Be careful, padnat."
As soon as he was out of sight she stood and let herself float on the breeze, silently gliding through the air, following Wolverine.
He walked for several minutes, making his way through the forest unerringly, his instincts uncanny. From above Ororo admired the way his body moved, the way he seemed a part of the forest itself. He was not one with nature, he was nature, she mused. He was beautiful to her, and that terrified her. She was drawn to him, on more than a base level of attraction, drawn by more, something much more.
After a while he stopped at a clearing, taking a seat on a fallen log, lighting the unlit cigar in his mouth.
A cloud of blue gray smoke swirled about his head. "Ya gonna hover up there all night?"
Storm felt her lips twitch. Of course he knew she was there. She slowly descended, sitting beside him, her hair falling about her shoulders slowly. "How are you?" she asked.
Wolverine snorted, still looking straight ahead. "How am I? Yer the one I stuck like a pig on a poke and ya wanna know how I am? I'm fan-fuckin'-tastic, thanks fer askin'."
Ororo said nothing for a moment, then hesitantly she placed her hand on his arm, unsure of how to offer him comfort. "It wasn't your fault, Wolverine. They used you."
He turned his glittering gaze upon her and wished he hadn't. She looked so beautiful sitting there in the moonlight and shadows, her features exotic and breathtaking and immediately he wanted her. "Ya heard Wraith, Storm. I used ta be one of them."
Storm shook her head. "It wasn't you."
"What ya think there's two of me out there. It was me, Storm. I still wake up in the night covered in sweat from the nightmares." The last part came out without his intending it to.
Her hand flexed on his arm. "The Professor told me they messed with your mind, Wolverine. That doesn't count."
Wolverine leaned towards her, teeth gleaming. "They may have tweaked the controls but it's my nature ta hunt. Ta hurt and ta kill. They only enhanced it. I'm an animal." He jerked his arm away from her.
Storm sighed. "Is that what you think?"
"It's what I know, Storm." Wolverine gave a harsh laugh. "I'm not some fluffy X-Man. I don't believe I stayed here this long."
Storm's breath caught in her throat. "You're leaving?"
"It'd be best."
"Stay." She said quietly.
Wolverine looked at her surprised. "What do you care if I stay or go? I nearly killed ya, kid."
Storm wouldn't meet his eyes, instead looking into the shadows of the forest. "You didn't. You fought your way back, Wolverine, that has to count for something with you."
Wolverine ground his cigar under his boot heel. "Well, it don't."
"Let it go, Wolverine. Get rid of the baggage, and the guilt. Let it go."
"Yer treadin' where ya ought not ta tread little girl."
"Coward."
Wolverine growled down at her. "What did you just say?"
Storm stood facing him. "I called you a coward." He bared his fangs. "What's the matter? Did I hit a little too close to home?"
His dark eyes narrowed, then coldly, "What the fuck does a pampered little kid like you know about guilt or baggage?" He stalked away from her and had made it several feet when her soft voice reached his ears.
"I was exceptionally young when my mutant power manifested," she was saying. He turned and saw that she was once again seated on the hollowed log, her blue eyes glazed white in a faraway look. "I was five or six years old , it's hard know for sure." She took a deep breath, still not looking at him. "I had a nightmare. A particularly bad one, as I recall." Her voice became softer and Wolverine found himself walking back towards her. "The tornado took out half the village, wrecked the school and toppled my house." She looked at her feet, her voice trembling slightly. "My father died instantly, struck by lightening. But Mom….was crushed, under the rubble with me. I held her hand while she went. It took hours, and no one could come because in my fear the storm raged…so I sat, holding my mothers hand as she died, all the while knowing I killed her." She looked up at him with scarred eyes. "I know about guilt, Logan, and baggage." She stood and touched his cheek with her hand, cradling his jaw. Instinctively he nuzzled against her as she said, "The secret of life is to live it, Logan. Don't give up. I believe in you." With those words she lifted herself into the night sky, her silver and white hair a brilliant contrast to the deep midnight.
"Jesus."