Author's Note: This chapter was actually a struggle for me. I rewrote it a good three or four times, so I hope you like what came out of it. It's a little different than the others, but hey...that's life. Thank you all again for your reviews and your appreciation for my story!
Remy wasn't what one would call a first class pilot. His small two person plane barely flew through any turbulence we encountered, and that was after he finally got the damn thing to take off. I think if I had been in a different mood, I may have actually feared for my life. But I wasn't in a different mood. Logan wasn't just gone…he had left.
I found myself wondering how he had gotten off the island. Because really, I had no doubt he would escape. The guy was indestructible and almost two hundred years old. It was ridiculous to think the NYPD would be the ones to bring James Howlett Logan down.
I wrenched my gaze from my hands in my lap to the dirty window, hardly caring the view was practically invisible. Every so often I felt Remy's eyes on me, but I ignored him. I knew he wanted to ask if I was okay, but I wasn't…and he knew it. Rather than be mature and open up, I merely closed my eyes and leaned my head against the window.
I wake up crying. It's been two years, three months, and two days since I last saw my mother, and as hard as I try not to think of her, its times like this when she is at the forefront of my mind. I wish I could explain to her what happened, why it happened, and that I didn't have a choice. Looking down at my hands, I take one shuddering breath and hold it tightly inside my chest.
By the time I finally release the pent up air, I'm seeing splotches of black at the side of vision. I swipe one hand over my eyes to wipe away any lingering tears, and get up from my tiny cot. I look at the small clock on the wall and see it's only one in the morning. I still have another four hours until I'm expected to be up and moving, but I know I'll never fall back to sleep on my own.
Slipping into a thick pair of socks and throwing a warm sweatshirt stolen from Logan, I head out into the hall. I tiptoe through the dark and freeze when I reach the stairs heading upstairs. Making sure to skip the squeaky second and fifth steps, I reach the next landing and head left. Despite the heavy darkness, I move quickly through the deserted hallway and freeze outside one specific, unmarked door.
I can feel myself blushing, knowing Wade is just on the other side of the door. I wonder if he's sleeping, and I bite my lip. Of course he's asleep…probably sleeps like a rock with no bad dreams bothering him. I wish I could be like that. Maybe he would talk to me more. I suppress a grin as I remember him tousling my short hair earlier. He hadn't said anything, but it made me feel good to know he knew I was there.
Before I realize it, the door opens in front of me, and I hold in a cry of surprise.
"I knew I heard someone creeping around out here; you need something, kid?" My eyes widen as I take in the sight of shirtless Wade standing in front of me. He's yawning and rubbing his eyes, barely even noticing me. I shake myself from my thoughts, realizing that he did indeed just ask me a question.
"I – I – I wouldn't sleep," I mumble softly, looking down at my feet.
"Wouldn't or couldn't?" he asked with a smirk.
I scrunch up my face. "Couldn't." My English is thousand times better than it was two years ago. It's good, I suppose, since I knew no English two years ago.
"So you bopping in for a midnight hello, or did you miss me?" A small smile escapes my lips, as I shake my head.
"Logan?" he asks. I nod and look down the hall towards Logan's room.
"Damn, here I thought you liked me best!" he cries softly and bringing his hands to his heart. "One of these days, I'll prove my worth," he exclaims, shooting me a wink. I wonder if I'm redder than a tomato yet. I know he's joking, but to be talking to him like this…at night…without his shirt…it's difficult to remember he killed my brother.
"You better get going, before Creed hears you wandering," he sighs. I can't help but pale at the thought of Viktor. I nod and turn toward Logan's room. "Nighty night," Wade whispers. I keep my back turned, but I smile as I continue down the hall.
As I walk, I begin to wonder when the distance between Wade's and Logan's rooms got so long. The hallway stretches out before, me seemingly for miles. I start to panic as the darkness around me turns to grey concrete and piping along the ceiling. I hurry and lengthen my steps, suddenly desperate to reach the security of Logan's room.
I look down at my feet and am no longer wearing my worn pajamas. I am in a red jumpsuit that seems about ten sizes too big and bags around me. As I try not to trip over the ends of the pants, I stumble into a wall. I'm trying to catch my breath but a sound behind me makes me look up. I can see someone standing just outside Wade's room where I had been moments ago. I can't see the man's face, but I know I need to get away.
I begin running once more, and I struggle not to cry when I hear loud footsteps begin to follow me. Suddenly, not caring if someone heard me, I call out. I call for Logan and Wade, for Bradley and John. Hell I find myself calling out for Mr. Stryker, but no one comes.
Finally tripping over the pants of my jumpsuit, I fall onto my hands and knees. Before I can pick myself up from the cold ground, I see a pair of legs step in front of me. I'm shaking as I raise my gaze. I'm terrified of the man before me. He's naked from the waist up and completely bald. His dark eyes are sunken in and stare at me in detached aggression. His skin is a mottled gray that looks as though it hasn't seen the sun or had fresh air in years. The terrifying part, however, is the man's lack of mouth. It's as if someone painted over his lips with a new layer of skin.
Suddenly, when our eyes meet, I realize who I'm staring at. Before I have the chance to scream out, Wade is ripping his nonexistent mouth open. Blood rushes from the ever widening hole as he smiles. "Have I proven myself yet? Am I your favorite now?" I can only continue to scream as the monster Wade reaches for me and holds me tight, all the while saying my name and asking if he's proven himself.
"Nadya!" I opened my eyes, all the while gasping for air. I turned my head and sighed in relief at the sight of Remy's dark eyes staring into my own. Before he had the chance to offer and comfort, I found myself leaning into his arms and sinking into his embrace. He stiffened at first, but eventually softened and began rubbing my back.
"You're okay…you're safe with moi, ma chere," he whispered. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his forever smooth charm. After a few more minutes of resting and recovering from my horrible dreams, I pushed away and sighed.
"Sorry, I just –" My eyes narrowed as I took in the space around me. "Where's the plane?" I asked slowly. "What's going on?"
He have a chuckle and ran a hand through his thick brown hair. "Don't be mad, chere…I tried to wake you when we landed, but you were having none of that. So I brought you to my place. You've been sleeping for almost two days." I felt my face scrunch in confusion.
"You brought – wait, two day?" I asked with a shake of my head. "I haven't been asleep for two days…what do you mean two days?"
"Well you had been kidnapped, had the shit beat out of you…" He paused. "You had four broken ribs, two broken bones in your hand and a couple of fingers, not to mention you have a breathtaking black eye. It's really no surprise, ma chere, you slept so long." I brought my good hand up to my left eye and hissed in pain. He chuckled, and I shot him the finger.
"Fine and where have I been sleeping for two days, may I ask?"
"My place," he replied with a shrug. I took roaming glance around the room and realized I was, in fact, in a strange bed in a strange room.
"I don't –"
"Fear not," he exclaimed seeing the look on my face. "I have been as gallant as any knight that may exist." I shake my head at his words and lean back on the stack of old pillows. We sat in silence for a few more moments, before Remy sighed and shot me a look.
"What?" I asked, aggressively.
"I was just wondering…who is Wade?" I froze and clenched my jaw.
"What?" I asked again, softer this time.
"You were calling for him…not Logan, I thought it would be him. Who's Wade?" I broke our stare and looked up at the ancient ceiling fan rotating above our heads.
"It doesn't matter anymore," I finally replied. I could still feel Remy's eyes upon me so I sighed. "He was from a long time ago, another life really…but he's dead now." I thought of the look in Wade's lifeless eyes just before Logan ordered me and the other mutants to run. Even if Logan had let him get away, I knew he wouldn't be the same. Wade was gone...the same way Logan was gone.
"Do you want to talk about him? Logan I mean," he clarified. I scoffed and shook my head.
"No."
"Is there anything I can –"
"No." Remy sighed and stood from where he was sitting on the side of his messed up bed.
"You should get some more rest, ma chere…" he paused and looked over at me. "Unless you're up for something a bit more exciting?" He wriggled his eyebrow suggestively, and I groaned.
"Pass," I answered. A small half smile escaped my lips and Remy grinned in returm.
"Ah, there it is! There is nothing so satisfying as a smile from a beautiful woman." I threw a pillow forcing Remy out the door, him laughing all the while.
Before the door closed behind him, I found myself calling out his name. When he turned back, I gave him another sand smile. "Thank you."