A/N:

Another update :) Just so you know, I'm going to update twice today because I love you all very much and I'm in a very good mood :)

In case you forget- it was a whole... four days ago- but in the last chapter, our little Kori was experimented on a bit. No, I'm not killing her off or something *rolls eyes*. Both of her procedures were more successful than Stryker predicted and Raven now has a shiny set of claws.

I don't own X-Men :)

"How are you feeling?" a gentle voice asked. I opened my eyes to see the same woman, the one whose thoughts were truly concerned for my well-being, standing in the doorway.

I had been placed in a small quarters room with a change of clothes and ordered to lie down on the bed and get some rest. Of course I hadn't. In fact, I'd been playing with my new mutation.

"Better than I thought I'd be doing," I admitted truthfully. "Has Logan's procedure started yet?"

"In ten minutes," she replied evenly. I bit my lip.

"Can I be in the room? Logan is like my brother. I don't want him going through that alone."

"You can't help him much, Raven. If anything, it might make it worse," she reasoned. I shook my head, gently pressing my mind to hers'.

I can help him think of something other than the pain. That's what I've been doing this entire time. I can create a cocoon of sorts around his pain receptors. That's the only thing that kept me hanging on.

She didn't look quite convinced, but still nodded her head. I grabbed my new bag, small enough to be considered a purse but large enough to hide anything necessary, and easily slipped in a change of clothes for Logan, knowing he'd want it especially if we had to make a quick getaway.

That was how I found myself standing, once again, in that room. This time, it was Logan's turn. The generals were all in attendance for this display, invited now that Stryker knew that it was possible to survive this experiment.

"Today, we're going to witness medical history," Stryker announced to the generals. "Today, we are going to create Weapon X."

"X?" a general asked, looking skeptical.

"Roman numeral ten," Stryker said smoothly. "We are about to begin bonding adamantium to Weapon X's skeleton. Let's-"

"Sir, I apologize for interrupting but I believe this to be important," I cut in. Stryker looked very annoyed but nodded for me to continue. I smiled at him with mock gratitude, flashing my fangs. "I'd like permission to create a telepathic field around Weapon X's mind for the duration of this experiment. It will shelter his higher functions from the effect of the amount of physical pain this procedure is going to force upon him as well as improve the likelihood of success. May I proceed?"

"Are you sure of the side effects of this field?" one of the generals asked. The female doctor from earlier nodded her head from beside the machines.

"This young woman has underwent a procedure in which another mutant's DNA was grafted and assimilated into her own. As she explained to me earlier today, this cocoon, if you will, creates a membrane between the subject's consciousness and the pain receptors in their mind, lessening or even eliminating the pain felt. As you can see, she is having no unpleasant side effects and judging from the results of my observations, the telepathic energy helped her mind to more naturally accept the changes done to her body."

"Are you sure of this?" Stryker asked, looking directly at me. I nodded quickly.

"The mutant on that table was assigned to my team, if you recall, Colonel Stryker. He's very effective at what he does. It benefits me as much as it does you to give him every chance at surviving this procedure," I said seriously. Stryker nodded and I climbed down to the table. I smiled at Logan briefly before closing my eyes in concentration.

This is going to be the hardest thing you've ever done, Logan. I'm here to help you build up your mental defenses against the pain before it begins.

I can take it.

No, you can't, you idiot. Just shut up and do what I do, I ordered, reinforcing his mind and the fortifying his defenses along his pain receptors. Eventually he caught on and I nodded at Stryker to begin, not once leaving Logan's side.

"Begin," he ordered, nodding at one of the assistants. The man in the lab coat nodded and flipped a single switch. The needles began to heat, spinning and steaming as they dipped into the liquid suspending my friend and brother.

When the burning began, he writhed, just as I did. I pushed myself into his mind, breaking down his defenses with adamantium fists.

"Why is he thrashing like that? Why isn't he sedated?" a general asked Stryker back on the upper level.

"He feels pain just like the rest of us, but anesthesia won't work on him. That's why he had to volunteer," Stryker said, his voice sounding stressed.

Logan, focus. Focus on Kayla. Why are you doing this? You need to stop Victor. Stop him from taking someone else away… Remember her, Logan. You're not an animal.

His mind screamed in agony but I forced his memories on top of the pain: Kayla's smile, her laughing with the children, the story of 'Koo-koo-kachoo'.

"Will he survive this?"

"He can make it," Stryker whispered to himself, repeating those four words to no one in particular.

And he pulled through. His heartbeat slowed to a near stop but it never quite faded.

"Heart rate rising… Steadying. Body temperature cooling to normal."

"We did it… Procedure complete," one of the scientists, Cornelius, almost breathed.

"Are we taking him to the island?" Zero asked Stryker quietly.

"The island? No. The bonding works. We'll use his DNA for the XI… Erase his memory."

Still in Logan's mind, I could hear those three words repeating over and over. Every memory of Kayla was replaying in Logan's mind, all backed by erase his memory.

Without warning, I was forced to jump back. Logan began thrashing and I glared at Stryker.

"I think he heard you," Zero murmured, watching Logan's claws slide out from his hands as he screamed silently, the water muffling his roar of anger as he began tugging at the restraints. With one final pull, he freed himself and I jumped back farther as Zero drew his guns and began firing at Logan. Stryker called for a lockdown as people starting running everywhere in chaos.

Logan cut through the guards on the way to the door. Literally, slicing them open without rhyme and very little reason as Zero shot after him. I followed him through the chaos, stopping as he created and kicked open a door for himself. He threw himself off of the cliff and I followed without hesitation.

A/N:

Okay, so I'm also updating again because this is a sadly short chapter. Also, the chapter count for this story stands at thirteen individual chapters. I'm already writing sequels, so I hope you like them. The first is a collection of one shots that take place in the fifteen years between X-Men: Origins and X-Men (1). The second is actually during the "first" movie.

The one-shots will be taking a bit more time than the other, mainly because I have to think up more scenarios, but the first chapter will be posted when I post the last chapter of this story (Intertwined).

Also, the sequel sequel, taking place at the next movie, is named 'By Fate'. Get it? It's going to be a series name-y type thing: 'Intertwined' 'By Fate'. Lol... I'm a nerd...

Now, go review then look up the next chapter ;)

^.^ Susie ^.^