( Volume: 4 Arc: "Life and Death" Issue: 3/4)

Chapter 156 : legacy

Julian was frozen. He knew what was in that gun—what horrors the darts contained. The only question—the only question was would Laura's skeleton explode along with her flesh while he was carrying her, or would adamantium give in under the strain? And did he have time to kill the woman responsible?

"Mutant filth," the masked woman said in a hoarse voice.

Always time to kill. He wasn't frozen anymore. Julian glared at her, and she stumbled backwards as the tree trunk simultaneously parted in two sections—then closed around her, amidst the sound of cracking and popping.

He picked Laura up, not listening to the cries of the students. "Find Logan," he said, and he was gone, through the roof of the mall, wondering if he could fly any faster than he had the time she'd run off to Mexico. Because this was much, much more urgent.

"Keller…" Laura looked up at him with pleading eyes, her quiet words audible in the bubble he'd formed around them. There was sweat on her forehead, beading down. "I think….I don't feel so good. What…am I having the baby now? But…."

Oh, god.

If it didn't have a healing factor…

"Eeeehn…" Laura closed her eyes, her breathing becoming quite labored. They were halfway to the mansion already, but Julian was certain she was getting heavier, and it occurred to him that if what the Legacy virus did was cause powers to go crazy, then perhaps Laura was healing herself to death.

This idea was supported by the fact that her hair was beginning to fall out as new hairs pushed through. He watched her face for a moment in fascination as the dead outer skin began to flake off in large patches.

"Too loud," Laura murmured deliriously, her senses becoming painfully sharp.

They reached the mansion, and Julian kept flying, crashing through the doors as he searched for Elixir. He flew left then straight up, onto the boy's floor; there was no need to examine his room, as Josh was already running out of it.

"What—"

"They got her!" Julian was as white as a sheet as he shoved the limp girl towards his friend, his hands shaking and causing her head to wobble. "LEGACY! HEAL!"

"Holy jeez!" Josh said, grabbing Laura's bare upper arms with his hands.

Julian wasn't even aware of the crowd gathering around them as the golden light began to focus around the pair, the light that only emanated when Elixir was really struggling to repair damage.

"Hold on…Laura…" Josh groaned, falling to his knees and taking the girl with him. Only their outlines were visible in the bright light enveloping them.

"Ehn…help me…I'm d-dying…it's…we…" Laura whimpered, surrounded by a mat of hair that had fallen out.

"Julian—" Josh panted. "I can't—I'm getting the virus—but her powers won't shut off, I'm only amplifying it—it's like full-body cancer—you need to go get Leech—you know, the—he looks like a midget alien—"

"Out of th' way," a female voice murmured. Rogue. She was removing her glove, a grim look on her face. "Ah've touched Logan in th' past—an' his healin' turns off for a bit after. Should buy y'all some time."

Her pale fingers reached out and touched Laura's damp forehead. There was an even brighter glow, like a camera flash; then Laura's eyes slid closed, and the growth of her hair ceased at her shoulders.

"Oh mah gawd—that poor gal," Rogue said, getting to her feet.

Josh sat back, panting. "The virus is gone…but we need Leech. Laura needs to be completely in the clear before she can get her healing back. Annnd…I'd say someone else should do it."

"Mmmm, Keller looks a bit worried there. Kind of like he might shit a chicken," Rogue said, in distinctly not her voice. "HAHAHA! That's totally what he looked like when he heard the word 'twins'."

"…" Nori, who had come to see the scene, looked at Rogue strangely and recognizing Laura. The older woman smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Ah've got a pretty good handle on mah personalities…but when there's extreme feelings or trauma like this, they can come out an' play a bit."

"Ah." Nori didn't look less disturbed.

"Y'all help me get her an' Josh to the infirmary. Emma…yeah, Emma, call Logan an' tell him to bring the kids home, please…we've got trouble."

"She…it was for me," Julian said, his voice shaking, along with his hands. "She…she took it instead of me…oh god…"

"C'mere, sugar," Rogue said, reaching out and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm gonna take ya upstairs an' get Emma to put you out of yer misery for a lil while. Ya look like ya need some restin'."

"No, I—" Julian said, but her fingers brushed his cheek, and he sagged forward, his mind clearing for the time being.

…

"It's really interesting being in mah shoes just now," Rogue said, watching the three unconscious students with Logan. "For instance, ah see both sides of their relationship. Includin' their intimate moments. An' their fights." She paused, and looked at Logan. "He really loves her. Ah know ya always had yer doubts."

"Good," Logan said gruffly. He was kicking himself for dropping his guard, for letting the kids go out alone. He should've been there.

"Ah also know he took care o' the bitch that did this," Rogue added. "In fact…ah think he took care o' th' woman behind all o' this."

"Ya don't say," Logan said.

"Logan…honey…ah know you blame yourself," Rogue said. "Don't. The only one we can blame is prejudice, terrible prejudice that'd make a soul act out somethin' like this." Rogue paused. "On another note…ah think we'll wanna keep our eye on Julian here. He's…well, he's done some stuff. Ah can't see exactly what, but this woman today ain't the first time he's killed." She held up her hand, seeing Logan's look. "Ah don't mean just Kimura. He's done it before…but, Logan, ah think you'd have done the same." Rogue knew this, having touched Wolverine before and absorbed his memories.

"Hrm." Logan grunted.

They stood sentry for a while in silence.