Memories

Sacrificial

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If you want to use Tora, or any of my other characters, PM me.

Logan felt himself surface and groaned. Another groan was heard a few feet to his left. He raised his head and felt a cold fist of dread clasp around his heart. Wanda was lying spread-eagled over the fallen leaves, blood blossoming in huge patches across the tears in her red costume. Tears that came in groups of three, not four. Logan forced himself up and hurried over to her, inhaling deeply to ensure she was still alive. She was but only just. Pressing his hands to the worst cuts, right across her stomach, he was relieved to see her eyes flutter open for the briefest of seconds.

"Why didn't you just blast me, you idiot?"

The slightest of smiles caused Wanda's lips to twitch upwards.

"Tora…never for…give for…hurting…you…"

"Can we go back to when I tried to kill you?"

"She…was…pret…ty mad…"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I kept thinking she'd try to kill me when she woke up. Instead she just gave me a 'we need to talk' look."

Wanda's eyes were flickering closed again. Logan increased the pressure.

"Keep those eyes open! You stay right here, right now!"

"I… I think… I think she…wanted me…safe…because…she let you…go…"

"Well, let's leave this interesting discussion until we get some help."

"There…isn't…any…"

"What?"

"She…told me… We're…the last…"

"The last what?"

He already knew. He just couldn't believe it.

"The last…Avengers…"

"No. Not possible… There have to be others…"

"There…aren't…any…"

"Then how am I supposed to help you!"

And then he heard voices.

"Look, I know they're here. Don't ask me how… Dad!"

And Curt sprinted towards him, the rest of the Young Avengers following behind. Wiccan let out a hoarse cry when he saw the Scarlet Witch lying spread-eagled and was soon kneeling beside her, whispering the same words over and over again. I want her to heal. I want her to heal.

And Logan felt eyes burning accusingly into the back of his neck. Before he could speak up to defend himself, Curt spoke up.

"It wasn't him, okay? It was… It was the creepy possession thing."

He glanced at Logan.

"Look, it's difficult to explain but… I can sort of feel Maman right now. She's burning and freezing and so scared… Dad, she's trying desperately to take control. But it's like she's been buried under an avalanche. She can't get out."

Hulking was nursing what looked like a few bad cuts. Stature had a black eye and Hawkeye had an electrical burn across her bare shoulder. They noticed him looking at them.

"We had a run in with some of the X-Men. We only just got away."

Then Wanda sat up slowly, the only blood still there drying and the rips only in cloth, not flesh. She still looked awful, pale and weak but she wasn't dead or dying. That was a plus. Logan pointed at Speed, Wiccan and Curt.

"How have you guys avoided her?"

Wiccan blushed.

"As soon as anyone arrives, we teleport away. I've taken to using I want to be somewhere safe. It's easier."

Logan suddenly snapped his fingers.

"Got it. Wiccan, we need to get back to the school."

"WHAT! Wolverine, the place is swarming with controlled mutants!"

"Listen. I need you to get to the school, third sub-level-"

"There isn't a third sub-level, Dad!"

"Yes there is, it's only the Senior staff who know about it. Third sub-level. It's twenty metres underground, directly under the school. Can you get us there?"

Wiccan gulped but raised his hands and started speaking. They were soon in a dark corridor and Logan hurried the few metres to what looked like a blank wall.

"Z'noxx Protocol. James Howlett, Wolverine."

The wall slid open and he hustled them into the small room. They looked around in amazement as he turned.

"Enclose. No entry to any senior staff, lock in and out."

The doors closed and the cold blue lights gave the place an eerie feel. Curt glanced round.

"What's this, Dad? I don't remember this being in the plans?"

"This is the Z'noxx Chamber. Totally psi-proof, lined with adamantium and can only be accessed by eight people. Unfortunately, the rest of them are all under that...thing's control. There's failsafes and the fact the room only opens to voice commands, a retina scan and a psi-scan. Any slight changes in usual thought patterns, the room refuses to open. It was meant as a secure holding cell for powerful telepaths or as a safehouse for students."

Curt ran his fingers over the wall.

"What if we trap Maman in here? She won't be able to reach the others and we can keep her here indefinitely."

Logan stared at Curt for a moment, then sighed.

"You really don't get it, do you? She knows about this room. She wouldn't be stupid enough to come here. This is just a stop-gap solution to remain safe while… while we plan how to deal with this."

Curt pressed his fingers to his head.

"Dad… I have to go…"

"What?!"

"She can sense me. I have to go. I'm putting you all in danger."

"No. I'm not letting you go."

Curt smiled sadly then turned to the door.

"Let me out. She's coming for me. She won't stop until she's got me. Dad, you have to let me out."

"I'm not letting you go out there!"

"Dad. You always told me that there's more to life than surviving. That the best we can do is be like Uncle Kurt. You named me after him. So let me do what he would do. Let me leave."

Logan choked back his argument then nodded.

"Open."

The door slide open long enough for Curt to slip past and then closed.

"Clear."

The wall seemed to melt away and they could see Curt standing slumped, facing down the corridor. He glanced back and his face was so mournful before Poison slid over his face and he looked back.

And then Tora and Hope were walking towards him, heads tilted to one side.

"Little One. Come to us."

"No."

"Our son. Little Dragon. Come to us."

"No."

And they pounced and placed their hands on Curt's shoulders. He fell to his knees and howled in pain but appeared to be trying to fight it. And then, as Logan could only look on helplessly, the glow infused him and he rose, his head raising and then the echoing voice.

"I will come."

"Wait. Where are the others?"

Those hiding in the room glanced at each other in horror. Then Curt spoke slowly and carefully.

"There are no others. I left them, when I thought you were coming for me."

Tora's face split into that proud smile she had worn at her children's first words; their first steps; when she'd stood in the shadows and watched Curt and Jubilee standing together, heads lowered as they whispered to each other.

"You were always such a bad liar. And so protective."

She turned to the glass and smiled.

"So…predictable. Logan, I'm disappointed."

She walked forward and then when she spoke, the eerie resonance had gone.

"Z'noxx Protocol. Marie Circen. Dragon."

The door slid open and she smiled as she saw the assembled Young Avengers and the two adults standing between her and them.

"Too predictable."

She walked forward, reaching for Logan and then her outstretched fingers passed right through him and the door slid shut behind her. The crouched bodies faded out and Tora turned around slightly then started laughing slightly.

"Oh, good. Very good. I should have known…"

Logan stared down at the screen, his eyes expressionless. Wanda rested one hand on his shoulder.

"We'll fix this. I promise. At the moment, all we can do is hope that she'll be held for long enough."

Logan smiled weakly.

"That place was built to withstand Dark Phoenix. It should last for at least a few…minutes?"

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

She grasped his shoulder tighter and they were gone.

"How…Tora-ish of Curt!"

"Oh, Phoenix dear, please stop calling him that. He was his own person."

A.N. Sorry about the huge delay but I'm in the middle of some of the most important exams in my life. Normal service will resume after I've finished them.