Memories

Training with a Tiger

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

Luke edged slightly. He had been put on a training course with Tora, which was rather embarrassing because firstly he didn't know anything about her and secondly the other X-Men seemed so close to her. She was looking at him with those cat-like golden eyes that were slightly scary.

"So Monsieur Luke, how does your gift work?"

Luke shifted uneasily.

"I understand how you feel. I was just like you when I first joined."

He could see the sincerity in her eyes. She meant it. Relaxing, he brought his hands up and plucked the light threads out of the air, weaving them together into a net and throwing it over Tora who nodded as the illusion played out.

"Good, but you may need to work on scents. How would you keep illusions for a combat situation when you won't have time to weave them?"

Luke grinned and pulled out the pack of colourful nets.

"I have a series of pre-created illusions."

"Good. Now, what basic self-defence training do you have?"

"Er…none."

"Good. I don't want to have to undo mistakes. Right, first I'm going to see your natural talent."

"What!"

She didn't answer except to send a fist flying towards him. Luke ducked only to get caught on the foot coming up. He could tell she was going easy on him but he was nowhere near good enough to keep up. Finally she stopped.

"You'll do. We'll work on a style for you later. First, go and see Hank otherwise you won't be able to move in the morning."

Luke winced and limped off to get his bruises seen to. All he could say, he was glad it wasn't Logan, who would be even worse or Etana who would make him fight with sharpened swords. Tora went relatively easy on him and he'd got a good idea about her personality. It was like she was concentrating inwards, mind on something deep inside and she drew her strength from there.

Tora relaxed then straightened.

"Danger Room Protocol Five. Scenario Eight. Level Twelve."

"Warning. Level Twelve has no safety parameters."

"I know. Level Twelve. Else I'll reprogram you."

The room whirred to life and Tora got back into the swing of her fighting skills, a low spin kick sending a robot flying. Suddenly the program stopped.

"What?"

Logan was glaring at her.

"Level TWELVE! Tora, you can't do that!"

"I am perfectly capable of doing a Level Twelve, thank you very much."

"But you could get injured…"

She glared at him.

"That's what it's about isn't it? Well you should know that it may not even go full-term."

Logan yelped.

"WHAT!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I have adamantium implanted into my skeleton."

"And…"

"And therefore my blood is full of adamantium, which is only not killing me because of my healing factor. And nutrients from my blood…"

She let the sentence hang in the air. Logan was round into the Danger Room in under ten seconds.

"Why didn't Hank…?"

"Because it's too early to tell. Later, if the…child…has a healing factor, it should kick in and keep it alive. If not…"

Logan almost forgot to breathe. He had never thought of that in the heady moment of happiness earlier that morning when she had told him. Idiot. He should have known about that. It had come up in one of their discussions before the wedding. It had been one of the reasons Tora had been against having kids. That and the fact they would be kidnapped every other week. He could see it was affecting her. More than she was letting on at any rate. He held her close and heard her heart beating, still faster than normal because she had been exercising. Which meant he couldn't tell if she was afraid or not.

Jean sighed.

"I understand her fear. Did she ever…"

"No questions Jean. No questions."

"Oh."

Logan charged through the house managing to reach the Medi-lab in record time. Hank was sitting with Tora hooked up to various machines. He could tell she didn't like them. But what worried him more were the cuts that weren't healing on her arms.

"Hank, what's wrong?"

"From what I can ascertain, her healing factor is rerouting, leaving only enough to stop her from dying from adamantium poisoning. The rest is keeping the child alive. When are you planning to tell everyone? Tora can't fight if she doesn't heal. And her immune system was weakened by the experiments performed on her. As such, a virus could severely weaken or even kill her."

Tora's head snapped up.

"You are not putting me in quarantine for eight months."

"I assure you, that was never my plan. All you have to do is be careful and not go on missions."

Tora groaned and buried her face in her hands. The sight was actually quite amusing.

"And Logan, that means you can't smoke anywhere near her. Passive smoking could harm the foetus even more."

"EVEN!"

"Despite the healing factor, there is still a chance the foetus could suffer heavy-metal poisoning."

Claws snikted out and Hank went cross-eyed trying to keep an eye on them.

"Ya mean, the kid could still die, even with Tora's healing factor?"

"Er, yes, that was the gist of it."

Logan slumped, claws retracting. Hank relaxed now his brain wasn't going to be skewered.

"You need to tell the others. They need to know why Tora isn't able to train or go on missions."

Tora nodded and Logan snorted. Hank took this to mean yes and called everyone down. Etana was there first and she winked at Logan, which meant she already knew or had at least guessed. When everyone was there, Hank had to cough to make then stop looking at the cuts on Tora's arm. Etana padded over and ran a knife over the back of her hand then pressed the blood to the cuts.

"What are you doing!"

"I am Cheyarafim. Our blood heals all but Neyaphim. Unfortunately I am enough Neyaphim to mean I do not heal. Warren's blood would be a better healer than mine. And I would never use my blood on Kurt as it is liable to increase his injuries."

Tora lifted her arm, showing a scar where the cut had been

"It won't heal any further Tora. I'm sorry but my healing isn't as good as yours."

"It's fine 'Tana. Just another scar."

"Don't call me 'Tana please."

"I heard Cap call you that."

"It was retaliation for Stevie-Boy."

"Will somebody please tell me why Tora isn't healing? We need her on missions."

"She won't be going on missions for at least eight months, probably more like a year Scott."

"WHAT! Why? Tell us why she isn't healing Hank."

"She isn't healing because her healing factor is engaged with another task that will lower her healing and immune system for eight months. She cannot use it as another lifeform is needing it to stay alive."

There was a moments silence until Jubilee went "Huh?" Scott froze.

"Like the Brood? Hank, why didn't you tell us earlier? This is important-"

"No Scott, it's not the Brood."

"Then WHAT IS IT!"

Tora glanced round for a place to hide. There was nowhere.

"Tora's pregnant."

There was a shocked silence then a scream of happiness from Jean and Tora was suddenly surrounded by arms. A muffled "Help!" caused Bobby to giggle. Etana reached over and touched Logan's arm.

"Good luck. You'll need it."

And on that cryptic remark, she left.

The woman sat backwards but Jean stretched.

"Do you do chairs in this place?"

"Pull up a cushion."

"I hate you."

"I know you don't mean that."

A.N. Adelphe24- Tora's wish hasn't been mentioned explicitly. It's more a matter of what thing haunts her most and she wishes she could undo it. Cough*Eva*cough.