Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created and owned by Marvel Characters, Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended
Chapter 3: Small Steps Forward
Xavier Institute
Early Morning/Back Lawn
Ororo hovered in the air, cross legged, eyes closed, practicing the meditative mantra Logan had taught her. She focused on her inner self, trying to find her center but it was immeasurably difficult with all of the inner turmoil rolling around inside her.
"Mind if I join you?" A slightly accented voice asked quietly.
Ororo opened one eye, glancing at the approaching figure of Elizabeth Braddock. She was dressed in a dark purple robe, accented with dragons and bonsai trees. It was a bit unnerving to hear that slightly accented British voice coming from a clearly Japanese Kunoichi body. She was a startlingly attractive woman, with deep penetrating eyes and a calm demeanor. Betsy was the newest member of the X-Men Black squad and Ororo got the impression there was far more to the woman than she let on.
"Not at all," Ororo said.
Betsy knelt close to where Ororo hovered, her hands moving in graceful, intricate patterns, bending, flowing. She ended with her hands pressed palms together in the very center of her chest, a low hum coming from her.
Ororo watched, slowly lowering herself to the ground, fascinated. "That was beautiful."
Betsy nodded, her long hair gleaming in the early morning sun. "It's a bit of many different things blended into one. A touch of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, with yoga and ballet. It's a reflection of me, I guess."
"If that's true, you have a beautiful soul."
"That's debatable." Betsy inhaled deeply, stretching her arms, opening them wide as if embracing the entire world. "You seem pretty familiar with meditation."
"Getting there." Ororo closed her eyes, leaning her head back, enjoying the cool breeze caressing her face. "I had a good teacher."
"The Wolverine?" Betsy moved to stand, dropping her robe, revealing a tight, stealth outfit. "I met him once. Interesting man."
One corner of Ororo's mouth tilted. "That's a word for him."
Betsy remained silent. She stretched one leg high in the air, holding the position for a long moment, balancing on the ball of her cloth covered other foot, turning slowly. "Do you spar?" she asked, switching legs.
Ororo nodded. She rose to her feet, taking a fighting stance, her toes twitching in the grass. "Ready?"
Betsy nodded. Without so much as a blink to give her away, she swung her foot, catching Storm in the side. Storm grunted, but didn't fall. "You're quick," she told Betsy.
"I am."
Betsy dipped, the heel of her left foot rising, swinging towards Storm's jaw. Storm back flipped out of the way, landing low and sweeping Betsy's right foot out from under her. Betsy hit the ground, but quickly rolled back, planting her hands and bending her spine in a polished arc. "Your quick."
"I am."
Betsy smiled. They continued to spar for several minutes, blocking, punching, kicking, each moving with grace and precision. Betsy moved with stunning swiftness, leaping into the air, one leg extended, the other curved behind her. She hit Storm directly in the chest but Storm had seen it coming and grabbed the other woman's ankle, twisting, flipping her. Betsy grunted as she hit the ground, but at the last minute, she uncurled her hooked her leg, pulling Storm down with her.
They were both winded as they stood, brushing the grass from their clothes. "You're pretty good," Betsy said with genuine admiration.
"Like I said, I had a good teacher."
Betsy nodded. "Where is Wolverine anyway? I heard he disappeared a few months ago, went off and left his wife or something."
Ororo held up her left hand, the gold band glinting in the sun. "Or something."
Betsy gave a surprised gasp. "You're married to the Wolverine?"
"Why is it people always say it like that? So disbelieving." Ororo muttered shaking her head. She rotated her shoulders. Married? Were they really? Was it still a marriage if you didn't know where the other person was, hadn't spoken to them in what felt like forever? What was that? Because as far as she was concerned it was not a marriage.
"Sorry. I only met the guy once, like I said, but he didn't really seem like the settling down type. I didn't know. I'm sorry."
Ororo waved her hand. "Don't be. It's nice to know there's at least one other person at this place not absorbed in the gossip and rumors that run rampant around here." She left it unsaid that obviously he wasn't the settling down type, or he'd be there. With her. Bastard. Thunder rumbled.
Betsy glanced up at the clear sky, frowning. She gave Storm a speculative look but said nothing, instead stretching, cooling down from their brief sparring.
BAMF
"Guten morgen, Storm."
"Good morning, Nightcrawler." Ororo smiled at the fuzzy blue mutant now standing directly in front of her. "You're up early."
"Not really. I usually rise at dawn and say a morning prayer."
Storm glanced over her shoulder. "Have you met Betsy yet?"
"Ja. We had lunch they other day." Kurt inclined his head at Betsy, who gave him a brief wave in return. He turned back to Storm. "The Professor sent me to get you."
"Why didn't he just buzz?" she tapped her head.
"He said something about interrupting you finding your center? Shall we?" Kurt reached for her.
Storm gave him a quick grin before leaping into his arms. "We shall. Later, Betsy."
BAMF
Ororo stood in front of Xavier's desk, still wearing her Gi, knowing what this meeting was about. Her year was up, classes had ended, summer break was upon them, and it was time to make the decision on whether she was staying or leaving.
Charles looked up at her, folding his hands together on the desk, waiting for her to speak, to answer the question.
"When I came here, I came because I thought you could help me, and you recruited me for the same reason; you thought I could help you. To that end I think we've both come through." Ororo sighed. "I have a lot to thank you for, Charles. And even more to hate you for, but I can't hate you. You do what you believe you must to fulfill your dream. Although I don't agree with your methodology I have begun to take the dream into my heart. There are many out there who want to see you and this place destroyed. I can't let that happen. Your ideals have become my ideals. If it helps to make people think a little bit more what those ideals are, then I'll keep wearing this uniform."
Xavier smiled slowly.
"You knew I was going to stay, didn't you?" she asked.
"I had a feeling."
"Mmhm." She crossed her arms. "I still think you're a manipulative geezer."
"I still think you're an obnoxious criminal."
"Okay, good." She walked to the door. "I also think you have a good soul." She closed the door behind her.
Charles shook his head, saying quietly, "I think you saved it."
Loft
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Do you think she'll leave?"
"Non. Stormy not leave Gambit, and I won' leave you. She'll stay."
There was a long silence. "She's given up on him coming back."
Gambit sighed. "I know."
"She's become hard." Ali kissed his hairless chest. "Although I must admit, she looks almost as good in your getup as you do." Storm had taken to wearing dark clothes and was often seen in her thief's garb of dark pants, and form fitting black ribbed tee and gloves. It was a comfort thing for her, bringing back fond memories of her time with Gambit and Jean-Luc in New Orleans. Happy memories that didn't include Wolverine. Something she needed to hold on to, trying to convince herself of the fact that she could be happy without him.
"She's not 'ard, Ali. She's coping, da only way she knows 'ow."
"She tried so hard to find him." Ali laid her head on Gambit's chest, remembering the countless hours Storm spent on the phone, calling in favors and trying to track Wolverine down. Cerebro had been unable to locate him, not that they had really expected to be able to. When Wolverine didn't want to be found, he didn't get found. Storm had even flown to Canada, trying to find him, but with no luck. She had returned with a deep sadness in her eyes and try as they might no one could bring the spark back into her baby blues. She smiled and she joked but it was an act, a very convincing act, as it had most people thinking she was fine, but Ali and Gambit knew better. Storm was slowly dying inside and there was nothing they could do to stop it. "She loves him so much."
"I know, ma petite bella." Gambit stroked her bare back. "Not dat 'e deserves it."
Ali snuggled closer at the hard tone in Remy's voice. He had been furious with Wolverine for weeks now, and it didn't look like that was wearing off anytime soon. "I think he loves her too. I think that's why he left."
"Dat make no sense, Ali." Gambit hugged her tight. "You don' leave da ones you love."
Ali shrugged. "Storm left you once to protect you. Maybe he's doing the same for her."
Gambit muttered a slew of Cajun curses under his breath, rolling Ali onto her back. "No more talk of da Wolverine. Der be so many ot'er more interesting t'ing t' discuss."
"Funny," she gasped. "But I don't think we're going to do much talking."
"Sure we are, chere. Can you no' 'ear my body talkin' t' yours."
Ali closed her eyes as he moved. "Remy," she moaned.
"Listen, ma petite." He kissed her neck, his tongue tasting her skin. He moved slowly, unhurried, drawing out the experience, the feel of her small body wrapped around his an indescribable pleasure. "Je t'aime, Ali."
"Remy…Oh, god." Ali clutched his shoulders.
Gambit rested his forehead on her shoulder, breathing heavy. For all his skill, all his experience, all of his years as a practiced seducer, nothing had ever felt as good or as right as Ali. "Say da words, Ali. I need da words."
She smiled her impish smile, wrapping her legs higher on his back, lifting herself against him. "I am saying them, Etienne. Aren't you listening?"
"Ali…"
"Je t'aime," she whispered. "I love you!"
Outside the bedroom door, Ororo's hand froze mid-descent. She had come to invite her brother and Alison out to dinner, but obviously Gambit and Ali were occupied. She turned, making her way down the narrow staircase, a small smile on her face. Their happiness meant the world to her. She knew that lately they had kept their flirtations and innuendos down to a minimum when she was around and it bothered her that they felt she couldn't handle seeing them together. It wasn't their fault she was alone. She didn't begrudge them their happiness, in fact, it was one of the few bright spots in her life right now.
The lobby was empty as she strode through it, her boots making muffled thuds on the marble, her long ponytail bouncing as she walked. She climbed the main staircase, heading to the second floor where her bedroom was. She had moved back into the mansion a few days ago, leaving the boathouse and the memories it contained within it behind. Ali and Gambit had offered her the loft again, but she had declined. That was their haven now, and she wouldn't take it from them.
She unlocked the door and stepped into the sparse room. She hadn't bothered decorating, leaving the room borderline sterile and bare. She sat on the bed, untying her boots, sliding them off and dropping them beside the bed. She turned on her stereo and the haunting melody of the Cure's 'Love Song' filled the room. She sighed. Figures.
With a small grunt she laid back, staring at the fan slowly circling overhead. She lifted her left hand, staring at the gold circlet hugging her third finger.
"What are we doing here?"
"It's a chapel, Storm? What do you think we're doing?"
"You can't be serious?"
A hard, passionate kiss. "Very. So, whaddya say, darlin'? Marry me?"
"Yes!" He held her tight, swinging her around. "Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes!"
"Yer stuck with me now. I ain't ever gonna let ya go."
Ororo squeezed burning eyes shut. "Liar."
Los Angeles, California
Evening
Wolverine watched as the young girl left the arcade, her yellow slicker nearly dragging on the floor behind her. She pushed overly large sunglasses up her face, setting her jaw in a stubborn tilt. He finished his coffee, getting up, following her.
He had spotted her hours ago in the electronics department of the same store that housed the mini arcade. She had been holding a digital camera when it had suddenly melted in her hands. She had hastily put it down, but he had caught the scent of burning plastic and had witnessed the melt down of the Kodak. A mutant. Young by the looks of her, and alone. Not the best of combinations.
He had gone back to browsing cds, looking for some aggressive music, a habit he picked up from 'Ro, but he had been unable to shake the girl from his mind. With an agitated growl he had sought her out. It had only taken him a few minutes to find her in the arcade, playing some ridiculous outlaw shoot 'em up game. He had gone to the food court Starbuck's grabbed a coffee and sat on one of the small resting benches to wait. For what he wasn't sure, but he trusted his instincts, so he had sat.
The girl was heading for the exit now, pushing open a set of doors, walking into the night, sunglasses still on. She glanced over her shoulder, as if sensing she was being watched, but shrugged, dismissing it when she saw no one behind her. She was halfway across the nearly vacant parking lot, deep in the shadows when she was tackled. She hit the pavement hard, knocking her sunglasses off her face, breaking them.
"Ah, man, I just stole those," she grumbled. Three men stood over her, leering down at her.
"Hey baby," one of the three men standing over her said. "You like cock?" He grabbed himself crudely.
"You like fireworks?" she returned, rolling to her knees.
"Huh?"
A blast of colorful plasma erupted from the girls hands, causing the men to step back, but not retreat. "A mutie! Ohho! This is gonna be fun!" One of the men grabbed her from behind, jerking her arms back. He smelled of sour milk and beer, making her gag.
"Hands off!" She screamed.
"C'mon, baby, you might like it." The skinniest of the three stood in front of her. He leaned close, peering at her face. "I ain't never fucked a chink before."
The girl kicked at him. "Asshole!"
He laughed crudely. "Is that where you want it? My pleasure, bitch." The guy reached for her, but was suddenly flung back, skidding across the asphalt.
Wolverine bared his fangs at the man holding the girl. "Let her go, candy-ass, or I cut off yer balls." -SNIKT-
"Easy man." the scruffy looking man shoved the young girl towards him, pulling out a gun as he did so. The girl screamed, unleashing a series of bright 'pafs' in the man's face.
"Cripes, kid!" Wolverine covered his eyes as the flashes momentarily blinded him.
A gunshot rang out and Wolverine grunted, feeling the bullet penetrate his gut. He straightened slowly, blinking the three men back into focus. "Now ya've gone and pissed me off."
The gun toting scruff pulled the trigger again as Wolverine approached him, hitting Wolverine in the chest three times. Wolverine dropped to one knee, took a couple of deep breaths and rose again, his white shirt scarlet. He smiled at the three men. "How many more of those ya got?"
"Jesus Christ!"
"Not even close." Within seconds the three men lay on the ground, broken and bloody. Wolverine stood over the skinny one, snarling. "You fuckers ever touch another kid, woman, or dog I'll hunt ya down and remove yer spines." He bent, ruthlessly slicing a hand from each one of them. "Just a reminder, gimps."
He retracted, turning back to the wide eyed girl in the yellow slicker.
"Stay back, dementoid!" she cried, backing away from him.
"Look, kid, I ain't gonna hurt ya. I just saved yer ass."
"How do I know you aren't some perv like those three?"
Wolverine snorted. "Ya ain't my type."
The girl placed her hands on her hips. "Hey! I'm cute!" she sounded defensive.
Wolverine shook his head. "So what? Ya want me ta attack ya?"
"Uh, no."
"Let's go, kid, before unwanted company shows up. Where do ya live?"
The girl shrugged. "Wherever."
"Look, kid, I don't got time fer this shit. Where do ya live?"
"I'm currently between homes."
"Yer homeless?"
"I prefer the term un-sheltered. And the name's not kid. I'm Jubilation Lee, but you can call me Jubilee." She gave him a toothy smile. "What's your name?"
"Wolverine."
"Ugh. Did your parents not like you?"
He gave her a small lip curl. She held up her hands. "Okay, Wolverine. How 'bouts I call ya Wolvie?"
"Not if you want me ta answer." He grabbed her arm as he walked past her, pulling her behind him.
"Hey! Where we going?"
"Away. Trouble coming."
Jubilee looked over her shoulder, wincing at the sight of her three attackers still laying in a bloody pile on the pavement. "So, what're you? Some kind of mutant vigilante?"
"Something like that. Move kid."
Minutes Later
"You sure?"
The soldier looked at the bloody severed hands on the ground. "I'm sure, sir. We're getting parking lot surveillance video now. Do we dispatch a sentinel?"
"No. He's off the radar by now."
"But, sir, shouldn't we try to catch him while he's in the area."
There was a short bark of laughter. "You wanna die, you go right ahead and try and catch him."
"Orders, sir?"
"Verify with the video, then call me back."
Burger King
"You might wanna try chewin'."
"I'msohungryhaven'teateninliketwodaysthanksfortheburger."
Wolverine raised one ebony brow. "Sure, kid." He watched in mild fascination as the slight teenage girl in front of him downed a Whopper in less time than it took to say the word. She was a spunky thing, that was for sure. She had short dark hair, held out of her face by two chunky barrettes, her deep chocolate eyes were slightly tilted, giving her a curious aura of mischief and mystery, she had a small nose and a bow shaped mouth. She met his steel gaze unflinchingly and with open curiosity.
Jubilee slurped her shake. "Man, that hit the spot." She gave his fries a predatory look. "You gonna eat those?"
He slid the cardboard container across the table, careful to keep his jacket closed over his bloodstained shirt.
"Thanks." She shoved a handful of fries into her mouth. She caught a glint of metal as he reached for his drink and she said, "Hey, you're married. Whaddya doing picking up sweet little girls like me for?"
Wolverine glanced at his hand and felt a familiar pang of longing. "I ain't picking up sweet little girls. I just happened ta be in the area."
"Uhn-huh. So what's the little woman like? She as 'friendly' as you? What's her name? She a mutant?"
Wolverine gave her a had stare. "You ask an awful lot of questions."
"How else am I supposed to get the answers?"
"Hnh."
"What's that mean? Hnh. I haven't known you long enough to know what grunt means what. Help me out."
"It means I don't want to talk about it."
"Ohh. Did you guys split up?" She leaned forward in a conspirator way. "Another man?" she whispered.
"Kid," he growled.
"Okay, okay. Geesh, touchy." She picked up some more fries. "So where we going next?"
"What's this we shit?"
She gave him a look. "You can't just swoop in all Lone Ranger and rescue me then ditch me. Tell you what, I'll be your Tonto."
"You're not right in the head, are ya, kid?"
She seemed to give that some serious contemplation. "Well, considering I'm a fifteen year old homeless orphan, eating in a nearly empty BK, practically alone with a man who I've known for maybe twenty minutes, who, in that short time has proven to be not only be dark, but dangerous, would indicate that no, no I am not right in the head." She took another sip of her shake. "Thanks for asking."
"You aren't gonna just go away, are ya?"
"Nope."
Wolverine grabbed his burger. "You really got no home?"
For the first time she looked momentarily sad, then she smiled again. "The world is my playground. Or at least the Beverly Center Mall."
Wolverine grunted again, to which Jubilee rolled her eyes. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "I know a place that you could go," he said. "A place for gifted kids like yerself."
"Gifted?" she laughed. "That's just a nice way of saying, weirdo."
Wolverine chuckled a bit. "Yeah, there are definitely a few of those there."
"So, where is this place?"
"New York."
"New York City?"
"No. In Westchester to be specific. Salem Center. It's a school."
Jubilee shook her head. "No thanks. I like being on my own. Making my own way, ya know, a rebel, a loner." She puffed her chest out.
"Ya like getting jumped? Starving? Never having a place ta call home?"
She sat back, deflated. "No." she mumbled. "But a school?"
"Ya'd like it."
"How would you know. You've only known me for half an hour. Maybe I'm a deranged serial killer, luring you to your demise. How about that? Huh?"
Wolverine rolled his eyes. "Uh, yeah. I'll try and keep my terror in check."
Jubilee tossed a fry at him. After a minute she asked, "So, a school?"
He nodded. "It's a mansion." That got her attention. She leaned forward, eyes wide.
"Is there a pool?"
"Yup."
"Games?"
"Plenty of those."
"Boys?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Hot boys?"
"Kid."
"Sorry." She rested her chin in her hand. "It's for mutants?"
"Yes."
"Norms?"
"No."
"Hmm."
"Look, kid, I think ya'd fit right in. If ya want we'll put ya on the next flight out of LAX."
She looked both skeptical and hopeful. "Why would you do that?"
Wolverine shrugged but his voice was rough. "Cuz ya remind me of someone."
Jubilee glanced at the ring on his finger again, wondering if he was a widower. "Can I sleep on it?"
"Sure, kid."
Jubilee smiled, finishing the shake. "So, seriously, what kind of name is Wolverine?"
Xavier Institute
War Room/ 4am
"Sorry for early morning disturbance." Xavier said, glancing at the X-Men lining the table. He had mentally summoned them minutes ago and most were still in their nightclothes. "I received this surveillance video footage only moments ago," He turned on the large flat screen wall mounted TV, pressing play on the remote in his hand. "After you see what I'm about to show you, you'll understand the urgency."
The teams looked at the screen watching as a young girl in a long coat crossed a nearly empty parking lot. She was moving swiftly, when suddenly she was attacked by three men, shoving her to the ground. The black and white imagery made it hard to make out specific details, but it appeared some sort of light or energy was emitted from the girl, making her attackers back up.
"A mutant." Cyclops said, stating the obvious.
On screen a dark shadow came into view, moving with fluid grace, blades glinting under the parking lamps as it leaped into the fray.
"Wolverine," Jean said softly, glancing at Storm from the corner of her eyes. Storm remained passively silent, watching her husband on screen. The only reaction she gave was a subtle flinch when one of the thugs shot Wolverine repeatedly.
The fight was over in a matter of seconds, Wolverine taking the girl and moving off camera. The footage continued to roll and Xavier sped it up until as a group of armed men came on screen, and the X-Men watched in silence as they shot the unconscious men in their heads. Though not in any uniform they appeared to be military of some sort.
Xavier clicked off the monitor, swiveling his chair to face his students. "I believe the men work for Colonel Wraith. I've picked up his psychic signature in the area."
There was a long, silent tension in the air at the mention of that man's name.
"How'd you get the tape?" Scott asked.
"I have many sources," Xavier said cryptically. "I've scanned the young woman's mind, her name is Jubilation Lee, a runaway. I can not locate Wolverine, but I sense that she is still with him." Xavier's somber eyes met Storm's blue ones. "I'm sending a team. The Colonel is close to them."
Storm slowly rose to her feet. "My guys, suit up." She glanced at Scott. "I'm taking this one."
Cyclops gave a nod, the ruby flashing in his visor. "You have the lead, Red team will be right behind you." He stood as well, surprising her with his easy acceptance.
Gambit reached for Storm as she passed him. "Padnat?"
She gave him a dark smile over her shoulder. "Step to it, Labeau, I need you, partner." She squeezed his hand as she headed for the door. "Let's go say howdy to Wraith."
Alison rubbed her sleepy eyes, yawning. "Can we grab a coffee before we go stomping bad-guy booty?"
West Coast Palms Motel, Room 3A
Wolverine bolted upright in the chair he was currently, uncomfortably, sleeping in. Something was wrong. He raised his head, sniffing. There was a faint scent of apples in the air, from the kid on the small twin bed, and the acrid scent of Kevlar and ammo. Fuck.
He moved silently towards the bed. "Pst. Kid, wake up." He shook her shoulder.
"Nnggnn…"
"Wake. Up." he shoved her.
"Wh-wha..?"
He clamped his hand over her mouth. "Sh." He handed her her coat, cocking his head, listening.
"Get down, kid!" Wolverine was moving in front of Jubilee, sensing the soldiers before they appeared from the shadows, busting through the door and windows, weapons drawn. Wolverine was in motion instantly, he never stopped, never slowed, attacking ruthlessly, each move blending in with the next. His claws sinking into flesh through Kevlar, slashing throats and separating limbs. It was a terrifying display of devastation. He was doing what he did best and, judging from the feral smile on his face, having the time of his life. As the last soldier fell Wolverine paused, barely breaking a sweat, crimson dripping from his claws.
"Wolverine!" Jubilee was beside him a fraction of a second too late to stop the killing. She gasped, "You killed them!"
Wolverine growled. "Ya think they woulda given us any mercy? Do ya think they'll hesitate ta use those guns in their hands? Cuz they won't. This is war, little girl, and in war there are casualties. Now get down and listen ta me before ya become one."
"Come out, come out wherever you are." A low voice taunted from the darkness outside.
Wolverine shoved Jubilee behind him, placing his body in front of hers. "Stay." he commanded. He edged towards the open door, peering into the night. Wraith stood on the back of a truck, smiling. He lobbed a grenade across the pavement, it's tink-tink on the ground echoing in Wolverine's ears. He twisted back towards Jubilee, shouting for her to, "Move!"
"You just told me to stay!" She shouted back, grunting as his arms closed around her, protecting her from the fiery blast that blew them through the rear wall of their room and down an embankment into a shallow stream.
"…Wolverine?" Jubilee slowly lifted her head, her ears ringing from the explosion. She spat out a mouthful of mud and grass. She looked down, a scream in her throat. Wolverine lay face down in the shallow stream, his back blown apart, silver skeleton revealed in several places, the smell of charred flesh turning her stomach. "Ohgodohgodohgodohgod!" She tried to flip him, but he weighed a ton. "C'mon, Wolvie…" She heard voices along the embankment top, and flashes of light. They were coming. Whoever these assholes were, they were coming. "Ok, I don't know CPR or medicine, hell I don't even have a bandaid, but if you can get shot like a dozen times and be fine, this should be no problem. Huh? Come on!" She was shaking him frantically. "Wolvie!"
"...Kid." Wolverine rolled, his skin hissing as it hit the water, steam rising from his burnt back. "Run."
Jubilee looked up the grassy embankment, seeing shadowy figures moving towards them, the sound of dogs barking. She grabbed his arm. "Get up."
"Go!" he ordered. "They're after me. Run."
"I'm not leaving you!" She tugged on his arm, splashing in the water.
Wolverine rolled to his knees, wincing at the stinging in his back. He could feel the familiar itch as his body repaired itself, skin covering tissue, veins reshaping, blood flowing. In the distance he heard the whump-whump-whump of approaching choppers. Fuck.
"Let's go." He stood, crouched low, moving through the longer grass. Jubilee almost cried with relief. She followed closely, watching in mild fascination as the skin over his back pulled itself together, first red, then pink, then matching the golden tone of the rest of him.
"Who are those guys?" she whispered.
They had only gone a short distance when Wolverine stopped, sniffing the air. Shitshitshitshitshit.
A helicopter hovered a short distance away, Wrath was leaning from the open hatch, bringing up a gun.
Wolverine swore obscenely as he felt a needle pierce the skin directly above his heart. He felt the deep penetration, the immediate release of some chemical into his blood.
"Wolverine!" Jubilee cried in distress, ripping the dart from his chest.
Wolverine grunted, his knees giving way and he splashed into the mud, his breathing labored. Poison. Fast acting too, his healing factor wasn't touching it yet.
Wraith was practically clapping with joy. Water and weeds sprayed and splashed as the chopper lowered further, allowing Wraith to hop out, approaching them with a sick smile on his face, two soldiers following. "Wolverine." Wraith grinned. "Hurts don't it? Cornelius designed that just for you."
Cornelius? That guy was real?
Wraith gave Jubilee a disdainful look. "Who's the pup?"
"Back off, Captain Kangaroo before I unleash some serious hurting on you," Jubilee warned.
Wraith raised his gun at her. "This aught to be interesting."
"N-no." Wolverine grunted. He could feel the thick poison seeping through his body, crawling through his organs, his muscles clenching to the snapping point, the pain excruciating.
"You want to keep her?" Wraith looked amused. "Never say I didn't do anything for you." He waved the other two soldiers forward. "Bring her."
Jubilee tried to cling to his arm, ignoring the gun barrels pointed directly in her face. "Wolverine!" She screamed as they dragged her away.
"Kid…" Wolverine's world went dark.
"She looks intense," Kitty whispered, pretending to check her boots, bending to whisper to Ali. They were seated beside one another in the Black Bird, soaring across the country at super sonic speed.
"She is."
"Wraith? That guy scares the crap out of me. I mean, it's like he takes pleasure in pain. Like it's all a big game to him."
"Ja." Kurt whispered from the seat behind. "Are we ready to face him again?"
Ali smirked. "We last engaged Wraith in the middle of East bumblefuck and had our asses collectively handed to us. This time he doesn't know we're coming, and judging from the look on Storm's face, the game's a bit different now. The stakes are higher and I thinks she's aiming to win."
"I am." Storm gave them a look over her shoulder, a half smile on her face. "Next time, try shutting off your comm., Kitty."
Kitty glanced up guiltily. "Right."
Storm looked over at Scott who was piloting the plane. "How long?"
"We're getting close."
"Wait." Jean held up her hand. She had her eyes closed, receiving a telepathic message from the Professor. Her green eyes shot open. "Wraith has them." She flipped on the navigation system, bringing up California highway maps. "They're on the move."
Cyclops banked the jet, pushing it as fast as it would go. Storm unclasped her belt, moving to the back of the plane. "Gambit, with me."
California
Deserted Highway
Wolverine blinked several times, feeling like he'd been hit by a truck. The ground was rumbling beneath him, increasing the feeling of nausea he had.
"'Bout time."
He turned his head slowly towards the voice. Jubilee was sitting across from him, her back pressed against the bars of the cage they inhabited, her arms crossed on top of her bent knees. They were caged on the back of an open flatbed truck, traveling down a highway in the middle of the night, helicopters on either side, a semi in front of them and a line of jeeps behind them. Wraith wasn't messing around.
"How long I been out?"
Jubilee shrugged. "An hour or so." She moved towards him. "How're you feeling?"
"Like shit."
"Well, you look it."
Wolverine sat up, pressing one hand to his head. Whatever was in that dart had been potent, damn near killing him. He stood slowly, the wind whipping his face, slashing at the bars, only to be rewarded with the clang of adamantium on adamantium. Caged. Again. "Raaaaurrggghhh!"
He flung himself against the bars, his fury uncontrollable. Caged! He slashed again, teeth gnashing as he swore, violently, angrily.
"Wolverine?" Jubilee backed herself into a corner of the cage, fearful of the anger she felt coming from the man who'd saved her life. "Wolvie?"
He turned towards her, out of breath and snarling.
"You're scaring me." she said quietly.
Wolverine shook himself, his anger still there, but buried under his concern for the firecracker girl that refused to leave him to save herself. "Sorry, kid."
She glanced at the helicopters pacing the trucks. "These are bad guys, huh?"
"Very."
"We're going to die, aren't we?"
"No." He crouched beside her. "We'll get through this, kid."
She threw herself into his arms. Wolverine was momentarily stunned, then closed his arms around her slight frame, rubbing his hand along her back. "It's okay, kiddo."
Wolverine watched as the scenery began to change, the desert greeting them with cacti and tumble weeds, they were headed east, through Nevada. Absently he rubbed the band around his finger. The action didn't go unnoticed by Jubilee, but she remained silent, curious, but silent.
There was no one around for miles, the long road stretching in front and behind them. He sat patiently, watching and waiting. He knew why the cage was on an open truck, so that Wraith could watch them from his chopper. The man delighted in torment and suffering. Sick fucker. Wolverine raised one fisted hand, a lone claw extended.
Without warning the two helicopters alongside the truck veered off and the jeeps pulled up, closing ranks. Wolverine glanced up, moving to the bars. Two black crotch rocket cycles sped past, the riders clad in black, dark helmets on their heads, crouched low over the handle bars, kicking up dirt as they flew by, criss crossing each other directly in front of the truck, passing scant inches apart. Soldiers in the jeeps opened fire on the cycles. Wolverine moved again, following the cycles with his eyes. The rider of the lead bike pulled out a hook on a long black tether, then speeding up, tilted the cycle, sliding underneath the semi, the rider's left knee grazing the pavement, hooking the rear axle before emerging from the other side. Wolverine swore. There was only one person he knew that could drive like that. "'Ro."
"Come again?" Jubilee stood beside him, her dark hair whipping in the wind.
Wolverine glanced down at her. "Remember that school I was telling ya about?"
"Yeah," she gave him a questioning look.
"Well, yer about ta meet the faculty."
Jubilee's eyes widened.
There was a high pitched screech and the Blackbird soared overhead.
BAMF
"Hi, Wolverine."
"Ahh!" Jubilee screamed.
"Easy, kid." Wolverine grinned at Kurt. "Elf." He nudged Jubilee towards him. "Take her first."
Kurt wrapped strong arms around Jubilee. "Hold on to me, freundin."
Jubilee glanced at Wolverine. "Trust him, kid. The fuzzy elf is a good guy."
Jubilee looked at Kurt and smiled. "Okay."
BAMF
"Whoo! What a rush!" Jubilee exclaimed as they appeared on the Blackbird.
"Are you injured?" Warren asked immediately.
Jubilee waved him away, looking out the window at the still caged Wolverine. Soldiers were firing around the cage, mainly at the two motorcycles weaving in and out from between the vehicles.
In the cage Wolverine was swearing, becoming increasingly agitated over how close the shots were coming to the cycles. A flash of pink phosphorous and a series of small explosions told who the other rider was, not that Wolverine hadn't already known.
Storm decelerated, taking the tether attached to the semi and running it back to Gambit. He tied the rope around the handle bars of his bike. Storm matched his speed, staying alongside him as he placed his hands on the gas tank of his bike, charging it until it glowed bright. When he was ready they'd only have a moment and the timing had to be perfect or the others would be scraping him and Stormy off the pavement with spatulas.
"Whaychya doin', Storm?" Wolverine muttered from the cage.
BAMF
"Ready?"
Wolverine turned and as he did scarlet sprayed across his face as a bullet tore through Kurt's chest. "Elf!" He caught the other man before he hit the bottom of the cage. "Elf!"
"Storm, Nightcrawler is hit!" Ali came over the comm.
Storm glanced over her shoulder, seeing Wolverine lowering a limp Kurt to the floor of the cage. She turned her head again, catching sight of the sniper in the helicopter, his barrel swiveling towards Gambit.
"Gambit! Now!" Storm braked, her rear tire elevating behind her.
Gambit released the tank, flipping back from the bike. He felt hands catch him under his arms and then he was soaring into the sky, watching as the elastic tether recoiled, bringing the glowing bike crashing into the semi, the explosion huge, jackknifing the truck and taking out several jeeps. The progression stopped, the vehicles halting.
Storm and Gambit hit the ground running. Wraith's private army was arming themselves, and moving towards the flatbed that housed the adamantium cage. Storm snapped off her helmet, yanking it from her head and swinging it into the face of one of the armed men, cracking his nose and sending him flying. She threw it at another and as he dodged it her foot lashed out, breaking his jaw. She yanked the rifle from his hands, throwing it to Gambit who charged it and tossed it towards the other men causing them to separate and dive to avoid being blown to bits.
She leapt onto the flat bed, her heart pounding at the sight of her fallen friend and her husband. She was giving the cage a once over when he spoke to her. "It's adamantium. Ya ain't cutting us out."
Storm moved around the cage silently, ignoring him, despite the wrenching pain and longing hearing his voice caused. All cages had a door…there! She slid her lock picking kit from her pants pocket, the door swinging open a moment later. "Warren," she called into her headset. "Get down here and collect Crawler. He looks bad. Cyclops?"
"Yeah?"
"I need a wrecking ball to take out the rest of those jeeps."
"Colossus coming down."
Wolverine kept his hand over Kurt's wound but his gaze rested on Storm. He was devastated by the sight of her. She stood tall, dressed all in black, the leather of her black duster slapping her legs as she moved, her long hair wild about her exotic face. "'Ro." Her name was out of his mouth in a gentle growl. God, he had missed her.
She wasn't looking at him, but up at the Bird. A glint of silver in the night followed by a earth shaking thwooom! Announcing Colossus's arrival, creating a small crater and effectively dismantling the last of the ground vehicles. Soldiers scrambled, firing at him, but Colossus's steel skin deflected the bullets and his metal brows drew together in an irritated scowl. He swatted the men away like pesky insects.
Warren swooped into the cage carrying a stretcher, moving to Wolverine and Kurt. "Help me get him on."
Whumpwhupwhumpwhumpwhump.
The helicopters were lowering, preparing to fire. Ororo caught sight of Wraith in the cockpit and her eyes began to glow. "Get clear!" She took to the air.
"Storm!" Wolverine reached for her but she was gone.
Storm hovered in front of the two helicopters, there noses down as the flew towards her, blades whirring. She used her winds to lead them away from the flatbed, away from where Warren was attaching the stretcher holding Kurt to cables, ensuring her friend's safe retrieval.
Wraith spoke through a bullhorn. "These babies are insulated against lightening, Storm girl."
Storm smiled sweetly. "You think that's all I'm packing?" Clouds thickened, the temperature dropping, snow flurries swirling through the air. She raised her hands high, summoning the elements that were hers and hers alone to control. Her hair whirled, snapping to and fro, her eyes glowing brightly.
Whumpwhumpwhumpwhumpwhump. The helicopters were getting closer.
Storm grit her teeth, concentrating. Ice began to form around the rotor, caking along the blades of each machine. Wind howled and the flurries turned to heavy flakes of sleet and snow.
Whump-whump-whump-whump-whump.
"Wraith." She pulled every ounce of rage she had for the man up from her gut, pushing it down onto the helicopters. "You die today."
Whump…whump….whump…whu…
The blades stopped spinning, the helicopters floundering in the air, tumbling to the ground. The fiery flare should have been rewarding but she felt empty. She lowered herself to the ground, summoning rain to extinguish the flames. All around her lay the wreckage of military vehicles, soldiers groaning, defeated. Today the X-Men were victorious, but for Storm the victory felt hollow. She hated the idea of killing, but Wraith had to be put down.
Sighing she turned away from the wreckage, towards the truck where Gambit stood waiting for her. Gambit and Wolverine. She felt her throat tighten at the sight of him standing there, bare chested and in tattered jeans, but still unimaginably appealing to her.
"Stormy!" Gambit was yelling at her and Wolverine was rushing forward. Too late she realized someone was moving behind her.
"Bitch." Wraith wrapped one burnt arm around her neck, pressing the barrel of a smoldering pistol to her head. "Stand back, Wolverine." Wraith tightened his arm. "I'll blow her head off, you know I will."
"Then yer dead," Wolverine snarled.
"Yes, but so is she. I don't see you thinking that's a fair trade, so stay put."
"Take yer hands off my wife!"
Wraith chuckled. "Wife? Well, well, isn't that a pleasant surprise. You're far more valuable than I thought you were." He jostled his arm around her neck. He gave Wolverine a cold look. "Never thought you'd get married again, considering what happened the first time, eh, James?"
Wolverine gave Wraith a dark look. "What did you call me?"
Wraith chuckled. "What's the matter Jimmy? Can't remember? Aww, too bad." He moved the gun from Storm's temple, pointing it at Wolverine. "There's a spot on your body that's not bonded. Did you know that? Want me to show you where?" He cocked the hammer.
"Why do you Americans always talk so much?"
"Yeeaaasrrrggh!" Wraith released Storm, writhing in pain, the glowing end of Betsy's psi-blade protruding from his forehead. She had snuck up stealthily, never giving herself away, moving with unparalleled ninja skill.
Storm gave Betsy a grateful smile. "Took you long enough."
"Sorry, Stormy, sudden blizzard slowed us down," Ali said with a smile, coming up behind them. "So what do we do with drool boy now?" She looked down at Wraith who was in fact seizing and thrashing, saliva bubbling from his lips.
"We take drool boy to the Professor. Maybe he can pick up some information about Weapon X." Storm glanced at Betsy. "Unless, of course, you fried him."
Betsy shrugged. "His brain is toast, but perhaps Xavier can find some salvageable pieces in there."
Storm nodded. "Cyclops, that all right with you?" she asked into her comm.
"Fine. Good work today team."
"Status on my Crawler?"
"Stable. Weak, but stable." Jean came over the line. "If Wolverine's free could someone tell him Jubilee is…what are you? Oh yes…tweeking out."
"Oh, my God! Wolvie! That was so awesome!" A highly excited voice came over the comm. link.
Gambit raised one eyebrow. "Wolvie?"
"Can it, Cajun." Wolverine snapped, still staring at Storm. She refused to look at him and though he couldn't blame her, it was killing him.
"Embrasse mon tcheue."
Storm pulled a set of zip ties from her pants side zipper, pulling Wraith's hands behind his back and securing him. "Peter, if you don't mind." She stepped back, allowing Colossus to hurl Wraith over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Okay, team. Let's go home."
Wolverine moved around the house, his hands clenching and unclenching, his knuckles itching to release his claws in his agitation. She'd moved out. He had realized this shortly after entering their home when they'd returned from California. She was gone from their home, taking only her individual items, nothing that they had gotten together. He growled furiously. He should have grabbed her as soon as the plane had landed. She hadn't flown in the Blackbird, instead, soaring alongside it.
Immediately after their arrival there had been a debriefing, but Storm hadn't been there. Kurt had been rushed to surgery, and Ororo had gone with him, as well as Kitty and Ali. Xavier had gone to work on Wraith's mind following Cyclops's rundown. Wolverine on the other hand had helped Jubilee get settled into one of the student dorms. The kid was spunky as all get out, a million questions, adjusting to her new circumstances easily, showing an adaptability that came from years on the street.
"Wow, this place! You weren't kidding when you said it was a mansion! Oh, wow!" She had paused in the lobby, taking in the high arched ceilings, and expensive paintings. "I can really stay?" she'd whispered.
Wolverine had put his arm around her. "You bet."
In her room she had thrown herself on the full sized bed, bouncing and squealing. Wolverine handed her a pad of paper and a pencil. "What's this?"
"Make a list of some items ya want ta add ta yer room. Chuck gives ya five hundred bucks ta make the place yer own."
Jubilee's mouth dropped open. "Five hundred bucks?" She began to scribble like mad on the paper.
He had stayed with her for most of the day, giving her a tour of the house, taking her around the estate. When she asked where he stayed he'd walked her to the boathouse, and upon entering he knew Ororo had been long removed from the place.
Jubilee had wandered around, again asking a hundred questions. In the kitchen she had found a shattered photo on the floor. It was the Vegas wedding snapshot. She had picked it up carefully, studying the photo closely.
"So the chick who saved our butts…?"
"Storm."
"You're married?"
"Hnh."
"Riiiight." Jubilee put the photo down. "Ok then, what do you want to talk about? What kind of things do you like?"
"Beer." Wolverine had said. "I really like beer."
Jubilee had long since returned to the mansion, settling into her 'digs'. Ali was to take her shopping in the morning to get some clothes and furnishings for her room.
Alone now, Wolverine felt the achingly familiar restless longing, intensified a thousand times, knowing she was somewhere nearby. 'Ro. His wife. -SNIKT- the ache was terrible. -SHUNT- -SNIKT- -SHUNT-
Knock. Knock.
He sniffed. "Come in, Alison."
"Hey." Ali pushed through the screen door. When she was a few feet away from him she stopped, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're a fuckin' prick."
Wolverine smirked. "Don't hold back, darlin', tell me how you really feel."
Ali wasn't amused. She shoved him hard in the chest. "You think this is funny?"
Wolverine grunted. "Cajun's got his hands full with you."
"You have no idea." Ali glowered. "She wanted to die."
Wolverine was silent.
"When you left, she wanted to die. I could feel it. She wanted to just curl up and die." Ali's voice shook. "She'd given up on you, started to move forward, them bam, here you are again." She shook her head. "Rescuing some helpless damsel in distress. Protecting some kid. Hunting down your past." She glared at him. "Who cares about your wife, right? Who gives a shit about the here and now, when you can torture yourself with memories that could be real or could be some artificial implant. Why bother making real, genuine, no-doubt-about-em memories with a woman that loves you? That's not nearly as exciting, I guess. Not nearly so dark and dangerous for the mysterious and deadly Wolverine. Musta been dull living a domestic life. Waking up every day to the same woman. A woman that would search for you for months, scour a continent and a half, fly across the country and wipe out half an army just to keep you safe. How unfortunate for you that we found you. Tell me, Wolverine, had we not come to you, would you have come back to her?"
Wolverine growled low in his throat, but made no response.
Ali sighed. "I didn't think so." She gave him a narrow look. "She's my best friend, my sister and she deserves better than to be set aside. Make it a real marriage or get a divorce."
The growl was deeper this time.
"Not liking that idea, huh?" This time Ali smirked.
"You come here just to bitch at me?" he snapped.
"No. I came to tell you Wraith's dead. Brain shut down during the probe."
"No loss there."
"I agree." Ali was very quiet.
Wolverine shifted, standing straight. "What is it?"
"Wraith still claimed you've been married before." Ali moved towards the door. "He gave us a name. The Professor's looking into it."
Wolverine pulled a cigar from the pocket of his flannel. "What was the name?"
"Mariko. Mariko Yashida."
Author's Note: Thanks so much for those that reviewed this as well as Blood Bonds, they are sincerely appreciated. Ummm...Mint Dragon, I have no desire for you to suck anything from my brain, so I will indeed continue to write. :D