Chapter Two

Somehow "field research" turned into combat training with James, or Jimmy as Victor called him. I wasn't sure how it was relevant, but Stryker insisted that it was necessary for me to protect myself. I guess in some way it made some sort of sense depending on where we would be going for research or something, however, I was not really interested in the idea of being attacked anytime soon.

"No offense kid," James said as I flinched away from a punch he threw in my direction. "But you really suck."

"Hey!" I placed my hands on my hips offended. "I'm a freaking environmentalist. I don't do this kinda stuff on a daily basis."

I barley dodged another punch, "Well you better learn."

James came at me with his fist again and instead of dodging it or flinching I started running from him to hide behind boxes. Our "training room" consisted of a large medal room with a few boxes scattered around.

"Stop running!" he shouted becoming frustrated.

"If I don't run you're going to hit me," I hissed. James jumped onto the box I hid behind and I screamed in fright. Just as he reached down to grab me I dropped to the cementt floor and somersaulted away from him to the center of the room. I stood up a bit ungracefully and turned around to where I assumed James was. Although, he was no nowhere near where he had been a few seconds before.

Starting to become frightened I caressed my hands against my chest. Where the heck did this guy go? A shrill scream erupted through my throat as I turned around and he threw a punch. I lifted my hands to block the impact, however I never felt it. I blinked at James and he had his fist inches from me with a apologetic look on his face.

"Look Zoie, you need to start trying." James let his fist fall to his side. He stepped closer to me gradually and placed two firm hands on each of my shoulders. I bit my lip nervously at the close proximity while he stared down at me intently. "I understand that this is different. Hell, no one in their right mind should have to do shit like this, but you need to learn."

"I can defend myself fine with my powers," I grumbled slightly ashamed that I couldn't even throw a punch at James. Honestly, it wasn't like I needed to fight. I can't recall a time in my life where it had felt necessary.

To show James, I lifted my palm to the left of him and shot out a thorny vine that wrapped around a tall slender pole in the room. Without much concentration I squeezed my fist together causing the vines to tighten so hard around the object that you could visibly see it sink into the ceramic. James brought his hand to my fist and pushed it down gently.

"Sometimes our powers aren't as easy to use as our fist," he explained. "Imagine right now. I'm some beefy guy and I'm this close to you-" James stepped even closer, which made me feel slightly uncomfortable. "- and I go to punch you in the face, what are you going to do?"

And like a flash he literally threw a punch at me. I could tell he wasn't going to stop it a few inches from my face this time and I lifted my hand and tried to stop his punch by grabbing his hand, alas that failed and it felt like he snapped my wrist off.

"Shit!" I brought my wrist against my chest and winced. Damn that hurt.

James sighed, "Let me see."

Biting my lip I extended my hand to James and he gave me a stern look before averting his eyes to my wrist. It turned a bright red color and immediately began to swell.

"Looks broken," he muttered. Felt broken too, genius. "You should have punched me in the face."

"I don't know how to punch anyone!" I argued. "This training shit isn't going to work because I don't even know how to throw a punch correctly."

"Maybe we should have started with a punching bag…"

I glared at him, "Sounds smarter than this."

"Let's get you to someone who can fix this," James ignored my snippy comment and flicked a finger for me to follow him. I trailed behind him through the halls whimpering to myself silently. Who knew trying to block a punch could hurt so bad.

James led me into a random door in some hallway that I didn't pay attention to as I zoned out only focusing on the pain in my wrist. The room we entered was white, really white, with beds and stuff all over the place. A woman stared hard at us as we entered the room. James grabbed my forearm and tugged me in front of him gently.

"She, ugh, hurt herself."

The woman nodded and ushered me over to her. I held out my wrist and she took it in her hands gently. A crease formed in her brow and she eyed me warily, "Where?"

"What?" I asked. "My wrist."

She turned it over frowning, "Maybe it's a sprain, but there's nothing we can do about that. An icepack and a brace should do."

I looked at my wrist as the woman started going through cabinets. The redness and swelling was not there. It seemed as if we had imagined the incident all together. For the first time I also noted that I didn't feel pain where I had before. James came up beside me and pulled my arm closer to his eyes.

"Do you have some healing ability kid?" he asked gruffly.

I shook my head, "Not that I know of."

I hadn't recalled a time in my life where I had been able to heal on my own. Although, I'd never been in any situation where it was deemed necessary. No broken bones, a few sprains possibly, papercuts and countless of bruises.

The nurse put the brace around my wrist and gave me an icepack. She rushed a, "Be careful," before shoving us out of the small medical section. As soon as we were in the hallway again James started down the hallway back in the direction of the training room.

He grunted after a moment of silence, "Don't tell Stryker."

For whatever reason, I knew that James was right. Even if I had only been here for a little more than over a week I could tell something was off. The more I got to know Stryker the more I regretted my decision to join this entire organization. However, I had a feeling if I hadn't accepted the offer Stryker would have gotten me to come here somehow one way or another.

"Okay."

"We are going to use a punching bag this time, alright, hopefully you'll be able to get a better sense of this when we're done today," James stated. "People like us-"

"Mutants?" I inputted carefully.

He nodded, "We tend to pick up on this stuff a bit faster than the normal folk."

I'm not positive I agreed with his statement. An hour later we were in front of a punching bag and my fist throbbed immensely as sweat drenched my entire body. My black spandex shirt and matching pants were stuck even tighter against my skin, which sounds almost impossible with how tight they were to begin with. I had my hands on my knees hunched over taking in a heavy breath as I paused my training due to exhaustion.

"At least you can throw a good right hook," James leant against one of those boxes watching me from a distance.

I laughed, "Shut up. I'm trying my hardest, ya know!"

"No, I don't know," James responded sarcastically.

Huffing, I straightened my back up, "How much longer do I have to do this anyway? I'm pooped."

"You're what?" he seemed surprised by my terminology.

"Pooped, like I feel kinda similar to shit."

James chuckled, it sounded so soft and genuine that it surprised me, I couldn't help but giggle back in response, "How about we grab something to eat and head back here after?"

"I suppose." I didn't want to come back here at all, but taking a break was better than not getting one at all.

Once again I followed James back to our living area. We entered to find Wade and Chris sitting at the table eating that crappy protein food. I almost gagged at the thought of trying to eat them. I had sent for more pots, which Stryker had ordered someone to buy and bring for me, and created my own food; avocados, potatoes, lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes. I was debating about finding someplace to grow a pear and apple tree as well.

"Well look who it is," Wade spoke from the table as he took a sip of his drink. "Beauty and the beast."

I rolled my eyes, "Nice to see you too Wade."

"Why are you all sweaty?" he questioned as I walked past him into the kitchen. I picked one of the tomatoes in the pot making sure not to pull to hard. After awhile I discovered that my abilities allowed me to feel the emotions of plants. No many humans realized that plants did indeed have feelings. It sadened me to a point whenver I would eat one of them, but that's life.

"James and I are training," I replied as I sat across from Wade at the table.

"Why don't you train with me? I'm sure you'd have a lot more fun," Wade wiggled his eyebrows.

"James is actually a really great teacher," I grinned at the man of topic who was pulling out a protein shake from the fridge. I caught him smile softly to himself at my words as he unscrewed the top.

"Oh come on, he's got side burns. Don't you wanna be with someone that's actually good looking?"

I snorted, "I'm not trying to bag him Wade. We're just training."

Chris belted a laugh at my statement as James took a seat beside me at the table. Before, James and I had hardly spoken for the past week. But I think we developed some secret kinda friendship; especially more so today. He seemed to always have my back. Especially when I needed to shower; he guarded the bathroom door like a hawk.

"I still think you should train with me," added Wade, almost as if he didn't care a word about what I had to say. "I mean, come on Zoie. Look at my muscles!"

He flexed his arm. James rolled his eyes, "Shut up, pal."

"Hey, where'd you get that tomato?" Wade gasped as I bit into the vegetable.

I pointed towards the pot that held the tomatoes, "Over there… I've had them there for almost two weeks. You didn't notice?"

"No! Can I have one? I don't remember the last time I ate something other than this protein crap." Wade asked, but didn't wait for an answer. He scrambled over to the plant and pulled off a tomato. I winced at the rough action, which immediatley made me regret leaving the tomatos in the kitchen. I could have stuck them in my bedroom and had them ask for some whenever they wanted them. "You have carrots too? You've been holding out on us babe."

"Wade, I put them in clear sight so that you guys could have some. It's not my fault you're oblivious."

"Potatoes! Can we make fries with these? Does anyone know how to make fries with these? Or baked potatoes? Mashed even! I don't care. Someone just make me some potatoes."

Once again, Wade ignored me.

Giving up I turned to James and pointed to his protein, "How do those even taste? You all have them like they taste good."

James held it out for me, "Have a sip."

Holding the bottle up to my lips I took a quick sip and scowled as I drowned the liquid. I handed it back to James and shook my head unhappily, "Yuck!"

Chris chuckled, "You get used to the taste."

"I don't ever want to."

"Avocados? Zoie, you made avocados? Can you make green peppers? Please, make me some green peppers!" returning to his seat Wade took a thick bite from the chunky carrot. He moaned as he ate the vegetable. Well they do say food can be better than sex. "This taste like heaven. Not that I know what heaven taste like or ever will. If there is a God I'm most likely going to hell for the shit I've done. Oh well, I like fire. It's warm. I could get used to it I suppose. Maybe I could even become Satan's right hand man…"

It baffled me how much the man he could go on. He didn't even care if people were listening, but I figured it is because half the time he goes on rants he knows people aren't listening. Maybe I could get him a muzzle? Not that I cared much; except at times when he would ignore every word I said whenever I tried to speak to him. I wonder if he went on and on during sex. How does he get girlfriends? I'd strangle him.

"… I went to Yakutsk, Siberia once and I'm never going back. It's probably the coldest place on this planet. Not that Antarctica was any better. I just hate the cold…"

I faced James with an irritated expression and he gave me a knowing look in return. Wade Wilson, however annoying he could be at times, was an interesting man.

AN: Thanks for such great reviews! It really makes me happy. I wasn't expecting as much feedback as I've been getting. Thanks so much haha. Any questions, please let me know in a message or review.

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