Memories

Becoming

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any of their characters. Tora and Weapon X-ii are my own though.

Logan's eyes narrowed in the bright Provencial noon. He didn't want to be here, alone with Tora, but reports of Sabretooth near her family's home had caused her to beg him to come. He still didn't know his exact feelings towards her. Their relationship wasn't physical. They spent more time talking than doing any of the usual stuff couples did. They couldn't really. He didn't want the others to know. It wasn't like Mariko although that hadn't worked out. It wasn't even like Jean. Instead it was…he didn't know what it was. She wasn't like anyone he'd met. Or to be more precise she wasn't like anyone he remembered meeting. So fragile yet so strong. Broken yet unbreakable.

Her parents came rushing out and hugged her. She didn't hug them back. In the month since she'd found out who she really was, she'd become much quieter, retreating into herself. She spent more and more time outside, especially when it was raining. She'd sit in down by the lake, legs curled under her and hum that tune she seemed to love. Over and over again. He asked her why she loved it when the words were so sad. And she'd smiled and said sometimes you needed just a little sadness in your life to appreciate the good times. Then they'd brushed lips and sat for the rest of the night talking.

They showed him the guest room then taken her to the room that had once been hers. It was as different from her room back in the States as possible. Whilst that was all cool, dark colours this room was decorated in warm pastels. It was the girl she had been not the woman she was. The happy child with a family and hope, not the scarred woman with fears and little chance of a real life. That girl had died, replaced by someone who had to hide behind walls of steel to feel safe. She looked lost and alone on the brand new bed that had been bought for her visit. No matter how she'd tried to explain that she wasn't the same person, they ignored her. His eyes met hers and she mouthed 'Later' and jerked her head towards the window, towards the woods that surrounded the secluded villa deep in the heart of Southern France. So he'd went back to his room and found Eloise standing outside. She looked lonely so he asked her what was wrong. He hadn't expected the outpouring of the soul.

"I don't know why Maman and Papa had me. All they wanted was their Marie back. Their precious Marie. The red-haired baby who laughed and giggled, not a sullen enfant who never really put down roots. And she's not at all like they described her."

"Eloise, your sister's had a difficult childhood. Think about it this way. Your life can't have been worse than hers. I've seen some of the scars she has and they ain't pretty. But what's worse is how her mind was messed with. For a while after she came she'd flinch if we moved too suddenly. She'd obey any commands we gave her as if her life depended on it. You may not have had a lot of love but you've been fed and I bet your parents have never raised a hand to you. Well Tora –Marie as you call her –she was almost beaten to death when she was five. When she came to stay with us, she was so thin you could see her ribs. And for six years she'd been in the –I won't call it care –possession, of Victor Creed who's one of the most twisted, evil, foul mutants you'll ever meet. She'd eaten what she had to survive and she was still half dead when she was found."

Eloise looked slightly shocked at she managed to put what Logan was saying into perspective.

"Mais she still was rescued by le X-Men. I'd do anything to meet Nightcrawler. He's so cool. And Storm…"

Suddenly a look of comprehension dawned on her face.

"L'Institue…"

Logan put a finger to his lips and grinned. The kid was smart. Then he snikted out one of his claws.

"Vous êtes le Carcajou, vous êtes Wolverine."

Then she looked even more excited, if that was possible

"Marie est Tigress, correctement?"

He didn't speak much French. German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, yep he could hold his own in any conversation. But French? He knew enough to understand what she was saying and how to answer.

"Oui."

There was a look of pure delight on her face.

"It's our secret, OK?"

"D'accord, c'est nous secret. Mais c'est tellement cool!"

"Qu'est-ce-que c'est 'tellement cool' Eloise?"

Tora was standing there looking slightly amused.

"Vous êtes Tigress."

"Tu, pas vous Eloise. Apres tout, c'est souers. Et c'est vrai, je suis Tigress."

Logan was now beginning to feel a little left out by all this conversing in rapid French.

"Will somebody translate please?"

Tora turned with a slight look of embarrassment on her face.

"Désolé. Sorry Logan. I forgot. You wanted to go for a walk?"

"I'll come!"

They both bit their lips. They hadn't had a proper chance to be alone for a while. First there had been some trouble with Magneto but that had turned out to be an impostor. Then they'd teamed-up with the Avengers to bring down a rampaging robot in Manhattan. Spider-Man had shown up but he hadn't been needed. At any rate, it had been a good time to introduce Tora to those who didn't know her. And since they'd arrived here on a commercial flight (the Blackbird being out of commission again), they'd been surrounded by a series of relatives, all of whom wanted to see the miraculous return of the stolen child. He wanted some time alone with her and he could see she felt the same way. And now her teenage sister wanted to go with them.

"Eloise…"

Suddenly the girl's eyes widened and she appeared to suppress a giggle.

"Oh. So I take it you two X-Men want some time alone to 'train', oui?"

Somehow she knew. Somehow she'd seen through all their layers of pretence and guessed about them. But no one, not even Chuck had guessed. That was one astute kid.

"Merci beaucoup Eloise."

They hurried outside, across the hot drive outside and into the cool shade the trees provided.

"That's one clever kid."

"Yes. But I don't think she's very happy."

"She seems to think her parents cared more about you –or their vision of you –than her."

She sighed and let the layers of protection slip away from her eyes and stance. Now she was walking with a lighter tread, almost stalking. She didn't even do that with the other X-Men. It was when with him, and him alone that she let her animal out. And it was a proud and powerful animal, like the tigress she took as her name. When she was like that she became grace and power personified. It was in those moments she looked beautiful. Most of the time she was standing next to Storm and few men would ever see the small, slight, almost masculine figure next to the beautiful, exotic Ororo. She camouflaged herself effectively, hiding in plain sight. Late development had meant she'd never be 'well-endowed' in the chest area but she didn't seem to mind. Her body was more muscle than anything else and as far as he knew, she resisted all Kitty's attempts to allow a razor near her legs. Something about the hair being a natural part of her mutation, allowing her effective insulation from the cold. At any rate, her arms, whenever he actually saw them, had a layer of dark hair, nowhere near as thick as his, but obvious. She didn't pay much attention to her appearance. There was something refreshing about her hatred of changing her looks to pander to standards of beauty. But then, she didn't seem to care about beauty. She'd learnt the hard way that looks didn't matter. When people hurt you, you don't care what they look like.

They walked together in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. That was another thing that was different about her. She could make silence as good as words. A lot of things could be said in their periods of silence. He moved towards her, wrapped his arm around her waist and she leant her head on his shoulder. She was about the same height as him but nowhere near as stocky. They continued to walk like that for a long time before anyone spoke.

"Are you afraid?"

She turned her golden eyes that glimmered with fear to his glacial blue.

"What do you think Logan? I still have nightmares."

He'd heard her screaming in the night. But he'd never given in to the temptation to go in and chase the nightmares away. He might end up being the worse nightmare if he lost control. Partially because she was different from all the others he didn't want to ruin it by rushing their relationship. And in some ways she was so childlike.

"If Creed attacks, are ya going to fold?"

"Logan. I may be scared of him but don't you dare suggest fear will stop me fighting."

She pulled away. He should have learnt by now. She was fine as long as you didn't show doubt at her fighting skills. If anything, fear would make her more dangerous. She seemed annoyed at him though and he just waited when she walked off. She'd need a little time to get it out of her system. When she came back she didn't move in to return to their prior position but stood slightly away from him. He could only assume he'd hurt her deeper than he'd thought.

"There are tracks in the wood. And Creed's scent everywhere."

"Here?"

"Yeah. I'll show you."

She walked quickly, moving through the woods although without her usual grace. He could only assume fear made her like that. When they reached the clearing he gaped. There had been a fight here. Blood was everywhere and it smelt of Creed and …Tora? He turned just in time to see her fist come out of nowhere and slam into his face, knocking him unconscious.

The woman sighed slightly. Of course he thought it was her. In a way it was.