He was standing at the door, mountain of muscle and bad attitude, his darkened gaze sliding over each and every one in the room before settling to her, heat in is eyes enough to scald her from the distance.

She felt like grinning and sticking her tongue out, maybe flip a finger to the men that had just mere moment ago been planning the best way to get rid of her body when they were done with her. Kind of hard to do when they had bound her hands behind her bag and gagged her. She felt like crooning for victory, tap-dancing over the floor where he stood to show them what she had for backup. Like an elder brother or a big, scary dog, or… Or…

Her trail of thought got efficiently, yet quite rudely interrupted when Logan’s hand latched on her arm, fingers curling around her bicep to a vice-like grip.
“Found a mutie?” He asked from the men who were starting to relax already from the surprise his arrival had caused. One of them, big ox of a man called Jeff nodded and stood up from the armchair he had been vacating and sauntered over to where she stood, her back pressed firmly against Logan’s unyielding chest.

“Found the bitch snooping around the cabin. If you’re looking for some fun, you came just in time. We were about to begin…” Jeff said. She could more feel than hear low rumble that vibrated through Logan’s body. No way. There was no way he would let anything happen. Right?
“Shit… It certainly has been quite a while from my last… But it’s a mutie. Who the fuck knows what kind of germs they’re carrying. Don’t want my dick fall off just because some sleazy ho…” Okay. She knew he was just pretending, for the sake of the cover, but that didn’t sound like…
“You can’t touch this one without the rubber anyway. Poison skin or some shit. You in or out?” Jeff asked. She could feel Logan shifting behind her back.
“I don’t know… In here? With all of you watching?”
“What are you? Shy?” Jeff asked. She bit her cheek to suppress the bout of giggles.
“Well, I have lot to be shy for. Fuck… I don’t know. She looks so fucking small…”
“Hey, buddy, this offer won’t last. You’re either in or out,” Jeff huffed, reaching for her arm. She expected Logan to pull her away from the man. Instead he let go of her arm, snorting.
“I’m out. I’m not in to muties. And there wouldn’t be much left of her for the rest of you after I was through with her. Enjoy, gentlemen…” With that said Logan shoved her towards Jeff, stepped out and closed the door.

He closed the door and leaned against it, cringing when an enraged wail pierced the air inside of the shabby cabin. Eerily silence fell, then suddenly the whole building started to shudder and tremble from the force of the blows the not so sturdy walls were receiving. He couldn’t help cringing some more when he heard Jeff’s voice, earlier cockiness stripped away, pleading for his life and balls.
“Fuck. I really am an asshole…” He slouched down to the porch, enjoying the last rays of setting sun and lit a cigar, trying not to feel too bad for them. They were the bad guys after all.

He had just enough time to finish his cigar and move out of the way when last of the five men flew through the door and silence fell over the cabin. He stepped over the corpse, peeking inside. Marie crashed in to him, sending them both sprawled on the ground, raining punches aimed at his chest with her small fists, spitting and cursing.
“You fucking jerk! What was that all about? Huh?”
“Marie…” He tried to grasp her wrists, but it was futile when she was this agitated.
“I should fucking neuter you! Asshole! You gutless piece of shit for brains, I’ll…”

“You’ll do what?” He panted, having finally gained an upper hand and pinned her underneath his considerable weight, Holding her wrists and keeping her from kicking by sliding his hips between her thighs. This didn’t, however, stop her from reaching up and biting him. He started to turn just as she did so, so instead of the tip of his nose she caught his lower lip, her blunt teeth locking together, biting through skin and flesh, drawing blood.

“Goddamned, Marie! Get a grip before this urge to smack some sense in to you gets the better of me!” Logan growled and she blinked, still furious, but now slightly scared as well. Logan was immune to her skin. Only thing she had to throw against him were her skills in close combat, and that would be quite futile. Logan had taught her everything she knew.

“What the fuck was that? You just threw me at them! You left me there!” she shouted, still angry, but trying to reign her temper.
“So? You were more than capable to take care of yourself as soon as I freed your hands,” Logan grunted, squeezing her wrists pointedly.
“So? So? So fucking what? I shouldn’t have had to do that!” She shrieked, trying to throw him off from her, with poor results. Logan was as good as glued against her front side.
“You don’t have to, but every time I have tried to help you before you have kicked my ass afterwards as a reward for meddling in to your business! I thought you didn’t need my help!” He growled.
“Need and want are two completely different things, you fucking twit!” She screamed. Logan’s eyes narrowed.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” He asked.
“You don’t have to come to my rescue, I’m a big girl now. But would it kill you to make an honest effort every once and a while to act like a knight instead of a jackass?” She huffed, her anger suddenly ebbing away.
“Huh?” Now he seemed to be completely at loss.
“You used to watch out for me! Take care of me! What the hell happened that made you decide that I’m not worth the trouble anymore?”
“What?”
“Two years ago you wouldn’t have even dreamed of leaving me alone with those assholes. Hell, you wouldn’t have let them near me! Now you practically tossed me at their lap! What the hell happened?” She asked.
“You grew up,” Logan whispered pushing away from her, standing up and walking to his motorcycle that he had parked near the door of the cabin, sitting on it.
“You grew up!” he shouted one last time over the roar of the engine, accusation in his voice, before he drove away, leaving her sitting on the ground.




Denis Leary:
Life’s Gonna Suck

Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
when you grow up, when you grow up
Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
it sucks pretty bad right now

Hey, if you know the words, sing along

You're gonna have to mow the lawn,
do the dishes, make your bed
You're gonna have to go to school
until you're seventeen

It's gonna seem about tree times as long as that

You might have to go to war,
shoot a gun, kill a nun
You might have to go to war
when you get out of school

Hey cheer up kids, it gets a lot worse

You're gonna have to deal with stress,
deal with stress, deal with stress
You're gonna be a giant mess
when you get back from the war

Santa Claus does not exist, and there is no Easter Bunny
You'll find out when you grow up that Big Bird isn't funny

Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
when you grow up, when you grow up
Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
it sucks pretty bad right now

You're gonna end up smoking crack,
on you're back, face the fact
You're gonna end up hooked on smack
and then you're gonna die
And then you're gonna die

**Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
when you grow up, when you grow up
Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
it sucks pretty bad right now**



He groaned and rolled on his stomach, dragging the pillow over his head in an attempt to muffle the noise coming through the wall. Then turned on his back, threw the pillow to the floor and for a moment considered slicing off his ears. Then decided it would be much more easier and less painful to go directly to the source of the disturbance and skewer that instead.



**You might have to go to war,
shoot a gun, kill a nun
You might have to go to war
when you get out of school**



It was even more awful from the close range. He growled and knocked on the door politely before kicking it open. Marie had been sitting on her bed, painting her toenails, and squeaked startled, spilling the blood red polish all over the soft comforter under her.



**Santa Claus does not exist, and there is no Easter Bunny
You'll find out when you grow up that Big Bird isn't funny**



He glared at her CD-player where it sat on her table and stalked closer to it, unsheathing claws from his right hand and plunged them trough plastic and wiring, hearing a satisfying snap when the CD that had been playing shattered to pieces as well.

“Logan!”
“If I have to hear one more time how Life’s gonna suck when you grow up, you’re going to stop growing, kid…”
“Asshole. You’re going to buy me a new CD-player!”
“Like shit I will. Or didn’t you hear? Santa Claus doesn’t exist.”
“Fuck you! You’ll get me a new one or I’ll… I’ll…”
“You do what? Go and tell Xavier? Oh, please, professor, Logan’s being mean to me…”
“Get out!”
“I’m going. Just a piece of advice before I leave: If you’re so fucking big girl and grown up, start fucking acting like it!”

He slammed the door shut forcibly, making it rattle on hinges. Twenty-four hours. Fucking-twenty-fucking-four hours straight, and now blessed silence. She had been playing that song ever since she had gotten back from that last mission. Hell, it wasn’t like he had abandoned her. He had called to Scott from the first payphone on his way back to Xavier’s and asked him to pick her up. And it hadn’t been like she wasn’t capable of taking care of those fuckheads on her own. Shit. Had he stuck his head in there and she’d had beaten him as well while she was at it.

He hadn’t been able to sleep when that creepy song played over and over again, but it wasn’t much easier in the silence either. The scent of her nail polish clung to his sinuses, and he could still hear the annoying tune ringing inside of his head, one verse especially.



**Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
it sucks pretty bad right now**



“Yep. For that you’re right, Denis…” He grunted, then decided to raid the fridge. There should be some beer left from the last night’s barbecue.

He wandered along the silent corridors. What the fuck was it with kids today? One day they were playing with dolls, running around playing cops and robbers, and on the next day they were all grown up and knew everything there was to know about the world. Then they made a U-turn and it was back to kindergarten again.

“Would it be so fucking hard to show some respect to your elders?” He growled to no one especially, scaring the wits out of Bobby who had gotten the same idea as him and was sitting in the kitchen, ice cold bottle of beer in his hand.
“Uh… Who? Me?” Bobby asked voice trembling, and Logan could already smell the scent of ice and snow as frost started to creep over the table on top of which Bobby was resting his palm.
“Not you. Piss off, pipsqueak. I’m not fit for company right now…” He snorted and Bobby scooted off from the chair, grabbing the beer and making a beeline towards the doorway.
“Not so fast, Iceprick! Leave the bottle!”
“But…”
“Do you want to keep your left or right ball, punk?”
“Okay.”

**You might have to go to war,
shoot a gun, kill a nun
You might have to go to war
when you get out of school**



“Fuck, shit, fuck…” He was running, dodging the hail of bullets raining down on him, his boots kicking small clouds of dust and sliding over the concrete rubble. He could hear soft whirr when he stepped over invisible threshold, telltale sign that the minigun was already targeting him. Sound of approaching grenade covered momentarily everything, then huge explosion sent him sailing through the air. He smacked against a sturdy brick wall, and for a moment it felt like he’d stuck to it. Then the Mother Nature remembered him and sprinkled the magic dust of gravity on him, and he slid down, falling to a heap on the ground. He could still hear whirring, but he wasn’t sure if it was the minigun, or just his skull ringing from the impact.

He pushed on his hands and knees, groaning and spitting out blood and dust, shaking the sharp bits of masonry from his hair and face before they fell in to his eyes and tried to scan his surroundings.

He spotted Pjotr, not too far from where he was hunched against a pile of bricks. Colossus had armored up, usually wise move, but not so hot idea when Kitty was hiding so close to him. Bullets could ricochet from the Russian to her if they weren’t careful. He’d have to remember to talk about it with them later.

He saw Bobby. Kid was battling against some gadget that looked like a crossbreed of giant lighter and a harvester.
“Who the fuck programmed this fucking scenario?” He murmured before launching himself towards the Iceman. He heavily doubted the professor’s idea of these training sessions was to get the whole fucking team killed.

Between him and Bobby it was relatively easy to get rid of the flame-throwing abomination, and he was able to continue his survey. The last member of the team. The incredible, elusive Rogue that he had last seen when the scenario started. He couldn’t smell blood. That was a good sign.

He gave Bobby, Pjotr and Kitty some pointers of what they were expected to accomplish before he left them and went to find her. It wasn’t an easy task. Living nearly three years next to her had made her practically invisible for him. He could barely tell what she smelt like, let alone track her scent from the horrid mess the training bots had left at their wake.

Finally he spotted her from amidst of rubble and debris and let out string of rather colorful curses.
“Freeze scenario!” He bellowed over the noise.

Silence fell as the bots stopped firing. He could smell ice and snow, and thin layer of frost started forming over every surface.
“Not you, Iceman! Kitty, phase in to med lab and tell Jean she’s going to get a customer!”



**You're gonna have to deal with stress,
deal with stress, deal with stress
You're gonna be a giant mess
when you get back from the war**



He paced back and forth, raking his fingers through his abused hairdo for the hundredth time within ten minutes. There hadn’t been blood, but that meant jack shit. He had had to dig her up from under pile of fucking rocks! Heavy slabs that crumbled under his grip, raining dust on her pale face, then it had taken literally eternity before she had taken the first, ragged breath of air. Nothing had looked or felt broken, and when she had opened her eyes the glare she had thrown at him had been pure fire, but that didn’t rule out internal damage.

“You don’t fucking stop weeping for fallen ones! You keep going!” She had hissed, thrown back the words he had used on several occasions when one of the team had gotten ‘killed’ and the rest of them had gathered around ‘the dead’ one, rather than kept going.
“This is different. You’re really hurt,” he had grunted, trying to figure out the best way to move her to the med lab without jostling her too much on the way. There was always the possibility of spinal injury.

“Fucking shit…” He slouched on to a chair in front of the glass sliding doors, rubbing his face tiredly. Sand and dust were gritting between his teeth and blood and shit on his face had already partially dried, forming a sticky layer that started to peel off.
“You better be alright kid, so that I can beat the crap out of you for scaring me…”

**You're gonna end up smoking crack,
on you're back, face the fact
You're gonna end up hooked on smack
and then you're gonna die
And then you're gonna die**



Well. It wasn’t crack. Just marijuana. But he was definitely on his back, lying sprawled over the patio, and he had this nagging inkling that it would be in fact quite easy to get hooked on to the sickly sweet smoke he was dragging in his lungs. Of course rest of that song had been pure bullshit. He wasn’t going to die. Not anytime soon. But Marie could have died today. Luckily she had gotten just some bruises, and strict order from Jean to stay in bed for the rest of the day and return to med lab immediately if she started experiencing any of the long list of symptoms the good doctor had prattled on earlier.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Familiar voice sounded from somewhere above him. He narrowed his eyes. Marie.
“I should ask the same from you, brat. Jean already told you, no hopping around.”
“Are you high?” She asked, leaning closer, wrinkling her forehead and waving her hand to dispel the smoke curls wafting towards her. He took a last drag from the joint before sitting up and crushing it to an ashtray.
“Nope. No high for me. But a new low instead. Sorry, kid. I should have been watching you more carefully back there,” he grunted, pulling out a cigar and lighting it.

She sat next to him on the stone that that warmed in the sun earlier that day, her eyes cast down to her lap where she fiddled with her fingers.
“I’m sorry, too. I should have been more careful. But that wall came out of nowhere…” She whispered, sounding suddenly awfully lot like the same girl she had been before she had taken the leathers Xavier had offered.
“Not out of nowhere. I crashed on to it,” he admitted silently.
“Are you alright?” She asked quickly, grabbing his arm and scanning him with sharp eyes.
“You know me… Healed right up. I didn’t even notice you. Truth to be told I was more worried about the others at that moment.”
“It’s okay. You found me eventually. And dragged my ass to med lab.”
“It’s not okay. Eventually is not fucking good enough.”
“Come on, big guy… Don’t start this now. I’m not some bimbo that you have to keep protecting 24-7. I’m a…”
“Yeah. You’re a big girl, right? Strong enough to beat the crap out of most of men? Grown up?”
“Logan…”
“It doesn’t fucking matter if you’re grown up, Marie. You’re in my team. I’m supposed to look after you as much as I’m looking after anybody else.”
“But…”
“I’m not going to take that ‘leave me alone, I’m a tough chick’ –shit anymore, Marie. Like it or not, I’m going to start watching over you.”
“But Logan…”
“I’m going to start watching over you just like I’m watching over everybody else in my team. End of discussion. Go back to your bed.”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
“You’re not old enough not to get spanked, kid…”
“Sir, yes… Uh… I’ll be going now. Good night, Logan.”
“Good night, Marie.”

He stretched on his back again, discarding the cigar and digging out another joint, taking a long drag from it, trying to figure out what he was supposed to feel. He had seen people get all relaxed and giggly when smoking pot, but for him it just tasted funny.

He started counting clouds up in the sky, enjoying the swirling colors on them. One, two, purple, six, ten, more, fifteen… There sure were lots of elephants up there today. All of them bright yellow and pink.

**Hey cheer up kids, it gets a lot worse**


“You fucking idiot!” She huffed.
“I haul your ass from harm’s way and that’s what I get in return?” He grunted, trying to shift to a more comfortable position. Decided not to move when he started sliding lower and grimaced. Something was pressing his left lung and he felt like coughing. Probably not a good idea.
“Nobody asked you to do that! You fucking arrogant, prick, I could… I could…”
“Oh, come on! Let me give you a hint: Crying kind of takes the point from all that shouting and cursing… Shit… You wouldn’t mind going to see what’s taking Scott… So fucking long? I can’t hang out in here all day… I have a life…”
“Are you sure?”
“Fucking go already! … I’ll be waiting when you get back, won’t go anywhere, that’s a promise…”

It was a close call. As soon as the echoes of her footsteps disappeared something gave up, and he slid all the way down, thick and sharp steel rods skewering him. He had the time to feel a small jolt when one of them pierced his heart, then darkness fell.



**You're gonna be a giant mess**


The compound had been abandoned ages ago. He had stumbled upon it accidentally, then decided that it would make an ideal training camp for the secondary team who were already getting too skilled and restless for the danger room. Professor had offered the funding, and he had equipped the place himself, taking care that the kids would get a decent challenge though nothing lethal was implemented.

He hadn’t counted the building itself being the most lethal weapon on site. It had seemed and felt sturdy enough, three floors of solid concrete, everything steel-reinforced. He had been running with Marie across the third floor when he had heard creaking sound. He had grabbed the girl and tossed her towards the elevator just in time before the floor under him gave up and he fell, to the second floor first, then that gave up as well and straight through he went until the first floor and sharp, rusted steel structures from the two previous floors stopped his descent.



**Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
it sucks pretty bad right now

Hey, if you know the words, sing along**



He opened his eye and groaned, trying not to move. His internal organs, heart among others had healed, and shifted slightly to better accommodate the extra hardware inside of him. He could practically feel his ribs scraping and chafing against the rusted rods every time he breathed. He tried to yank his hands free, but it wasn’t working. It only made his ears ring when bones of his palms creaked against the steel.
“How’s life, Wolverine?” He heard Scott asking from somewhere above.
“It sucks pretty bad right now… Give me a hand, would you…”



**You're gonna be a giant mess
when you get back from the war**



“Jesus, Logan! You’re bleeding all over the place!”
“Well, excuse me, Scooter… I’ll mop it up as soon… As soon as healing kicks in…”
“It’s not the fucking jet I’m worried about! You need a transfusion if that doesn’t stop soon!”
“Scott? He’s going to be alright, right?” Marie. Trembly voice. Where the fuck was the Valkyrie now?
“Yes, I think… I think so.”
“I’ll be just fine… Don’t you worry, kid…”

He tried to sound assuring, but it was pretty damn hard when half of his blood volume was soaking to the carpet of the Blackbird. He managed a strangled squeak, then reached for her hand, intending to squeeze it gently. His hand flopped limply over the edge of the gurney and lay there, only twitching lightly no matter how hard he tried to lift it. For his relief Marie grabbed his palm between hers, and he was able to curl his fingers, lace them together with her more slender ones.
‘I’ll be just fine,’ he mouthed for her and closed his eyes, bracing for the lift-off.

**You're gonna have to mow the lawn,
do the dishes, make your bed
You're gonna have to go to school
until you're seventeen

It's gonna seem about tree times as long as that**



He groaned and stretched his back, wiping off the thin layer of sweat that had gathered over his brows and let his gaze sweep over his surroundings, leaning against the shovel he was holding, one foot resting comfortably on it.

Everywhere around him kids were working. Shovels hitting in to the ground, scooping up sand and dirt, moving it from spot A to spot B. Spot A being the trench he had ordered them to build and spot B the small hill they were supposed to construct behind the trench.

Scott had griped and nagged for a moment when he had brought up this particular scenario, mostly because it meant more mileage for his precious jet, but surprisingly enough it had been professor Xavier that had backed up Logan’s idea, again handing out the needed funds without further questions.

“I can understand that this is supposed to build our character, but couldn’t we have built that somewhere closer to the mansion? Why the hell we have to do it in the middle of fucking Sahara?” He turned to look at Marie, flashing her somewhat annoying grin.
“We’re not building characters, darling. We’re building a fortress. Keep digging and be glad I chose Sahara instead of Greenland…”

He had to bite his cheek to keep laughing out loud when Marie flipped him the finger before turning and shuffling back to where she had been digging, the hole she had managed to dug already almost filled to the brim with dry sand sprinkling from the edges. He couldn’t laugh. Not when everybody else was watching. He was the teacher after all. No matter if they were already out of school and this was kind of optional, nobody forced them to participate, but it was quite clear that if you were going to be a part of the team you were part of the team even when it felt less appealing. So he cleared his throat and called her back.

“What was that?” He asked, trying to keep his face and tone of his voice neutral.
“My honest opinion about your idea of training.”
“Drop and give me twenty.” She dropped the shovel she was holding and started rummaging through her pockets, her forehead scrunching.
“Damn… I left my purse home…”
“Keep that up and you’re doing push-ups until you’re old and grey, missy…”


**Life's gonna suck when you grow up,
it sucks pretty bad right now**



He left her sweating in the sun, confident that she’d do as he asked. She knew very well he’d smell it if she tried to lie to him. Colossus stood waiting next to a pile of support pillars, leaning against a heavy hammer.
“I think it would be a good idea to start supporting the edges. Kitty’s going to drown if they fall.” Logan craned his neck and nodded. Big Russian was right. Kitty was up to her neck in the trench she was digging. He spotted Bobby further down the trench. Walls on his section were glistening wet.
“How the hell did you manage to freeze this shit?” He asked, sliding his fingers over the scratchy, cool surface. Bobby grimaced.
“Wasn’t easy. There’s so little water around here… It’s only a thin layer.”
“It’s better than nothing. Just be careful. You don’t want to end up under a mudslide when that starts to melt…”



**Hey cheer up kids, it gets a lot worse**



Everything was good and ready. After two days of grueling work, sweating and cursing there was a trench, and a small hill for them to defend, and a small foxhole burrowed under the hill, spacious enough to let two of them to sleep while three others were sitting in the trench guarding the hill. Right now Logan had kicked Kitty out from his way.

“What the fuck were you thinking? Did you fry your brain or something?” He growled, spreading a wet cloth over Marie’s throat and bare chest, trying honestly not to ogle.
“I was thinking that the fucking trench would be quite fucking useless if we didn’t have a way out from there!” She hissed, gasping and clutching her temple.
“Fuck… Kid, do me a favor. Next time you start thinking, come and talk to me before you do anything. Okay? Sunstroke is not something to play with…”
“Yeah, right… Come and talk to you so you can order me to do some more push-ups? I’m not stupid you know…”
“You know why I made you do it. You were disrespectful. I’m the team leader. You guys are supposed to follow my lead, not question my every decision. Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean that…”
“Jesus, Logan! I don’t expect you to coddle me! It would be just nice if you found some kind of middle ground. I don’t know if you have noticed, but you’re grilling me much harder than Bobby, Kitty or Pjotr.”
“Bullshit.”
“No bullshit. If you don’t believe me, ask them. Ask anyone of them.”

**I've got no hand in matters worldly**



He didn’t know what to say. How to approach the girl that was bawling her eyes out, sitting on a crumbled heap on the patio. He sat in the darkened kitchen, waiting. Waiting for her to come and seek him out when she felt like talking.




**What's going on fails to concern me**



She rarely spoke about her parents, at least with him, so he really hadn’t any opinion about them, good nor bad. They were people who logically had to exist in order for the tiny slip of a girl to be born, turn to a mutant and run away from home. That had happened years ago, and as far as he knew Marie hadn’t even tried to contact them.



**I hardly care at all**


He shrugged his shoulders and stretched his neck, still waiting. Their fate was none of his concern. The girl was. Marie was a member of his team, and his protégé, but first of all she was his friend, and he’d be there for her when she needed to talk with somebody.



**If I speak ill please, humour me
Won't rant on endlessly
Just thought I'd try to make you see**



“Are you sure you’re sad for the right reasons, kid?” He asked, having walked to the patio when it started to rain and it looked like she was going to sit out there the whole night.
“Huh… What?” She turned to look at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. He crouched next to her, trying to shield her from the pelting rain and leaned close enough to whisper.
“If you’re crying because they died, stop it. Hypocrisy doesn’t suit you.”
“Fuck you, Logan! What do you know about anything!” She snapped. He grasped her shoulder, trying not to get angry.
“From what I have understood they were just people who made you in to this world. You haven’t tried to contact them the whole time I have known you. You haven’t missed them. So why cry now? What did you loose when they died?”
“You obviously haven’t lost anybody when…”
“I loose you all every day. Every hour, every minute, every fucking second the clock is ticking I keep loosing you little more. You’re all running and I can’t follow, ever. If you cry because your parents died, stop it. You lost nothing. If you cry because you’re angry at yourself, stop it and go beat up few droids in the Danger Room.” For a moment she just stared at him, her lower lip trembling. They were both now soaked through, and water was dripping from the bangs on his forehead on her lap.
“What… What if I just feel like crying? What am I supposed to do then?” She whispered.
“Then you come with me. Change these wet clothes, get some tea or what ever crap you usually have when you’re having a shitty day and we’ll hijack the TV lounge for ourselves. There’s a marathon of chick flicks on TV tonight.”



Poets Of The Fall: Illusion&Dream

Look in my eyes I'll make you see
We're drifting aimlessly
Blind in a world of make believe

Hear them sing their songs off key n' nod like they agree
Buying the needs to be discreet

I've got no hand in matters worldly
I hardly care at all
What's going on fails to concern me
'Cause I'm locked behind my wall
But you know what drives me out
Out of my mind oh

It's whatever makes you see
Makes you believe
And forget about the premonition you need to conceive
The images they sell are Illusion and Dream
In other words dishonesty

If I speak ill please, humour me
Won't rant on endlessly
Just thought I'd try to make you see

It doesn't solve a thing to dress it, in a pretty gown
A stone will not need you to guess if, you're still going to drown
So you know what drives me out
Out of my mind, oh

It's whatever makes you see, makes you believe
And forget about the premonition you need to conceive
The images they sell are Illusion & Dream
In other words dishonesty

So can you name your demon?
Understand it's scheming
I raise my glass and say "Here's to you"

Can you chase your demon?
Or will it take your freedom?
I raise my class and say "Here's to you"

I've got no hand in matters worldly
I hardly care at all
What's going on fails to concern me
'Cause I'm locked behind my wall
But you know what drives me out
Out of my mind oh

It's whatever makes you see
Makes you believe
And forget about the premonition you need to conceive
That the images they sell are Illusion and Dream
In other words dishonesty

So whatever makes you see
Makes you believe
And forget about the premonition you need to conceive
The images they sell are Illusion and Dream
In other words dishonesty
With silence comes peace
With peace comes freedom
With freedom comes silence

Few hours earlier he had stumbled in to bed, exhausted but satisfied. Kid was back on track, he had gotten a heavy dose of movies he could honestly say he had never watched before and he had learned that tea and cereals were quite underrated products when combined. They actually tasted okay. Though he had tasted them at first just to please Marie, but eventually she had ended up bringing him his own mug of tea and a bowl of cereals.

Now he was running for his life. Running through the darkness. Mansion was silent around him. Empty, hollow mausoleum, dust covering every surface, his frantic panting and echo of his footsteps the only sounds.

He was running, and practically screaming in panic because there was nobody left. Everybody was gone and he had no idea of where they went. At first they had been there, then the next minute it was like they had never even existed. No scents. No sounds. No personal items. Just dark and empty rooms and corridors.

He chose the door that lead in to the professor Xavier’s study and yanked it open, expecting professor to sit in there on his chair, maybe ask if he had already had breakfast. The room was as dark and empty as others were.

He ran frantically to the second floor. Surely Scott and Jean would be at home? He tore open the door to their suite. Silence and darkness greeted him.

He turned towards the stairs that would take him to the attic. Ororo? He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, inhaling deeply. Scents, or more the lack of them told him that no, Ororo wasn’t home.

He had already checked both dormitories. All the students were gone. He had only three rooms left. Pjotr and Kitty’s room, Bobby’s, and… He shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to think about her.

He opened the door to the room, which the big Russian shared with Kitty, finding it as empty as rest of the mansion. He turned on his heels and his gaze locked to the next door. Ice Man. He knocked, having long ago learned that it was better not to startle Bobby if you wanted your body temperature to stay above freezing point. There was no answer. He opened the door anyway. Empty. Dust. Darkness.

He turned to look at the last door, silent groan and whimper accompanying reluctant footsteps that dragged his carcass in front of it. He could see his hand drifting up, fingers turning over the doorknob. When it started to turn he tried to close his eyes, but it was futile. He could already see through his eyelids.

He came up from the dream with violent lurch, horrified scream tearing from his cramped lungs and throat, and for a long moment he could only sit on his bed, shivering and trying to make his lungs and heart cooperate and start working again.


David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti: Into The Night

Now it's dark.

Into the night
I cry out
I cry out your name.
Into the night
I search out
I search out your love.
Night so dark
Where are you?
Come back in my heart
So dark
So dark.

Into the night
Shadows fall
Shadows fall so blue.
I cry out
I cry out for you.

Night so dark
Where are you?
Come back in my heart
So dark
So dark
So dark.

**Nobody is perfect but I'm pretty fucking close**



“I must say that I don’t approve your training methods. It’s a small wonder that you haven’t killed off your entire team already…”
“Fuck you, Summers. You’re just jealous because your team is dragging so far behind because that new guy refuses to participate…”
“This is not a competition! I’m worried about their safety! First and foremost they’re all my students, and I’d hate to see even one of them getting hurt!”
“Your students? Last time I checked they have already graduated, and every one of them is perfectly sensible adult, capable of making their own decisions.”
“Logan! You may be invulnerable and able to take what those droids are throwing at you, but you can’t seriously expect…”
“Nobody’s perfect, Scott. Not even me. But I’m pretty fucking close, and good at what I do, and I need a team that’s able to keep up the pace. Back off!”



**What's wrong with being self-possessed?
Nobody satisfied with being second best.**



He checked the scenario he had programmed for the one last time, satisfied of how it had turned out, then shut the power from the droids. His team had already survived and conquered every challenge and obstacle he had thrown at them. He wasn’t training them just so they could survive in the field. What good it did to anybody to know how to dodge but not knowing how to dispatch the threat? And what good they would be for him, ducking in to hiding as soon as first hail of bullets buzzed towards them?

Scott was training survivors. He was training the best there was with everything he got, because nothing less would do.



**I'm the biggest,
The best,
Better than the rest,
Better than the rest.**


Radio was crackling, relaying messages, screams and shouted commands in to his left ear. He grimaced and adjusted the earpiece, resisting the urge to tear it off. This wasn’t a training exercise. Scott was out there somewhere, his team, Jean, Storm and the Beast pinned down, hiding behind rubble and debris. It would be up to him and his team to get them out to safety.

“Okay, kids. It’s your job to get them out. Tinman, you’re the leader. You have exactly… Three minutes to figure out a way to get them out,” he grunted zipping up the jacket of his uniform.
“Aren’t you supposed to lead us out there?” Bobby asked. He shook his head.
“Not in this time. You’re going to work as a team. I’m going in alone and distract those fuckers.”
“Jack-In-The-Box,” Marie said. He nodded.
“Or Ace-In-The-Sleeve. They saw how Scott operates. They will probably expect you to cluster around me just like Storm, Jean and Beast did to Scott. I’ll go in alone, scramble them a bit and that should give you guys a small window to get past them relatively safely.”

“Just… Be careful, okay?” Marie whispered when he opened the hatch of the jet. He patted his chest, his knuckles rapping against something hard. Kevlar.
“You know me, darling. I’m the best there is…” He smirked.



**I’ve got the gift and I know that I’m blessed**



He didn’t hesitate when first bullets ricocheted from his chest plate. Everything vital he had covered with Kevlar. He’d heal, but if he took bad enough hit it would put him out of commission at leas few minutes, and now that wasn’t an option.

He found the group of soldiers that had Scott’s team pinned down. There were nine men, heavily armed, and he could hear their radios crackling constantly. They were probably waiting for the back-up team. He stepped on the line of fire and unsheathed his claws, letting them know that the rules of the game had just been changed. One bullet grazed his cheek snapping his head to the side and one embedded itself to his thigh. He smirked. They’d have to do better…



**I’m not afraid of competition ‘cos I know that I’m the best
And you haven’t got a chance to even pass my little test**



He could hear his team swooping by over the screaming of the soldiers. He didn’t turn to look. They’d be alright, men in front of him wouldn’t notice even if the fucking Dumbo flew right over them singing show tunes. Their whole attention was drawn towards one of them that hung limply from his claws, one set piercing his chest, other embedded under his jaw, keeping his head upright. The man was still alive, not yet realized what would happen as soon as he let go of him.
“Oh, my God!” He could hear one of them huffing.
“Your God is not here… But I am!” He released the man who fell on the floor, dead but twitching and squirting blood to everywhere. Rest of the soldiers had been too dazed to move, but now they were sobering up quickly, turning their guns pointing at him, and he couldn’t help laughing.
“If you’re going to shot me, then shot! I haven’t got all day to squander to you!”




Clawfinger: Biggest & The Best


Nobody is perfect but I’m pretty fucking close
And I’m here to give you all a heavy heavenly dose.
I think you better listen ‘cos I know who you are
And I think that you should treat me like a superstar
Because I’m more than just a human I’m a gift to all of you
And I’m here to make sure that my message gets through
I wonder if you’re really all as dumb as you look
Or are you smart enough to learn the rules in my book
I hope you understand that the knowledge I bring
Puts me in the position of a god or a king
‘cos I’m blessed with the gift of the magic touch
and I wouldn’t say that I’m asking for to much
all you have to do is get down on your knees and pray
and I promise you the remedy is on its way
but you can never be like me so don’t waste your time
because I reign supreme and my position is divine

what’s wrong with being self possessed?
Nobody’s satisfied with being second best
I’ve got the gift and I know that I’m blessed
And I've got to get it off my chest
I’m the biggest the best better than the rest better than the rest [x4]

I’m not afraid of competition ‘cos I know that I’m the best
And you haven’t got a chance to even pass my little test
Even if you wanted to you couldn’t pay the price
There ain’t no room for losers in my perfect paradise
‘cos life is always based upon the weight of your success
so I’ll make sure that I get the most and nothing less
if I love myself then everyone will love me to
and there’s nothing you can do for me that I can’t do

what’s wrong with being self possessed?
Nobody’s satisfied with being second best
I’ve got the gift and I know that I’m blessed
And I've got to get it off my chest

I’m the biggest the best better then the rest better then the rest [x4]

So welcome to my kingdom and enjoy you little stay
Even if you can’t afford it I’ll still make you pay
So you better come and get it and enjoy it while you can
Don’t tell me that you’re dumb enough to think I give a damn
I couldn’t care less about what you achieve
And there’s only one thing that you have to believe
The only thing important that you have to understand
Is that no matter what you say it’s still a god I really am

I’m the biggest the best better than the rest better than the rest [x8]

**We've been around forever
Look at us now together
Ordering drinks at the bar**


”I want you off from my team,” he finally spoke the words that had been hounding him for the past months, ever since Marie had confronted him about him having no middle ground when it came to her. She nearly choked on her booze before she managed to gulp down the amber liquid, then turned to look at him.

“You want me out of the team?” She asked, her fingers clutching the tumbler so hard that he was sure her knuckles would be white as a bone under her gloves. He nodded.
“I’m not being fair to you. Hell… I’m not being fair to anybody.”
“Damn right! I have worked as hard as anybody else and you’re kicking me out without a reason!”
“Keeping you in the team wouldn’t be fair. You’re always… Fuck. I need a drink…” He huffed, waving for the barkeep to fill his tumbler, then gulped down the whiskey. Pathetic excuse to buy some time.

“I’m always what?” She asked, looking positively furious.
“I have tried to treat you all equal. That’s what the team is about. But it isn’t working. You’re… You’re always special. In good and in bad…” He stared at the empty tumbler.
“What do you mean? Special? I sure as hell haven’t felt so special! You’re always picking on me!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sakes, Marie! Pull your head out of your ass! Can you honestly say that you don’t know why I’m always ‘picking on you’?” He growled, slamming his tumbler hard against the bar.
“You’re too big of a coward to pick on somebody your size? You’re an asshole?”

He grasped the lapels of her jacket and yanked her forward, their noses brushing briefly together.
“Coward? Yeah. I’m a coward. I’m fucking afraid of you. Afraid of what will happen if I do this…” He whispered with raspy voice, trying to make his fingers obey and let go of her. Apparently they had entirely different idea of what should happen than his brain.
“If you do what?” Marie asked, licking her lips nervously.


**To speak is a sin**



He hovered close enough to taste the whiskey in her breath, lips almost touching. He closed his eyes when it was impossible to answer to her curious and confused stare. Forced his fingers to let go of her and leaned back, fumbling his pockets and throwing some bills to the barkeep.

“Wait just a minute! Logan, wait!” He pushed through the front doors, intending to head straight to his motorcycle waiting at the parking lot. She’d get back home on her own. Then her hand landed on his arm and he knew he was trapped. There was no way out of this.

“What the hell was that?” She asked, hands folded under her breasts, head tilted slightly. Still angry, but more and more curious with every passing moment.
“What was what?” He asked.
“You nearly kissed me!”
“Yeah. But I didn’t. And we shouldn’t. It’s… You’re still on my fucking team! I’m supposed to be able to give you orders and treat you just like anybody else under my command, but it will be pretty impossible to do once we start fucking, Marie!”



Pet Shop Boys: To Speak Is A Sin

We've been around forever
Look at us now together
Ordering drinks at the bar

Saying hello to menfriends
Smiling across a friend's friends
Ordering drinks at the bar

To speak is a sin
You look first, then stare
And once in a while
A smile, if you dare

(Ta da da da da aah Ta da da da da)

We'll stand around forever
Regardless of time or weather
Ordering drinks at the bar

Looking for love, and getting
Nothing that's worth regretting
But wondering why we travel so far

To speak is a sin
You look first, then stare
And once in a while
A smile, if you dare

To speak is a sin
You'd better beware (aah)
But once in a while
A smile, if you dare (aah)

(Aah, Aah, Aah)

To speak is a sin
You look first, then stare
And once in a while
A smile, if you dare

To speak is a sin
You'd better beware (aah)
And once in a while
A smile, if you dare (oooh)

(Aaah Aaah Oooh)

(Aaah)

**Yeah are you questioning your size?
Is there a tumour in your humour,
Are there bags under your eyes?
Do you leave dents where you sit,
Are you getting on a bit?**



He stared at the girl sitting in front of him. People where shuffling around, carrying trays and organizing things. He had put together the grill and picnic tables, she had been chauffeuring back and forth between the mansion and the city all day, so they had been granted a break.

He glanced longingly towards the large coolers. There was no beer, just soda. She shifted and blew off strand of hair from her forehead, staring at her toes.

He resumed his watch on her, trying to find something to say. There really were no words left. He had kicked her from the team week prior, and he was regretting it already. And he was dying to find out how Scott was treating her.

There was no way to approach the subject. She was pissed off. It was a small wonder that she could sit this close to him at all, let alone in silence instead of tearing in to him. So he kept staring at her, trying to find the right way to ask her back, because he hated when she was not talking to him.

Just as he thought he had found a decent opening Scott stopped by and leaned to whisper something to her. He was distracted enough actually not hear what he said, but it was obviously something quite funny since it made her smile.

“What was that?” He asked when Scott left.
“Nothing. Scott just told me that he had programmed a new scenario and he thought I should check it out before he tried it for the whole team,” she said standing up.
“Now?” He asked, glancing around. Everybody else was preparing for the barbecue and Scott wanted her to go training?
“Well, yeah. So?”
“With who?” He asked.
“On my own, everybody else is busy,” she said and before he could stop her she ran towards the main entrance.



**I spy with my little eye**



So far it had gone well. He had managed to keep himself from barging in every time it looked like she was going down. The scenario Scott had programmed wasn’t even near to his standards, but it was none the less dangerous. Ten droids, dark, abandoned factory as a background, filled with hazardous traps and dead-ends.

She was moving though it all fluently, like a dancer. Dodging lasers and blades, avoiding holes on the ground, waltzing around crazed droids gracefully. He felt a stab of jealousy when he recognized some moves Scott had obviously taught her, and immense pride flooded his veins when he spotted all the things she had learned from him.

It wasn’t before three remaining droids had gotten her cornered that his restraint snapped. He left the control room and tore in to the Danger Room, taking the shortest route through the maze.



**And now she's screaming**



Suddenly the place was swarming with droids of every shape and function. He could hear Marie screaming something, a command for the computer to end the scenario, but it wasn’t working. It wasn’t working, but to his relief droids weren’t targeting Marie. They were all coming after him. And it looked like all bets were off. Red lights were blinking on their foreheads, indicating that safety protocols that kept droids from actually hurting living persons were switched off.

“Get out of here, kid! Try to see if you can stop the scenario from the control room!” He shouted, then sprinted deeper in to the maze, droids close on his heels.



**You must survive**



They got him pinned down, quite literally. Two of them were holding him in place, manacle-like appendages wrapped around his wrists while rest of them gathered around, targeting him with their lasers. He tried to struggle free, but it was futile. Manacles only dug deeper in to his wrists, scraping against the metal coating his bones.

He counted fifteen droids, barrels of their lasers trained on him, coloring the front of his T-shirt bright ruby red.
“Marie? Kid? Turn those fucking gadgets off already!” Ruby red would soon turn to crimson, and he wasn’t all that sure that even his healing factor could take such extensive damage.


** Don't let it get you down **



When droids let go of him and their blinking lights turned off he could only sit on the cold concrete, shivering. It could have been her. Obviously there had been a glitch in the programming. It could have been her. If he hadn’t gotten curious, and jealous as hell he wouldn’t have followed her in here, and It Would Have Been Her.

He was going to gut Scott. Slowly. Preferably with a spoon. A very dull spoon, taking his time and enjoying every pained gasp and scream he could tear from the bastard before he died.




Robbie Williams: Supreme

Oh it seemed forever stopped today
All the lonely hearts in London
Caught a plane and flew away
And all the best women are married
All the handsome men are gay
You feel deprived

Yeah are you questioning your size?
Is there a tumour in your humour,
Are there bags under your eyes?
Do you leave dents where you sit,
Are you getting on a bit?
Will you survive
You must survive

When there's no love in town
This new century keeps bringing you down
All the places you have been
Trying to find a love supreme
A love supreme

Oh what are you really looking for?
Another partner in your life to
abuse and to adore?
Is it lovey dovey stuff,
Do you need a bit of rough?
Get on your knees

Yeah turn down the love songs that you hear
'Cause you can't avoid the sentiment
That echoes in your ear
Saying love will stop the pain
Saying love will kill the fear
Do you believe
You must believe
When there's no love in town
This new century keeps bringing you down
All the places you have been
Trying to find a love supreme
A love supreme

I spy with my little eye
Something beginning with (ah)
Got my back up
And now she's screaming
So I've got to turn the track up
Sit back and watch the royalties stack up
I know this girl she likes to switch teams
And I'm a fiend but I'm living for a love supreme

When there's no love in town
This new century keeps bringing you down
All the places you have been
Trying to find a love supreme
A love supreme

Come and live a love supreme
Don't let it get you down
Everybody lives for love

Come and live a love supreme
Don't let it get you down
Everybody lives for love

**You feel deprived**



He hurried to the control room, slamming the door open, his eyes scanning the empty booth feverishly. He couldn’t smell her blood. She hadn’t been hurt. That calmed him somewhat. That however didn’t change the fact that she had left as soon as she had stopped the scenario. She had left, like it had been an everyday occurrence. No ‘are you alright?’, no checking up on him, no fucking ‘bye, gotta go!’ before she walked out on him. Not even ‘thank you, Logan’, which would have been polite.

Well. He had more important matters to attend to. Like gutting Scott. He left the Danger Room and took the elevator to the ground level, his mouth already watering from the thought of finally getting his claws to where they had been itching ever since he had met Scott Summers.



**Do you need a bit of rough?**



Marie had beaten him to it. Large crowd had gathered to where they stood, nose to nose. He could smell her rage all over the place, as well as heavy stench of disappointment rolling off from her in waves. She was screaming and ranting, spit flying to Scott’s face and visor, hands flailing in to every direction, red blotches covering her cheeks and the tip of her nose. She was positively furious, ready to take off Scott’s head.

“…and example for all of us? Is that really the way you want us to handle things?”
“Rogue, I…”
“Fuck you, Scott! I saw the code! You did it on purpose! You knew Logan would come after me!”
“Rogue, no!”
“Do you think I’m stupid, Cyclops? You programmed those droids! They were supposed to target heavy metal concentrations!”
“Jesus, Rogue! Logan wasn’t supposed to go in there! That program was… I was going to see if we could use droids against armed forces, because frankly I have gotten sick of replacing Logan’s whole blood volume after every mission! We, my team, were supposed to go in there armed and see if they were any good against us!”

“Logan! Oh, God… Are you alright?” Scott pushed through the crowd, leaving Marie standing there and grasped his shoulder, scanning him for injuries.
“Hands off, Cyke…” Logan growled, still pissed off, but rapidly cooling down. He couldn’t smell a lie on Scott.
“I don’t like you that much. But you’re part of the family. Everybody’s not so favourite uncle Bob who drinks and cusses and farts at the public place. If I wanted to have a go with you, you’d be the first to know.”
“Don’t push it, Scott… I know you weren’t trying to hurt me but that doesn’t change the fact that I would love to smack you around a bit…”



**Do you leave dents where you sit**



“So… It needs a bit of adjusting…” Scott pondered, dangling a bottle of soda in his fingers. Logan harrumphed.
“Just trash it.”
“How much metal you have in you?” Scott asked. Logan shrugged his shoulders and took a sip from beer he had fetched from his personal stash.
“Who the fuck knows? Definitely more than in a handgun. More than in a rifle or a bazooka? You tell me, your guess is as good as mine. Just forget those damn droids. Tinker with my uniform instead. Slap more Kevlar in it.”
“And listen you whining and nagging how it chafes?”
“Then don’t. I can take few bullets. It’s not a big deal.”
“God, Logan… I’m not stupid. Just because you heal it doesn’t hurt any less to get shot at. Shit! I know you like to play this macho-berserker-bullshit, and I must admit it suits you, but it fucking hurts to see you hugging the toilet and puking up blood and shit after every mission!”
“Aww… Didn’t know you cared, Scooter…” Logan cooed batting his lashes, head tilted slightly.
“Cut it out. And clear up this mess you cooked up with Rogue.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m kicking her out from my team. She’s… She doesn’t fit in. She’s too much like you. Take her back in your team, move in with her, start fucking with her, for Christ’s sakes, at least start talking with her again! Isn’t it enough that you’re fucked up and anti-social, don’t make her the same!”

**I dont want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that god’s got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find him laughing**


”Oh, my God! Logan, What happened?”
“Don’t drag that fucking God of yours in to this, Kurt. That bastard has a sick sense of humor!”
“My God, Logan? But He is everybody’s God…”
“Yeah. And he’ll be laughing his ass off when I bite the dust…”
“What happened? You look awful.”
“I went to talk with Marie and she was with Bobby.”
“With Bobby?”
“Not like that, Crawler. Bobby was in her room. I opened the door, the boy got scared and tried to freeze me. Of course I jumped out, and there was Jubilee. Stumbled in to her, and let me tell you… Fourth of July has nothing compared to her…”
“Well, that certainly explains wet clothes and bald spots, but what happened…”
“You mean this?” Logan patted his scorched shoulder.
“Yes. That doesn’t look like…”
“Courtesy of that new guy, Gumbo… Gambit. He thought I had gone nuts and attacked Jubilee. Threw me with a card. Of course I had to make it clear that he was out of line. That’s when Ororo came in. Shit… My toes are still twitching…”
“You’re bleeding.”
“What? You mean my ears? Siryn’s room is next to Marie’s. I guess she got scared of all the ruckus.”
“Is there anybody left who didn’t take a swing at you?”
“You. Jean. Scott. Professor. Most of the youngest kids. But Scott will probably chew my ass of later when he sees the ground zero upstairs…”



Depeche Mode: Blasphemous Rumours

Girl of sixteen, whole life ahead of her
Slashed her wrists, bored with life
Didn't succeed, thank the Lord
For small mercies

Fighting back the tears, mother reads the note again
Sixteen candles burn in her mind
She takes the blame, it's always the same
She goes down on her knees and prays

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

Girl of eighteen, fell in love with everything
Found new life in Jesus Christ
Hit by a car, ended up
On a life support machine

Summer's day, as she passed away
Birds were singing in the summer sky
Then came the rain, and once again
A tear fell from her mother's eye

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor
And when I die I expect to find Him laughing

”Hey, Timmy! Hand me that hammer, would you.”
“Actually it’s Timothy Mortimer the Third…”
“I don’t fucking care what it is. Give me that fucking hammer!”
“This?”
“No. That’s a wrench.”
“This?”
“That’s a screwdriver.”
“You said the s-word! I’m telling miss Grey that you said the s-word!”
“I said quite a few f-words earlier. You wouldn’t mind telling her about that, too? Just give me the goddamned hammer!”
“This?”
“No. That’s a power drill. Listen, kid… Come over here and hold this banister. I’ll get the fucking hammer…”
“You said ‘drill’…”
“Yeah. So?”

“That’s a hammer? What do you need that for?”
“This banister got loose yesterday. I’m going to nail it back in place so you rugrats won’t fall down from up here.”
“Nail it? Miss Grey! Miss Grey! Mister Logan is swearing!”
“Jesus Christ… And they think I’m the pervert…”

“Hi. I heard Timmy screaming. What happened?” Marie asked, pushing the door of her room partially open.
“Call him Timothy Mortimer the Third or he’ll sic Jeannie on you too…” Logan muttered from between nails hanging from the corner of his mouth, holding the banister straight with one hand and trying to figure out how to use nails and the hammer with one hand only.
“Need a hand?” Marie asked, stepping out and grabbing the banister.
“Yeah. Thanks, ki… Marie.”

“Oh, for fucking shit…”
“Wouldn’t it work better if you hit the nail instead of your thumb?”
“You’re talking to a pro, darling… Oh, fuck!”
“Yeah. That’s… I was going to come and talk to you about that.”
“About what?… Oh fucking-shit-unbelievable!”

Hammer flew in the corner. He glared at the last nail still sticking out from the banister, then slammed it down with his bare palm, wincing when the nail scraped against his bones before going in.
“Exactly my point. You have got to stop doing that!” Marie huffed, kneeled beside him and took his hand on her own, her fingers smoothing over the already vanishing bruises.
“Doing what?” He asked, sucking in unneeded breath when her fingers skimmed over his still healing palm.
“Stop hurting yourself.”
“It didn’t hurt. Much.”
“It doesn’t fucking matter! If there’s a way to do things without hurting at all…”
“Scott put you in to this?” Logan asked, glancing around sharply.
“Scott? I haven’t talked with him since he kicked me out from the team… Why would you think Scott made me talk with you?” She asked, her eyes narrowing.
“You haven’t talked with me since I kicked you out from my team.”
“I have talked with you several times after that!”
“Not like this. Saying hello or growling doesn’t count.”
“I do not growl!”
“Yes, you do. It’s kind of creepy. I have been meaning to ask you to stop it.”
“I do not growl!”
“Yes, you do.”
“I don’t… For fuck’s sake, Logan! If you think you can avoid talking with me by distracting me, it doesn’t work,” she huffed standing up and stretching her back. He couldn’t help noticing she was lacking underwear, her bra exactly, and anger had made her nipples peak out. Tight T-shirt did nothing in hiding them.


**I don’t want to start any blasphemous rumours**


“Talking about distractions… Kid, you probably want to continue this conversation in your room…”
“Huh?”
“You… You’re… Uh… They’re kind of standing up…”
“Logan, what… Oh! Oops…”
“Yeah. We better get in before somebody sees you and gets the wrong idea. There’s already enough rumors spreading around…”

He checked his surroundings with nervous glance, and when his quick inspection revealed the room empty besides him and Marie he locked the door behind them. She was sitting on her bed, her hands crossed over her breasts.

“I came to talk with you on the other day…”
“And that went really well,” Marie whispered. They were both grinning from ear to ear.
“Yeah… That it did,” he admitted, shifting his feet, his gaze lowering to the toes of his boots.
“What did you wanted to talk?” Marie asked.
“I… Uh… I wanted to apologize. I… I have been acting like an ass for the past months…”
“Past months? Try past years, Logan.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. And… And I wanted to ask if you could come back in to the team?”
“Logan…”
“No, hear me out first, okay? I really am sorry for the way I have been treating you. I tried so hard not to make you any more special than anybody else that I kind of forgot to treat you like I’d treat everybody else. I promise I’ll do better in the future…”
“Logan.”
“You’re really going to make me do it, aren’t you? Shit, kid… I already apologized… Okay…” He kneeled in front of her, taking her palm in to his hands. Locked his gaze in to her eyes.
“Marie? Would you please come back to the team? I… We need you, and…” A pillow smacking to the side of his head interrupted his heartfelt plea.
“Would you listen for a change? I was going to say that I’m coming back!”
“Really? You mean that?”
“Yes. But there’s going to be some basic rules.”
“Same rules as everybody else has.”
“Yes. And one more.”
“Marie…”
“Yes. The most important rule of them all. Rule number one that overrides every single one of the other rules. The holy, unbreakable, written-in-the-stone sacrament.”
“Marie, I can’t…”
”Listen very carefully. Break this rule, and I’ll be leaving the team faster than you can say ‘kid’.”
“Okay.”
“There will be no exceptions whatsoever concerning me and the other rules. Everything applies to me just like it applies to everybody else. Absolutely no exceptions, no good or bad. Is that clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Good. Now… I have something I have wanted to talk with you as well.”
“Okay…”
“I seem to recall a moment when you were dead on sure that we would end up between sheets together.”

He fell on his ass from his kneeling position.
“Uh… Kid…”
“Nuh-huh. You don’t get to play that card again, mister. I’m through with school. Have been well over a year now.”
“Marie…” He couldn’t find the right words no matter how hard he tried. Right now Kitty’s mutation would have been quite handy, just drop through the floor and he’d have been home free.
“Yes. Marie. Quite curious and truth to be told quite fucking frustrated Marie. How long are we going to dance around this? Until I’m old and grey and entirely too stiff and crippled for having wild sex with you?”
“Marie!”

He crawled backwards when she crept down from the bed, reaching for his knees. This wasn’t happening. This really wasn’t happening. Maybe he had skewered Timmy for being a prick and Scott had blasted him to the kingdom to come, and this was his punishment. Except that the hands that grasped his knees and slid higher over his denim covered thighs felt awfully real.

“You’re… Stop. You’re…” He stuttered when he found himself cornered between wall and Marie.
“I’m what?” Marie asked, leaning closer and licking his lower lip slowly.
“You’re too…”
“Say ‘young’ and I swear I bash your head in. School’s out, Logan. It’s time to play…”



Alice Cooper: School’s Out

Well we got no choice
All the girls and boys
Makin all that noise
'Cause they found new toys
Well we can't salute ya
Can't find a flag
If that don't suit ya
That's a drag

School's out for summer
School's out forever
School's been blown to pieces

No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher's dirty looks

Well we got no class
And we got no principles
And we got no innocence
We can't even think of a word that rhymes

School's out for summer
School's out forever
School's been blown to pieces

No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher's dirty looks

Out for summer
Out till fall
We might not go back at all

School's out forever
School's out for summer
School's out with fever
School's out completely

**Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction
Chop, chop, chop, a perfect killing machine**


One quick spin, claws gliding through the air in a gracious arc, sliding through skin, bone and muscle. Sick little grin, fast step to forward and stab, tearing through ribcage. Dodge hail of bullets turning, balls of feet digging to the ground, seeking leverage before lunging forward hands spread wide, claws cutting through bone and sinew, tearing tendons and cartilage.
Torn carcasses littering the ground, sound of lonely applause echoing from the walls.


**Some people call me the Creeper
'Cuz they don't know my name or face
I got 'em running in circles
Because a homicidal genius never leaves a trace
I'm a lonely hunter **


“I told you my team could handle this!”
“Right, Cyclops. Sure didn’t look like that when we got in here…” Logan snorted, wiping his palms dry from the splattered blood and other bodily fluids, smearing them rather to his thighs than feeling them slippery between his fingers any longer than it was necessary.
“We? Where the fuck is your team, Logan?”
“They’re waiting in the jet. Wasn’t going to let them play in the shooting range.”
“What about this? Was this… This savagery absolutely necessary?”
“Savagery?”


**Some people call me the Ripper**


He stood in the Xavier’s study, trying to mute Scott’s nagging voice to the background. Tried to think about nicer things than threats and accusations both men were spewing at him. Nice things. Marie-Nice-Things. Every nice and downright nasty thing she had done to him in her room at the previous day and night. Every nice, nasty and dirty thing he had done to her.

“…some kind of modern day Jack-The-Ripper! We can’t tolerate this kind of behavior…” Xavier.
“…Homicidal creep! You’re grounded for a month…” Scott.
‘Would you let me suck you?’ Marie. She was in her room, probably already showered and stripped down to bare skin, sprawled on her bed buck-naked.

“Logan! Are you even listening?” Xavier. He nodded. No use to aggravate the telepath any more.
“He isn’t, I know that look!” Scott. Nice guy but he should really shut up.
‘For Christ’s sakes, just fuck me already, Logan!’ He couldn’t stop the smirk from spreading on his lips from the memory of his last night’s activities. He could still smell and taste her. Marie. His Marie.


**She had a black leather skirt
That was tight to her hips
And an anklet with a name**


She had been wearing a skirt she had borrowed from her friend. Tight, black leather, gleaming and sticking to her curves, sliding deliciously over her thighs and hips when she straddled him. She had had an anklet. Small strap of silver with her name spelled on silver letters on it. He had bought it for her last Christmas when he hadn’t yet been entirely sure about his feelings towards her.


**Chop, chop, chop**


“Logan. Logan! Wolverine!”
“Yes, professor?” He’d better snap out of his daydreams before professor turned nasty.
“Have we made our policy clear?”
“Yeah, yeah. No killing and maiming. Can I go now?” He asked. Professor nodded and he walked out, pausing briefly when he heard Scott clearing his throat in the professor’s study.

“You do know he only said that to get out from here?”
“Yes, Scott. I’m not stupid, you know. I know what he’s capable of, and you of all people should know what happens when he gets cornered. I rather let him out than pay workers to renovate this office. And those paintings aren’t cheap either… Nor our lives.”





Chop Chop Chop
by Alice Cooper


Some people call me the Creeper
'Cuz they don't know my name or face
I got 'em running in circles
Because a homicidal genius never leaves a trace
I'm a lonely hunter
City full of game
Walkin' in the neon lights

Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction
Chop, chop, chop, a perfect killing machine
Chop, chop, chop, it's a symbiotic function
Chop, chop, chop, I keep the city so clean
Chop, chop, chop

Some people call me the Ripper
Stole my modus operandi from the movie screen
She's just a celluloid stripper
Just another bloody player in my splatter-filled dream
Women on the streets
Want money when we meet
I take them for a little ride

Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction
Chop, chop, chop, a perfect killing machine
Chop, chop, chop, it's symbiotic function
Chop, chop, chop, I keep the city so clean
Chop, chop, chop

She was standing on the corner
With her bright red lips
Her face was so white and pale (so pale)
She had a black leather skirt
That was tight to her hips
And an anklet with a name
It spelled M A R Y..... Gail
Gail Gail Gail Gail
Gail Gail Gail Gail

His good and horny mood was rudely interrupted when he pushed open the door to Marie’s room. She wasn’t there. Then he spotted something lying on her bed, on the pillow. Black lace panties. Her scent was still strong on the fabric. There was a note as well. ‘Find me.’ He frowned. He really wasn’t in the mood for games. Oh, he’d sniff her out easily enough, but every second he spent tracking her would have been better used by fucking her.
“Well… Beggars can’t be choosers…” He huffed, stuffing the panties to his pocket before heading out, following the fresh scent of her. Since Marie was considerable less experienced than him they had agreed that she’d set the pace to things.

He found the next clue of her whereabouts from downstairs where Timmy stood in front of the elevator, his mouth gaping open.
“Timmy, my man! What’s got you so flustered?” Logan asked clapping his palm on the kid’s shoulder little harder than it was absolutely necessary. Timmy didn’t turn to look at him. He didn’t even see the need to scald him from using such common language. He stuck out his hand, pointing towards elevator door.
“M… Miss… Miss Rogue was naked!” The boy stuttered. Logan smirked and glanced around, making sure he was alone with Timmy before leaning closer to his ear.
“You know what, squirt? I’m planning to go down there and get naked with Miss Rogue…” He whispered, enjoying immensely from the horrified look that spread on Timmy’s face.
“You… You… I’m telling Miss Grey! I’m telling Miss Grey!”
“Go ahead, kid. Then I can tell her about the collection of porn mags I found from under your bed in last month’s check-up, you little hypocrite bastard… You know, Timmy… It’s good that you’re curious, but you really should stick to topics suitable at your age. You might find Bob The Builder quite educational.”

He rolled his shoulders and groaned in satisfaction when Timmy ran away screaming. Good deed of the day done. Not that he enjoyed scaring children, but Timmy… No. Timothy Mortimer The Third. Fuck it. Timmy. Timmy really wasn’t a kid. He was an overgrown pest, something from between rat and a roach.
“But now I have completely another kind of pest to flush out from hiding…”

He pushed open the door to the Danger Room. Heavy smoke, ruckus and drunken cajoling greeted him when he made his way in, recognizing his surroundings instantly. It was the bar in Laughlin City. The bar from where Marie had hitched a ride with him.

Her scent wafted through the crowd and he pushed his way to the bar where she sat, thankfully wearing skin-tight leather instead of the outfit she had worn all those years ago. He sauntered where she sat on the stool and leaned against her back, bringing his lips against her earlobe.
“Tell me… What does a girl like you do in a place like this?” He whispered, letting his warm breath caress the side of her throat and leaning even closer to let her feel his erection against her lower back.
“I don’t know what you mean. This is a nice place,” she said. He licked her earlobe and smirked.
“My point exactly. Wasn’t very nice to rush in to hiding as soon as we got out from the jet…”
“Too bad. So sad. But I could make it up to you…”
“Oh, you could?”
“I have already decided that I’m going home with the winner tonight,” she said, tossing back something that his nose informed was whiskey.
“Come on! Are you serious? I have to beat up bunch of rednecks before I get to nail you?”

She turned on the chair, bringing her thighs to cradle his hips, lips extended to full pout.
“Don’t ruin this, Logan. I… I have always wanted to know what would have happened… What if I had been older and…” She was nearly crying. He felt like a complete ass.
“Shit… Come here…” He pulled her against him, kissing the crown of her head lightly, threading his fingers through silken locks of brown and ivory.
“Had you been older, I probably would have given you a ride, fucked you for couple of times and…”
“I said don’t ruin this! Get your ass in that cage! Now!” Marie hissed, shoving him towards the metal enclosure.
“Yes ma’am…”

Half an hour later he realized he was actually having a good time, aside from the fact that his every opponent had some sort of fixation to his lower parts and he found himself kneeling and cupping his abused groin more often than he remembered ever doing. And Marie… She was wearing her issued leather uniform, but sitting at the bar as shy and timid as she had been when he had first seen her from that cage in Laughlin. Granted, he hadn’t paid so much attention to her back then, huge sign of ‘jailbait’ hung heavily over her features then, but now his gaze wandered to her at every possibility.

She was sitting there, glancing him occasionally from under lowered lashes, sipping her drink, mostly blending in to the shadows, avoiding other customers and rather curious barkeep.

He let out a loud groan, rolled his neck and kicked his fallen opponent once, as a payback from painful kneeing he had received from the brute earlier, then walked to his corner and grabbed the shot Marie had brought to him, downing it with one swallow. Amber liquid flowed down his throat, burning as it went. He let his gaze rest on her. She had relaxed somewhat and was now staring at him openly, not even trying to pretend that she wasn’t looking. Her pink tongue darted out, moistening her slightly parted lips.

He gestured her to come to him. She slid down from the stool slowly and walked to the side of the cage.
“Yes?” She whispered.
“You said you were going home with the winner tonight. How about getting in the cage with the winner now?”
“Now?” She asked, licking her lips again, red hue rising over her cheeks.
“Get over here!” He barked, grabbing her arms through the wire fence and yanking her flush against it, crushing her lips under his through the fence.

They were rudely interrupted when the MC announced the next match and suddenly there was an angry trucker behind him and a hard knee pounding his kidneys. He let go of Marie before he fell, caught a glimpse of her startled face before he turned and lunged at the trucker, trying to ignore the sickening, throbbing heat that was spreading from his back and twisting his stomach.

Trucker down and the MC was announcing him the winner of the night, king of the cage. He shrugged off the man’s meaty paws and hurried to the bar where she sat, now crying.
“What’s this?” He wrapped his hands around her from behind, letting her lean against his chest.
“This was a stupid idea… I don’t know what I was thinking… You got hurt just because I wanted something different…”

He leaned his forehead against her shoulder, biting his lip, trying to stifle his urge to laugh. Instead of laughing he brought his aching groin in contact with her lower back, rubbing it against her suggestively.
“Does this feel like I’m hurt?” He whispered, letting his hands wander higher from her waist and cupped her breasts.
“Oh…” She was still sniffling a bit, but her scent was turning from remorse to arousal already. He yanked her around on the stool, stepping between her thighs and claiming her lips. She tasted of whiskey, salt and Marie. Her legs snaked around his waist, and he could feel the heat radiating through the leather of her pants, matching the fire burning in his jeans. He grasped her buttocks and grind against her, swallowing the moan that escaped from her throat.

Somebody tapped him to the shoulder. He threw an annoyed glance from the corner of his eye.
“Buzz off, asswipe…” He growled, hardly breaking the kiss.
“I know what you are,” the man standing behind him whispered with conspiratory tone. He huffed and let go of Marie, and turned around, facing the ape.
“And I know what you are. Yeah. You and that butt-buddy of yours. Take a hike and I don’t have to hurt you.”
“Nobody takes a that kind of beating without a mark to show for it…”
“And nobody kicks my jewels, either. Not if they want to keep their own set intact…” Logan grunted, pleased smile spreading on his face. His knee rose in one, fluent move, crashing against his last opponent’s groin. Satisfactory crunch echoed in the room, the man’s mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ and he fell slowly on to the floor.
“Jesus, that felt good! Come on, honey. We better get going. I have a room not too far from here, and there should be far less interruptions once we get there.”

**When I get home from work,
I wanna wrap myself around you.
I wanna take you and squeeze you
till the passion starts to rise.**


Logan stumbled out from the jet, dog-tired. A whole day evaluating Scott’s team on the field and he was ready to keel over, curl up and die. And there was no big enough rock in sights to crawl under.
“I’m too old for this shit…” He groaned, stretching his back and listening the silent creaks of his vertebra. Either age was catching up on him, or he had gotten on to a completely new level of sadism and masochism when he planned the training scenarios.

He could hear the approaching sound of jet engines from the distance. Scott was returning with his team. As much as he liked to think that the other man was a pansy, Marie would most likely be as wiped as he.

Scott had had to admit that dealing with Marie was much easier than to spread his team too wide apart from each other, so he had asked her to re-join his team. To Logan’s amusement she had made the fearless leader to grovel and beg before she had accepted his invitation.

**I wanna take you to heaven
That would make my day complete**

When the second jet landed he simply sat down on to the concrete floor, leaning back, legs stretched slightly apart. Small grin was tickling the corner of his mouth. Long walk to upstairs would have to wait. As soon as the rest of Scott’s team cleared the hangar, he’d show Marie exactly how much he wanted her.

His grin faded when the object of his desire stumbled from the jet, if possible, looking even more tired than him.

**But you and me ain’t no movie stars.
What we are is what we are.**

“Come on, darling... Let’s get us in to bed,” he said, grabbing her arm. At first she looked like she was about to protest, but then she let it slide, leaving the logistics for him.
“You up to some TV?” He asked.
“TV?”
“Shut up, Scott. Wasn’t asking from you.” He tried to sound menacing, but he had a nagging suspicion that he sounded less than credible threat.
“Yeah, TV sounds nice,” Marie hurried to answer and started dragging him away from the hangar before Scott opened his mouth again.

**We share a bed
some lovin’
and TV, yeah**

“The last thing I need right now is to hear you and Scott bickering about your stamina...” She huffed when they stood in the elevator. His hand froze, hovering over a button that would send them upstairs.
“My ‘stamina’?”
“You pretend to be this mean and lean terminator that just keeps going and going...”
“That’s energizer, darling.”
“Huh?”
“It just keeps going and going...”
“What ever. You like to pretend that nothing can stop you.”
“Pretend? Darling...”
“Yeah. Pretend. But I saw you out there. I know you. You’re wiped out.”
“Oh, yeah? You think so?”
“Come on! I can hear your knees creaking!”
“That’s not my knees.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. I think we can forget that TV...”

The elevator shuddered, let out a last warning creak and stopped.

“Great. What do we do now?” She asked. Logan shrugged his shoulders.
“Wanna find out the truth about my stamina?”






Alice Cooper: You And Me

When I get home from work,
I wanna wrap myself around you.
I wanna take you and squeeze you
till the passion starts to rise.

I wanna take you to heaven.
That would make my day complete.

But you and me ain't no movie stars.
What we are is what we are.
We share a bed,
some lovin',
and TV, yeah.
And that's enough for a workin' man.
What I am is what I am.
And I tell you, babe,
well that's enough for me.

Sometimes when you're asleep
and I'm just starin' at the ceiling,
I wanna reach out and touch you,
but you just go on dreamin'.

If I could take you to heaven,
that would make my day complete.

But you and me ain't no movie stars.
What we are is what we are.
We share a bed,
some lovin',
and TV, yeah.
That's enough for a workin' man.
What I am is what I am.
And I tell you, sweetheart
that's just enough for me.

You and me ain't no super stars.
What we are is what we are.
We share a bed,
some popcorn,
and TV, yeah.
And that's enough for a workin' man.
What I am is what I am.
And I tell you, babe,
you're just enough for me.

When I get home from work,
I wanna wrap myself around you.
I like to hold you squeeze you
till the passion starts to rise.

I wanna take you to heaven.
That would make my day complete.

You and me ain't no movie stars.
What we are is what we are.
We share a bed,
of lovin',
and TV, yeah.
And that's enough for a workin' man.
What I am well that's what I am.
I tell you, baby,
that's just enough for me.