Retro, Cheshire, Canuckle ... you guys make it all worth while. Thanks for the feedback, I need it.
Canuckle - oh yes ... Lauren is about as nasty as any super-villian. She's also a blast to write (sorry Greer). And not to worry, while Greer might have her hands tide by family, I can think of someone well versed in smacking down b*&!. Lauren will likely never be the same ... ; )
Cheshire - shhhh ... don't spoil the awesomeness! all in good time cheshrie ... all in good time. and yea, thought it was about time Greer got introduced to some of that well-known feral stubbornness.
"Your routines are just getting a bit too … predictable." Jean said honestly, looking up from her gym back to give her friend a sheepish look causing the tigress to look stumped. No one ... No one had ever criticized her on her routines before.
"What do you mean predictable?"
"Well ... like we know what's going to happen. Stretching, followed by some cartwheels, and then backflips, ending with walking across the balancing bar. It's just ..."
"I don't think we're learning anything new." Kitty chirped in unhelpfully as she slipped some sweats over her leotard, and if to add emphasis, Amara and Rouge nodded causing Greer's tail to twitch irritably.
"Well gymnastics takes time and preparation. I don't want to any of you to break your back or something just because you didn't warm up properly or executed a move your body isn't ready for."
"Yeah, but honestly Greer, I've been in this class for two years and I don't feel anymore flexible. So y'know, it won't kill you to up the stakes," and with that the little brunette strutted off, Amara and Rouge behind her leaving Greer standing there open mouthed.
"Jean ... the - they can't be serious." the tigress finally sputtered looking at her best friend for support, but all the red head did was seem oddly focused on tying her shoes and Greer groaned.
"Am I really such an awful teacher?" she growled causing Jean to place what she hopped was a reassuring hand on Greer's furred shoulder.
"Of course you're a great teacher. Pretty sure you wouldn't need to add slots if you weren't," Greer smiled just a little, "It's just… We're just kind of used to your routine and we want something new and fresh." Jean explained while the two women exited the gymnasium.
"What if I have nothing new and fresh…" Greer argued helplessly causing Jean to scoff.
"I'm pretty sure you'll come up something. And if you can't, well maybe your boyfriend can give you some ideas. And speaking of boyfriends…" and Greer glanced up to see Scott signaling to his watch impatiently.
"I've got to go," Jean said apologetically and just like that, the red head made her hasty retreat.
Greer blew a lock of her hair out of her face in frustration.
"Dodged a bullet there didn't you Jeanie?" she mumbled sarcastically before heading off to find a certain someone who could fix her foul mood. I mean no one ever considered that maybe Greer had stopped taking gymnastics as a Junior in high school? Hmmm ... they ever think about that? Not like she ever gets any help ... people just assuming she could make things up out of nothing ...
Walking up to the danger room doors still grumbling, she couldn't help but notice the horde of moaning teenage boys ... and some very athletic girls, trudge out through the double doors. Greer couldn't help but grin, she knew exactly how that felt like. Waiting for the last of the students to clear out, Greer happily slunk into the danger room and wrapped her arms around that strong neck, earning a deep rumble from the panther.
"How was class?"
"Pretty crappy." Greer admitted truthfully before looking at her boyfriend.
"How about you? You seem to have worked your students half to death." she joked before slightly regretting it when it made Colton's brow furrow…
"What's wrong?" and the panther bared his teeth slightly.
"Scott asked me to prep the students for their physicals … but my attendance is slipping." he finally admitted and Greer couldn't help but giggle slightly, causing Apex to look at her, surprised and annoyed by her reaction.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh I don't know, I remember a certain someone being perfectly adamant about not being a teacher and to see him now so concerned about his attendance ... its actually pretty adorable." Greer purred candidly before nuzzling the panther's neck, making the tensed muscles there to loosen.
"I'm having the same problem actually…" she grumbled into the soft fur causing the panther to smirk a little.
"Your class is very popular."
"Well it was ... till I suddenly became predictable." Greer growled a little ... 'predictable' ...
"And what are you going to do about it?"
Greer sighed.
"I don't know." she frowned. "Jean says my routines are getting old and Kitty says I have to change it up a bit, that I have to push her a little bit more." Apex tilted his head thoughtfully.
"Yes ... Katherine doesn't work well with a fixed regiment. You have to force her to adapt to engage her and ensure optimum performance."
Greer rolled her eyes.
"Ok Mr. smarty pants, if you're such an expert, why don't you take over," and Apex looked up in alarm as Greer suddenly dug her claws into his shoulder. A dangerous smile slowly forming on her lips ...
...
"Wonder what's Greer got planned for us today?" Amara mumbled as she slipped into her gymnastics wear. "I mean she seemed pretty pissed about what you told her."
"Nah … Probably the same thing. Trust me, if you knew Greer as long as I have, you would know she's pretty stubborn." Kitty sounded confident.
"Yeah … but maybe confronting her about her routines wasn't the best thing. I mean, considering she's still recovering…" and that got Kitty to pause before shrugging.
"Well maybe ... But, if I'm going to pass Logan's class, I wanna make sure I'm learning all of his star student's secrets." and with that the two girls made their way into the gymnasium, expecting the tigress there in her usual place next to the mats but instead, they found the giant panther in her place, already making the students who have arrived earlier doing a range of stretches that looked as if their backs had collapsed into their spines… The two girls looked at each other before greeting the stoic Apex.
"Hey Colton, where's Greer?"
"Greer is busy, so I've been instructed to take over for her."
"Oh for how long?" Kitty sounded a bit excited. Maybe a few lessons with Colton was just what she needed.
"As long as I've been instructed to." Apex rumbled simply.
Kitty and Amara looked at each other before grinning.
"AWESEOME."
It was an hour later and Kitty felt as if her spine had come undone and virtually ever part of her felt like one giant muscle that was screaming in agony. Amara was faring no better and the two had to support each other to make their way out of the gymnasium along with the mass of moaning bodies.
"I take it all back … Having Colton teach gymnastics … Not awesome." Kitty declared with a huff before catching sight of Greer walking down the hall. In unanimous agreement, Kitty and Amara ran after the tigress, cornering her.
"Greer! We're sorry! Please come back… PLEASE." they two begged and Greer couldn't help but arch an eyebrow as she fought to keep a disinterested face.
"But I thought you two wanted something a little more challenging? So I sent Colton to take over for the rest of the months classes …"
"AN ENTIRE MONTH?!" Kitty squeaked and Amara seemed to have paled considerably while the floor beneath her feet sizzled.
"No we - we don't want that. Well yes we do but in healthy doses and not like… and not like today and we think you're the most qualified to do it!" Kitty exclaimed and Greer couldn't help but outright grin.
"I'll talk about it with Colton OK? But for the time being, hang in there…" and with a sly pat of the arm the tigress slipped away from the two girls and into the gymnasium where Apex stood waiting for her.
"Well?" he asked.
"I think we've got them." she purred, leaning against his chest. The panther smirked.
"So do you still need for me to take over for the month?"
Greer frowned.
"Well maybe not the whole month … Maybe just for one more class. Those videos you showed me really are helpful."
"Why so specific?" the panther asked a he rested his hands around her slender waist while Greer just smiled.
"I promised your class one more round of mutant dodge ball."
It was the crack of dawn on Saturday and Apex tried to untangle himself from Greer without waking her. He'd planned to run though his morning routine early and get back before she could wake up, but it seemed that his plan was already shot as she hooked her claws into his arm and threatened to sink them in down to her fingertips with a growl.
"Greer, I'm just going to do a quick per-"
"It's Saturday morning," Greer interrupted with something between a grumble and a growl.
"I know ... you're day off. That's why-"
"That's why you're going to forget it and stay in bed with me." She didn't need to open her eyes to feel his hesitation and almost picture him looking toward the window. Yes, she knew there were threats that needed to be addressed, but she'd been training non-stop in the gym for over a month now to get back into fighting shape and all she really wanted was for him to cut her just the tiniest bit of slack and stay curled up with her.
Finally, she opened her eyes to see him staring back at her … halfway convinced that she was right. She just needed to ... tip him over the edge.
In the blink of an eye, she rolled her shoulder up to her jaw and turned her head into her shoulder, gently brushing the shoulder strap from her silky night shirt off her shoulder as she slowly sat upright.
"I won't be long," he started to say, the words falling to near silence by the time he'd finished the sentence as he just took her in. Greer took note that his tail had fallen silent as well.
"I wish you'd give me one morning," she pouted with a tiny, low purr. "I've been so good about letting you push me through all that training … are you sure we can't just … curl up today?" by now her purr had increased in volume and Greer's tail slyly wrapped itslef around the panther's. He seemed to have gone completely still.
"Just ... today?"
"Mhmmm ..." She purred out as she held her bottom lip between her teeth before stretching her arms over her head, giving him a magnificent view of her front.
"I could always check the grounds later ..." Greer gave her head a little shake, "Tomorrow?" She rolled her eyes up toward the ceiling, seemingly in deep thought before skillfully crossing her arms in front of herself low.
"Tomorrow is up to you," Greer answered silkily as she pulled her night shirt off and tossed it in his direction. "Today is up to me."
A good hour later, the sheets a pile on the floor and the windows open, Greer was feeling rather content as she let Colton draw his claws along his back until he brought up the one thing she had been working so hard to keep out of her mind.
"Did this have anything to do about tonight?" Greer scrunched her shoulders up a bit before letting out a deep sigh, keeping her head turned towards the wall as it rested on her arms. The tail that just a few seconds ago had been leisurely brushing the carpet was now stock still ... though the end twitched slightly.
Apex waited a few more moments for a response, though her silence seemed to be enough of one. It was a rare thing for Greer to stay silent. Stopping his patterns, he reached a hand to the tigress' hip and pulled her closer. She didn't resist, though she kept her face resolutely on the far wall as Apex lowered his muzzle to her shoulder.
"If you're worried about my mission tonight, don't be." Greer just snorted a little and crossed her arms, her back to the panther's chest.
"Easy for you to say ..." Apex rumbled a little. He had seen this coming but didn't want the rest of the day to be spent with Greer slowly going from a bad mood to depressed to anxious.
"You know this is what I need to do. For you ... for the school. To -"
"To keep us all safe I know," Greer finally rolled over with another growl to face Colton, "but I'm supposed to be keeping you safe." He knew she was trying to scowl and look determined ... but he always appreciated when she looked at him like that. He smirked a little ... she was definitely determined.
"I'm certain Wolverine has that covered."
"No he doesn't… He doesn't know you like I do and trust me, he's not as willing to cover your furry butt as I am…" Greer protested her scowl deepening.
Apex just gave her his version of the knowing smirk.
"You don't have to worry about me." he insisted. "Now come on," and Apex bumped foreheads with the tigress though she kept her scowl, "we have a Danger Room session."
Greer just let out a low rumble and proceeded to whip a pillow at her boyfriend's face (which he caught) as she slid out of bed to get ready for what she knew would end up being a very long day. Apex just shook his head as he watched the tigress stalk towards the bathroom.
He knew it was going to be a very long day.
The Danger Room session went well enough. Greer might have felt stronger and regained some of her speed and agility ... but putting it all together was something else. And since she was training with Colton instead of say the X-Men that meant she risked ending up coming out of the Danger Room bloodied instead of bruised.
Though at that particular moment she would have preferred the blood.
"If you're not going to let me do anything how am I supposed to prove that I'm ready?" Greer's fists were at her side as she growled through her scowl. The simulation they had beaten slowly fading around them. Though saying 'they' was a bit of an overstatement. The second she had taken a pretty nasty slam from 'Kimura', Apex had taken over and decided to single handedly finished the program, never letting Greer make another move. And she was pissed.
"You tearing through everything isn't what these sessions are supposed to be about! I wanted you to train me ... not baby me."
"I am not ... 'babying' you." Apex honestly had no idea what Greer was talking about.
"Yes ... you are. I noticed it last week when I came out of our sessions without so much as a broken nail. Ever since those first few sessions you barely give me any space to breath." Apex took a moment to look Greer over and indeed she was right ... barely a hair out of place. He meanwhile had a number of lacerations still bleeding freely as they slowly knitted closed ... Lady Deathstrike was always a bit of a problem ...
"I'm not going to let you get hurt again." Apex said it like a promise but Greer tossed her hands up.
"Hurt? Colton I'm pretty sure when I go out with X-Force I might get just a little hurt." She tried to reason.
Now Apex was growling.
"That won't be a problem ... since you be going out with X-Force."
Greer bared her teeth for a moment before turning on her heel and storming out of the Danger Room with a stream of growls. Apex stood there for a few more moments before grumbling to himself and calling out his codes, shut down the Danger Room as he stalked after her
"Greer…"
"No Colton…" she growled back.
"Stop." there was a different tone in Colton's voice but Greer was too pissed to pay it much attention.
"Go away!" the tigress hissed as he grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him. She struggled for a moment, trying to pry herself away. When it became evident that it had no effect on the giant panther … and that it was doing nothing but reopen some of the still healing cuts she stopped. Though still scowling as her tail twitched through the empty hall.
"Why Colton?" she finally mumbled.
"I don't want you getting hurt again." This time his rumble didn't give Greer any warm feelings though she noticed how he seemed to grip her a little bit tighter.
Greer groaned a little.
"You know that's impossible right Colton? You can't stop everything from hurting me."
There was a growl from the panther.
"Yes ... I can." Greer sighed as she pressed herself against her boyfriend's chest, defeated for the moment. It was hard to stay mad when Colton had such noble intentions. That didn't mean she was going to stop trying though ... but that was for another day. The day was almost over and Colton had someplace he needed to be.
"There a reason cat-girl's sitting in on this? Thought she was done." Domino didn't sound particularly happy as she addressed Logan who just gave Apex a look. James and Fantomex didn't seem particularly interested.
"Just get on with the mission Logan." Greer didn't stick her tongue out at Domino like she wanted to and instead just kept her gaze fixed on Logan with her arms crossed as she stood next to Colton. Logan looked between the two felines for a moment before continuing. The six mutants were back in the shack that Apex had ... commandeered from SHIELD. He had tried getting Greer to wait for him back at the Mansion but she had rather calmly asked him if he wanted to walk with her or have her head out to the shack by herself after he left. She had promised to not push for anything once they got there and thus far, she hadn't broken her word.
"So like I was sayin', Psyloche is out. That first mission was her doin' me a favor so we're lookin' for a new psychic for the team. But that's backburner. Tonight ... we're goin' after these two."
Logan clicked the controller he was holding and two names appeared on the wall.
"Sarah Kinney ... and Dr. Sutter. After takin' care of those two mid-level idiots ... these two are our best bet in figuring out what Stryker's new program is about."
"And Stryker?" Apex's growl was met by one of frustration by Logan.
"No word yet. Least not anythin' worth a damn. And it ain't like we're goin' to SHIELD for answers."
"I told you Logan ... torture wasn't going to work on that last one. He was out of the program too long." Fantomex had his feet up on the large metal table that the rest were sitting around, seemingly not paying much attention as he examined his gun. Logan just ignored the Frenchman and continued on.
"So we got intel that Sutter is attending some conference in Chicago. First time he's been out in public for months. So let's not mess this up. Dom?"
Greer leaned a bit into Apex as Domino took over and laid out the plan. She'd been in charge of scouting the place and knew the best way for them to get inside. Nothing too extreme ... just repelling down the side of a skyscraper in the minute their security hack would buy them without the entire system going into lockdown. None of the ex-assassins and operatives looked particularly daunted.
As they got geared up, Greer found herself with her arms wrapped around her stomach as she watched Apex get ready. As anxious as she felt, she couldn't help but notice how calm he seemed. How focused. Comfortable even. As he slipped on his tactical vest, she stepped closer and strapped it closed for him.
"Greer ..."
"Just ... be safe. Alright?" The two felines shared a quite look before Apex wrapped a hand behind her neck and brought their foreheads together.
"We'll be back soon." Apex rumbled as he stepped back and with a growl from Logan, the team headed out ... leaving Greer to wait.
As the team loaded onto the jet, Apex sat across from Logan slightly away from the others. The older feral glanced up and seeing the panther hunched forwards, did the same.
"Somethin' on your mind kid?" Logan could tell from the look on his face that this was something he had been waiting to talk about ... likely once he was away from Tigger.
"Tell me about Minos."
It hadn't taken the tigress long to start pacing. One hour ... Two hours ... She knew the team wouldn't be back close to dawn but that didn't make not hearing anything or knowing anything any easier. She tried going outside, thinking that might help getting her to calm down but all it did was get her to focus on Colton and Logan even more.
"Where are you guys ..." Greer muttered as she hugged herself a little tighter.
...
"That's ain't a good answer." Logan growled as Apex sunk his claws a little deeper into Sutter's shoulder, the silent panther standing directly behind him as the good doctor trembled in his chair. The insertion had gone off smoothly, Fantomex and Warpath taking care of Sutter's security and currently watching the hallway and elevators as Wolverine and Apex questioned the man they had come for.
"I - I'm telling you it's the truth. Sarah Kinney is dead. What good would it do me lie? Why - gahh!" Apex's claw scraped on bone as he and the shorter feral shared a look. They both agreed ... he was telling the truth. Logan moved on.
"And Stryker?" Sutter felt the growl coming from Apex and cowered a little more.
"Gone ... after the disaster with the biosoldiers he just disappeared. I thought he'd been killed but then I realized most of the top scientists had gone too. I - this was supposed to my tryout for HYDRA. I - I don't know anything ..."
"Tell me about the new Weapon X program." Sutter's eyes went wide.
"I - I can't they -" Logan didn't even let him finish, jamming a single claw into his thigh and earning yet another pitiful scream.
"Before you go sayin' somebody's gonna kill ya if ya talk ... I'd be a bit more concerned on the present. Cause when I pop this claw out ... you're gonna bleed out in four minutes. But you knew that already ... didn't you doc?"
"No - no stop!" Sutter had his one usable hand around Logan's wrist as if urging him to keep the claw in.
"I'm not hearin' anythin ..."
"Alright! We - we ... we grew tired of trying to reclaim lost weapon projects. There - there was an effort instead to combine the most efficient aspects of past programs into a new ... better weapon. But first we ..." Sutter stopped talking as he cringed at Logan, as if he knew that what he was about to say next was only going to get him hurt more.
"First you what?" Logan snarled as he twisted his wrist, blood starting to flow freely from the wound in his leg.
"We needed you!" Logan just quirked an eyebrow and looked up at Apex but this time both had no idea what Sutter was talking about.
"What ya mean you needed me?" Sutter was sweating profusely and looking pale.
"You were the - the best. Stryker demanded that we start with you so we used some of your blood on file to ..." That look was back but Logan's face had gone blank as Apex changed his focus from the squirming human beneath him to the feral.
"You ... cloned me?" Logan's face was pure shock but Sutter actually laughed.
"Noth - nothing so crude! Like I said you ... you were the building block. We - we aimed higher than simply recreating you. Like I said, we wanted to take the best aspects of all the weapons. And she -"
"She? What do ya mean - SHIT!"
Logan roared as blood splattered everywhere as Sutter jerked hard to his right and Logan's claw tore through his thigh. At first he thought the doctor had tried to kill himself but the way he was screaming and grasping at his leg sure didn't look like it.
"What the hell!?" Logan snarled up at the panther who had his eyes locked on dying Sutter. Logan was on Sutter in a moment, ignoring his pleading.
"Tell me about the cloning ... tell me! What the hell did you bastards do!?" Wolverine shook Sutter, even popping his claws into the carpeted ground near his head but he just kept crying. Logan looked down at the blood covering the floor and let out another snarl as he got back to his feet.
"Why?" Logan said it was a low growl.
"He killed himself." Apex said dispassionately as the doctor's screams got steadily weaker, his eyes rolling up to the back of his head. Logan seethed for a moment ... noting the calm heart rate, the lack of dilation in the eye or change in tone ... even his scent didn't change. But Logan didn't need his senses to know someone was lying to him ...
"We'll talk about that another time," The two ferals stared each other down as Sutter let out a shaky breath and stopped moving between them. Logan finally broke the stare to give the deceased doctor a look of disgust.
"And the cloning?" Now Apex met Logan's gaze, noting his entire body tense at the question.
"Leave it for now. We got enough shit to deal with. Just keep it yerself." Logan pressed his com.
"Come on in guys ... time to sweep this shit up."
...
When Logan and Apex disembarked from the jet, Apex didn't even make it back to the shack before Greer found them. She rushed up to him and quickly started checking him over, question after question pouring out of her until eventually Apex took her hands and forced her to stop.
"I'm back. I'm fine." Greer let out a long breath as they butted foreheads, earning a gruff from Logan and him muttering something about 'kids and their feelings.' But she ignored him, taking the moment to rest in Colton's scent as the forest was creeping towards dawn. When they separated Apex noted how stressed Greer looked, her usually carefully groomed fur standing on end in places, her hair barely contained as he felt her muscles tensed from a night of obvious pacing.
"Let's go home." She just nodded at his rumble, suddenly exhausted, and leaned against the panther as the two headed back to the Mansion. Greer took her time helping Colton shower and finally satisfied she let him pick her up and after tucking into his side, they were lost to the world.
