ducks behind a shield watching out for tomatoes. I apologize to all my readers! I know it has been forever since I updated but I got caught up in school and everything and fell out of fanfic world. Major thanks go to Life-of-LA Silverwolf for getting back on track, I hope you all enjoy the story and please if you want me to keep going let me know it!

Chap 12

Pietro and Todd tapped lightly on the door to Lance's room, surprised when the still half asleep teen opened the door. It was the first time the other two had actually seen him look rested, there were no dark circles under his eyes and they were actually awake before him for once!

Lance mumbled raising his hand to draw it across his face, rubbing his eyes, "Hey guys, what time is it?" he yawned stretching his arms above his head.

Pietro smirked slightly, It's 7:30 Lance we wanted to make sure you were ok since we hadn't seen you" he snickered quietly, "I guess now we know why sleepyhead."

The older teen blinked looking astonished, "It's really 7:30?" Between his nightmares, time spent with Magneto and training with Magneto 7:30 to him was the equivalent of what sleeping in until noon was for other people.

"Uh-huh, you probably want to grab some food since the Professor wants us to eat lunch later with everybody." Todd replied cuddling against Pietro's side as he looked up at Lance, happy that the older teen had finally been getting some sleep.

"Alright, give me 20 minutes, I need to take a quick shower, do you two have anything planned for today?"

"Nah, not yet. We figured you might want to get a work out in, we've been feeling a little itchy in our powers, we haven't really exercised them in awhile."

"Good idea Pietro, okay I'll check with Mr. Logan to see if the gym is free and that way we can have some privacy."

Todd nodded, "cool, we already had breakfast so we're going to head back to our room, hang out there for awhile, come get us after you check with Wolverine okay?"

"Sure, I'll be down to let you guys know soon, just hang out til then okay? I really don't want to have anymore run-ins with the rest of the X-men right now."

Pietro and Todd both nodded heading back into their own room quietly closing the door behind them.

In his own room Lance walked into the small attached bathroom and climbed into the shower; he quickly scrubbed down and washed his hair thankful that he had actually thought to bring some shampoo.

As he climbed out of the shower he ran a hand through his hair realizing how long it was starting to get; with a sigh he simply grabbed a tie pulling it back to hang at the base of his neck.

Reaching up he stroked the metal circlet that was still around his neck; he jerked his hand away quickly as though it had burned him. Narrowing his eyes he glared at the collar in the mirror hating the mere sight of it, the fact that he was actually still wearing it only reinforced the fact that he was still Magneto's.

Yet….he wasn't Magneto's, not anymore, and hopefully never again; there may be nothing he could do for the mark on his hip right now but there was definitely something that could be done about the fuckin' symbol of his enslavement.

Slinging the towel around his hips he quickly went back into his room throwing on a simple pair of gray sweat pants and a long sleeved black turtleneck and headed upstairs before he lost his nerve.

He stood for a few moments in front of Logan's door, debating what exactly he was therefore, he had just raised his hand to knock when he heard Wolverine growl and call him from inside, "Just get in here already Lance."

Entering he looked over seeing the older man dressed in a black pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. The window was open and he could still smell the faint traces of smoke as well as the open newspaper by Wolverine's right side.

It was obvious he had been enjoying his morning and Lance hoped that he wouldn't be too annoyed by what he was there to ask for, "I'm sorry to be bothering you Sir…"

Logan cut him off as he rose from the window ledge moving over the chairs where they always seemed to meet, "Ya ain't a bother kid, whatcha need?"

Lance settled on the chair across from Logan his gaze still slightly down, resting more on his shoulder, "Well, we were wondering if it would be okay if we had the gym to ourselves for a few hours this morning Sir."

"We?"

"Oh, Todd, Pietro, and I, our powers tend to be…uncomfortable when we don't at least work out allowing our bodies to be able to contain the new powers. We have to maintain a certain level of fitness or else we tend to start to lose control." Lance closed his mouth quickly having already said much more then he was planning on when he had first walked in.

Logan nodded as he looked at the tense teen across from him, "That shouldn't be a problem, the only student who really ever uses the gym when they aren't forced is Spike or the Elf but they already left earlier."

"Good, that's good….um, thank you Sir."

Logan leaned back raising an eyebrow slightly as Lance merely fidgeted in his chair, he had thought the kid would have already been through the door and headed back downstairs. "Was there something else you needed Lance?"

After the fiasco of the previous night Logan had made a deal with himself that his anger was not going to lash out at the teen again, at a punching bag fine, but not at this kid. Because of this he sat quietly simply waiting as Lance seemed to gather his thoughts.

Biting his lip Lance reached up quickly pulling off his shirt and letting it fall to the floor; his body moving to kneel in front of Logan before he even had time to react. His body trembled slightly at the unknown future as he spoke softly, "Sir? you please get this off?" tilting his head to the side displaying the metal that encircled his neck

Logan was stunned as he looked down; taking a deep breath he went with his instincts and ran a hand through Lance's hair, running the fine strands through his hands, "Are you sure? Sure that you want this" he reached down stroking the metal with his finger "off forever? Once it comes off it won't be possible to put it back on."

Lance shivered knowing he meant more then just the metal ring, "Yes Sir, please take it off, W…Wolverine please."

Hearing Lance say his name even with the stutter gave Logan hope as he slowly slid out one claw on each hand gliding them underneath Lance's collar on each side of his throat. moving quickly he pulled up slicing through the hard metal hearing it come apart as his adamantium blades slid through it smoothly.

The two pieces fell to the floor making a dull clinking noise as they hit the ground in the silent room. Logan looked down managing to contain his flinch as he saw the two scratches on either side of Lance's neck that had a few drops of blood welling along each one.

There was a strip of completely white skin where the metal had lay, almost looking like a collar in and of itself. Lance reached up with trembling hands feeling the freed skin, running his fingers over the scratches, gently wiping the blood away with his fingers.

He began to tremble as he saw the broken metal laying on the floor, curling up as he tried to breathe, remembering what Magneto had said about the circlet.

Flashback

It had only been a few days since Magneto had first given Lance the new rules and placed the metal band around his neck classifying him as belonging to the older mutant. He had just been sitting at the boarding house peering at the heavy metal that was around his neck.

He had carefully traced every inch of it noting the heavy script of ownership and the impossibility of removal by anyone other then Magneto or an extremely strong metal blade that was thin enough not to slice open his throat.

Lance had been so absorbed in examining it that he had not even heard the front door open and close and was oblivious until a strong hand gripped the back of his neck, fingers stroking over the engraving. "Such a pretty sight, do you like your new adornment Rocky? I believe it suits you quite well."

By that point Magneto had been leaning down nearly whispering in his ear. Lance bit his lip hard not letting the smartass retort that he wanted to give fly loose. There was a dark chuckle behind him as the hands pulled him up; hands stroking the collar and body possessively.

"You didn't answer my question Rocky…perhaps you need a little incentive, should this collar ever come off not only will I kill you but I am sure that Sabertooth would love some sport hunting those two you live with."

Smirking, Magneto gripped Lance's shirt pulling him forward, "So let me ask you again Rocky, do you like your new adornment, or should I remove it?"

Lance swallowed hard keeping his head down speaking softly, "I..like my new adornment Lord, thank…thank you."

With that Magneto dropped his hand sliding it lower; the teen closing his eyes wishing to be anywhere but in the room

End Flashback

Lance started as he felt a hand reach down gently cradling his chin lifting his face until he was looking straight into Wolverine's eyes as they softened slightly. Gently Logan pulled him up onto the couch running his hand through his hair as he sat still as a stone. "Is it to much?"

The softly spoken question was enough to draw Lance out of his shell as he looked up, "It's really gone, and…and he's not here? Not gonna hurt them?" The confusion in his voice was obvious, he had been so conditioned to think that Magneto was omnipotent, that any infraction would be known.

"No Lance, he's not here and nothing is going to happen that you three say isn't going to happen." Though his voice still held a growl he kept it low making sure not to frighten the teen.

Sighing Lance closed his eyes, one hand still massaging the skin around his throat, "It feels…new, scary." He winced slightly realizing what he had admitted to the older mutant with that statement.

He was eighteen, he wasn't supposed to be frightened like a small child about something he had desired as much as his freedom… but escape was frightening, being able to control his own destiny was once again new and he felt unsure of what to do.

His eyes snapped open as he felt a bare piece of the metal being bent around his wrist, there were no markings on the outside but along the inside edge he could feel three vertical scratches that were in contact with his skin. His face looked up at Wolverine in confusion as his hand rested on the new bracelet.

"You're not alone Lance; I'm very proud of you for wanting that collar gone but it's big step. This is a reminder that you're not alone; the three scratches on the inside are mine to remind you I'm here. It's yours for however long ya need it." Logan explained one hand under the teen's chin keeping Lance's head tilted up looking into his eyes.

"Thank…thank you Sir." Lance leaned in nuzzling against Wolverine's side feeling him tense he quickly pulled away dropping his eyes as he curled into the corner of the couch. "I'm sorry." He said softly.

Logan took a deep breath relaxing his body, it wasn't the kid's fault that he had been conditioned to respond like that, and he had already taken a big step requesting the removal of the collar. "You didn't do anything wrong Kid." He stood ruffling Lance's hair. "Go, have a good workout, I am proud of you Lance."

With a small pleased smile Lance pulled the shirt back over his head slipping out the door and heading back downstairs.