The phone ringing pulls me out from my slumber. It would be so fucking easy just to let it ring. One of these nights I will let it ring. I will. But not tonight.

“Yeah?”
“Logan?”
“Where are you?”
“I… At the bus station.”
“Okay. Sit tight. I’ll come and get you.”
“Logan…”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”

Clothes on. No need to shave or shower. Funny thing, it seems like she trusts me more like this. Little scruffy and worn. Keys… Better take the truck. She’ll probably have at least one bag with her. She usually has.

“Wolverine?”
“Fuck off, Cindy. A friend is coming over.”
“But…”
“I left you some money on the table. I want you gone by the time I’ll be back.”
“You’re an asshole!”
“Yeah. Tell me something I don’t know already…”

Something crashes against the door when I close it behind my back. That better not be the vase one of the Xavier’s kids made for me at the pottery class. Ugly as hell, dark green and crooked, but I kind of liked the brat that gave it to me. And my cell phone starts to ring.

“Logan?”
“What do you want, Storm?”
“Nothing. I was just checking up. Jean woke me up…”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m already on my way. She called me from the bus station.”
“Would you consider bringing her back here?”
“I’ll talk to her. But what happens is up to her.”
“Of course…”
“I got to go. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Fine. Oh, Jean wanted to know if you were coming tomorrow?”
“Of course I will.”

There’s a line at the Starbucks, but little wrestling and I’m standing in front of the cash register. Half zombified teenager, face freckled with pimples and pupils like pinpricks from too many choco mocha’s stares at me, chewing on to something that may, or may not be a gum. Jesus Christ. Night of the undead cows.

“Two espressos. One chocolate chip cookie.”
“To go?”
“To go.”

The bus station is just around the corner. Easier to walk there than to try jostle through with the truck. I can already see her, sitting hunched over her bag on a bench outside. Shit. One of these nights she’s going to get herself killed. Or raped. Or eaten. Or all of them, not necessarily in that order. She doesn’t even flinch when I plunk my carcass next to her. Takes the espresso and the cookie and starts to eat. Stench of blood and semen, strong enough to make me gag hangs over her.

“ER or my place?”
“Your place.”
“My truck’s just around the corner.”

I stand up and start walking. I can hear her scooting up. Limping after me. That bag looked heavy, but there’s no use to try and take it from her. Once tried and she nearly clawed my eyes off.

“What was it this time?”
“Same old shit.”
“Watch your language.”
“Like you’re the one to talk…”

Urge to turn the truck to Xavier’s passes when she curls on the seat, hands around her legs, her jaw resting on her knees and the hood slides off from her face. She looks about twelve years old. Fuck. One of these days I will gut the bastard she’s bunking with. With, or without her consent.

“Ororo called.”
“I’m not going in there.”
“Just thought you should know. You’re always welcome to my place. But shouldn’t you at least think about…”
“Fuck you. I’m not going back there. Not as long as she’s there.”
“Okay. But think about it.”

The apartment is silent. Phonebook lies on the floor to where Cindy threw it earlier. Ugly, green vase is still standing on the windowsill. Good. The place needs a bit straightening out, but it can wait.

“Go and take a shower. I make some coffee and sandwiches.”
“No cheese in mine.”
“No cheese. Fucking go already. You reek like shit.”
“Ha-ha. Is it okay if I take a bath?”
“How the fuck should I know? I’m no doctor.”

Without the constant scent of blood reminding about the rape this would probably look and feel perfectly normal evening. Sitting in the kitchen with her, sipping coffee and munching sandwiches. Fridge whirrs in the background, clock is ticking.

“I still think you should at least consider going back to Xavier’s.”
“Yeah. Right. So I can feel like a grade A freak again?”
“You’re not a freak.”
“Your vote doesn’t count. And I already told you, as long as mom’s there, I’m not going back.”
“You rather let Jack rape you and have me fishing you out when it gets too much?”
“Fuck you.”
“Real mature… You know, one of these days he’ll knock you up. What are you going to do when that happens?”
“I…”
“Because I refuse to believe that you’re so stupid that you’d give a baby for him to play with.”
“Logan!”
“I’d prefer dad.”
“Oh, and all of a sudden you want to be my father? Tough luck. That ship sailed years ago.”
“Whatever. The way I see it, you don’t really have any options. I’m taking you to Xavier’s tomorrow. I was going to visit your mom anyway.”
“You can’t do that!”
“I can’t? What are you going to do? Call to Jack and ask him to pick you up?”

Shit. That was low, even from me. But at least it shut her up.

“Eat up. There’s a blanket and some pillows in the closet. You can sleep on the couch.”

She looks about ready to bolt out. I can’t blame her. She really, really doesn’t like to be here. But this thing with Jack, it can’t go on any longer. It’s a small wonder that the fucker hasn’t killed her yet. I squeeze her shoulder and she jumps.

“Calm down. I’ll take you to Ororo and then go to see your mom. When you’re done with her, you can go and wait for me in the library. I won’t be long.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah. I promise.”

Jean looks more tired than usually. Sharp lines around her eyes deeper, grey hue on her cheeks. Oh, fuck.

“Rough night?”
“The usual. But I had to sedate her. She’s still a little groggy.”
“Okay…”
“Try not to disturb her. She’s… She’s fragile.”
“I fucking know that! Don’t you think I’d rather have her with me than…”
“I’m sorry, Logan. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so…”
“Shit. Forget it. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. It’s just… Anna came home last night.”
“I know.”
“Yeah. I took her to see Ororo.”
“That’s good to hear. Maybe she can persuade her to stay with us.”
“I kind of doubt that. But it doesn’t hurt to try.”
“Just… Don’t mention it to her, okay? She’s still quite shaken after last night.”
“I won’t.”

No restraints this time. Good. She’s sitting by the window, hands folded on her lap, staring out. I know she’d like to go there. She misses the sun and the wind, scent of flowers, but last time we tried that, tried to take her out, she freaked out completely. Took fucking weeks to get her calm down after that.

“Hi, Marie.”
“Oh, Logan. Where’s Anna? I haven’t seen her for the whole day.”

One of these days, huh?

“She’s outside. I think she was playing hide-and-seek with bunch of other kids.”
“Oh… Just make sure she comes in for the lunch, okay?”
“I will. I will.”
“And tell her that she should watch out that new skirt I bought for her. If she wants to go climbing trees she should change her clothes.”
“I’ll make sure that she does. So… What have you been up to while I was away?”
“Nothing special. I thought I could maybe bake a cake, but I felt so tired all of a sudden. No cake for you, mister. Not today.”
“Well, I just have to live with that.”
“But could you explain what it is with you men and hardware stores?”
“Huh?”
“You said you’d be gone for an hour tops, but it has been three already. What took you so long? Surely finding a few bolts couldn’t take that long…”
“Busted… Scott came with me and we decided to get some spare parts for the Blackbird as well. Then we had to go shopping for Jean. Oh, and I got something for you, too…”
“Oh! You got me a present? What is it?”
“I got that herbal tea you said you couldn’t find anywhere. I left it to the kitchen. I can go and make a cup for you, if you want.”
“No. That’s okay. I think… I think I’ll have it later. I… I’m going to take a nap now. So tired…”
”Okay. You just… Rest now, okay? I’ll come and see you later.”
“Yes… But take care of Anna, okay?”
“I will. I will, darling. Just sleep now…”

It gets harder every day. Just to walk out and lock the door behind me. To see the guilt and pity in Jean’s eyes.

“I brought her some tea. Could you make sure that she… That she gets some when she wakes up?”
“Of course. I’ll inform the kitchen staff… Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re coming tomorrow again, aren’t you?”
“What the fuck do you think? She’s my fucking wife! Of course I’ll come and see her!”
“Yes… Yes, I don’t know what I was thinking…”
“You read my mind, didn’t you?”
“Logan, I…”
“Her name was Cindy. At least that’s what she told me. Almost exact look-alike. Paid her good money, and even though she called me an asshole, I’m pretty sure I could persuade her to come back for some more when I get an itch.”
“Logan! I don’t want to hear this!”
“And I don’t want to do that, but I don’t have so many choices, now do I? My fucking wife is in turn imagining to be sixteen or twenty five, some days dead on sure that I’m going to kill her, some days just not there when I sit and talk with her, and I haven’t spent a single night with her after Anna was born! I’d probably be sitting in a room next to hers, drooling and talking to the walls if I didn’t every once and a while pay for some bimbo to pretend to be my wife for one evening and night!”
“That’s… That’s not really my business…”
“Then stay the fuck out of my head!”

Some days I really miss Chuck. And hate Jean. Wheels at least had the decency to stay out of other people’s minds. Jean? She can’t resist the urge to take a peek. And then gets all high and mighty, judging my decisions and me… I fucking know, even fucking three year old would know that what I do is wrong! I don’t need her disapproval or the false support! I just wish she’d leave my mind alone!

“Ready to go?”
“I… Uh… Ororo and I talked. I think I could… I could stay here for a while. See how it goes.”
“Thank God. You need anything?”
“I left my bag at your place. And I really could use some new clothes. And umm… Pads…”
“Speaking of which, you should go and see Jean. Have her to check you up.”
“It’s not that bad…”
“Jesus fucking Christ, Anna! You’re still bleeding! What was it this time? A beer bottle? Broomstick?”
“Dad…”
“Go and see Jean. Before you’ll get an infection or fucking bleed to death. I’ll bring your stuff later.”
“Okay… But dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Leave Jack alone, okay?”
“Anna…”
“Please? I don’t want you to get in to trouble because of me.”
“Oh, fuck… Fine. The bastard gets to live. For now.”

I can’t help wondering what made Anna to shack up with Jack Hunter. The guy is grade A asshole. Fuck. I would have gutted him a long time ago if Anna would let me. I still might do that. She wouldn’t have to know it was me. I’m sure that a guy like Jack has gazillion people lined up, all of them just waiting for a chance to off him. Just wait outside his office, follow him until he makes the wrong move, steps in to the wrong alley… Yeah. First let him know exactly who I am. What I am. Then show him the claws. Explain how they feel when going in, describe in detail how I’m first going to cut off his balls and nipples… Shit. Have to stop thinking these things while I’m driving. These jeans are snug enough as it is… What’s that… Oh, my cell. Where the fuck did I put it? Come to papa, you little plastic fucker…

“Yeah?”
“I really wish you’d start using your name when you answer.”
“What the fuck for, Storm? You know it’s me.”
“Hmph… I’m calling because of Anna.”
“What the fuck did she do now?”
“Nothing! Absolutely nothing! It’s just… You should talk with her.”
“I talked with her last night. I talked with her before I left. I’ll be talking with her when I come and bring her clothes…”
“No. I mean really talk with her.”
“Okay. What’s going on?”
“It’s… Jean found out something… I can’t… Just talk with her when you get back, okay?”
“Fucking shit, Storm! You really know how to make a guy feel comfortable! Just spit it out already!”
“I can’t, Logan. Just talk with Anna when you get back.”
“Storm?”
“Yes?”
“Fuck you.”
“I love you too, big guy…”

Home, crap home. It’s a small wonder that roaches haven’t already carried my fridge to their lair. Wouldn’t it be easier for them to raid in there anyway? Might as well start leaving everything edible on the counter instead of trying to hide it from them. Exterminator came last week, shook his head and told me to move out. Said there’s no use to try to poison those fucking critters. They’re immune already. Could of course move back to Xavier’s, but I don’t know how long I could take it. Kids? They’re okay. But Jean…

Where’s that bag? Oh, there. And what’s that smell? Anna, Anna, Anna… I’ll fucking strangle you. Last time it was pot. Now this? Coke? I bet this was what Jean wanted me to talk about with her. Better call to Ororo.

“Storm?”
“Yes?”
“I found it. You better check Anna’s clothes. She might have more of this shit hidden on her.”
“I really don’t have the right to…”
“I don’t fucking care about rights! Either you do it, or I’ll spank it out from her when I get there!”
“Logan, please, calm down. I’m sure there’s perfectly reasonable excuse…”
“There are no fucking excuses! She’s using again! You go and find that shit, lock her in to the isolation and I’ll deal with her once I get in there! Is that clear?”
“Logan, no…”
“Say ‘Logan, yes’, and you don’t have to worry that I re-decorate your fucking office when I get there!”
“Fine. You’ll find her from the chamber. I’ll make sure she’s… clean before I put her there.”
“Thanks, Storm.”
“For the record: I’m not liking this.”
“Shit. You really think I’m having a great time? I’ll see you when I get there. Might take few hours.”

Will take few hours. Now that I know why she doesn’t want me to touch Jack… He’s dead. Died when he started fucking with my little girl. Have to grab some spare clothes for me, and I’m good to go. It’ll soon be lunch hour. Jack will be spending it little different today…

Wake up. I didn’t hit you that hard. Wake up!

“Wha… Who…”
“Time to wake up, Jack.”
“What the fuck…”
“I’ll make this simple for you. Do you know who I am?”
“Yeah… You’re that guy Anna keeps talking about… Wolverine? Right?”
“Right. I’m Anna’s father.”
“What the fuck is going on?”
“We’re getting there. Do you know where you are?”
“…No?”
“In here nobody can hear you scream. That’s all you need to know about your whereabouts.”
“Scream? What is this shit?”
“I’m sure you have noticed how I taped you in to that chair. And I bet you’re wondering about those IV’s on your arms as well.”
“What is this shit? Let me go!”
“No. I won’t let you go before we have a little chat. That IV on your left arm is filled with saline.”
“And the other one? It’s… It’s just laying on the floor…”
“It’s a drain.”
“Drain?”
“Guess what happens when I pull the plug from the end of that line?”
“Oh, God…”
“God is not here, Jack.”
“What the… Is there something in my ass? What the hell is going on?”
“Yes. There is something in your ass. You see that black cable on the floor?”
“Yes…”
“Every time you open your mouth and I hear something I don’t like, I turn this little switch in here, and zap your ass. Not high enough voltage to knock you out, but it’ll hurt like a bitch.”
“You’re fucking insane! You can’t do this! You fucking insane freak!”
“If you’re counting on pissing me out so badly that I just straight up kill you, you can forget it. I’m already pissed off, Jack. You hurt Anna. I’m going to enjoy hurting you. Oh, and see this little plastic bag?”
“Y-Yes…”
“Imagine my surprise when I found it from Anna. Cocaine. My little girl’s using cocaine. I figured it must have been some kind of mistake and decided to give it back to you. It’s in the IV bag, mixed in to the saline. You’ll be getting it all back, drop by drop. Of course it’ll take for a while, but you’re a patient man, aren’t you, Jack?”
“Oh, God… Please… I have money, you don’t have to do this…”
“I don’t have to, but I want to. Now, scream like a good little boy, and you might live a little longer…”

Pathetic piece of shit. Lasted an hour. Full hour before he fainted. Have to wait that he wakes up. Should have remembered to bring some ammonia… Well. I have time. All the time in the world. Should probably call to storm and tell her that I’ll be late.

“Xavier’s School for Gift…”
“Save it, Storm. It’s me.”
“Oh, Logan. Where are you?”
“Something came up. I won’t be getting there before tonight. Just make sure that Anna’s comfortable. She’s been using about a month now. She’ll be pretty sick soon if she doesn’t get a hit.”
“Okay. I tell Jean. Oh, and Logan?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t do anything you might regret later, okay?”
“You know me, Storm…”
“I know you, and that’s why I worry.”
“Storm? Thanks for taking care of her.”
“That’s what friends are for, Logan. Take care.”
“Yeah. See you later.”

Right about time. Jack’s waking up.

“Hello. Had a nice nap? Want some refreshments?”
“Oh, God, no…”
“I told you already. God’s not here. But I am. And I’d like to think that I have little more patience when it comes to you, than Him. If I were a God, I’d probably fried you when you beat up and raped Anna for the first time. But I’m just a man, not even a very smart man. Because I’m finding it very difficult to understand what made you squander reckless amounts of perfectly good coke to a bitch you were just smacking around. Wouldn’t it have been better used by snorting it up in your own nose?”
“Please…”
“You bore me, Jack. It’s time to start creative. You see, I have these claws. Want to see how sharp they are?”

That saline proved to be even more useful than I thought. But still should have probably gone with blood instead. Fun would have lasted longer. Well, Jack won’t be getting his hands or dick anywhere near anybody, never again. I buried them behind that shed, and cauterized the stubs.

“Storm?”
“Thank God! I have been trying to call to you several times! Where the hell are you, Logan?”
“On my way there. Shouldn’t take longer than ten minutes. Has something happened?”
“It’s Marie. Jean thinks…”
“Storm? Can this wait until I get there?”
“But Logan…”
“Storm? I’m shutting off now.”

Marie. Oh, shit. She’d better be alright. Fucking shit! This fucking isn’t happening! Why the fuck everything has to be so fucking difficult? What the fuck is it this time? Huh? She can’t go any nuttier than she already is, has to be something physical. Oh, shit. Stop thinking you fucking moron… Yeah. I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with her. She’s just fine. Maybe she’s been asking me. Yeah. That have to be it, because there are very few options otherwise why Storm would try to reach me and none of them are pleasant... Stop thinking you retarded wanker! You crash this truck now and you’ll be walking to Xavier and it’ll take even longer to see her that way! Calm down!

“What’s going on?”
“She’s been asking for you. Her mutation… It’s coming back.”
“What?”
“It’s like… Like the cure is wearing off. Her skin is in turning on and off. And she seems to be more lucid than she has been…”
“More lucid? She knows what’s happening?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, shit… She’s in her room?”
“Where else would she be, Logan?”
“Don’t get smart with me, Storm. I’m not in the mood for…”
“Just go and see her already! She’s been asking you for the past three hours, and it’s getting impossible to come up with new excuses for your absence anymore!”

It’s fucking ten o’clock. It has been years since she’s been up and awake at this hour. And lucid? Does that mean… No.

“Logan.”
“Jean. How is she?”
“She’s asking for you. I told you that you left to get some beer and privacy.”
“Thanks a bunch, doc…”
“What did I do now?”
“Beer and privacy? Jesus! Why didn’t you just tell her straight up that I’m cheating her?”
“She knows you, Logan! She doesn’t think that you’re cheating her! But she misses you.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Do you think that I’m cheating?”
“That’s not for me to judge. You deal your own judgment and punishment more harshly and aptly than what I could ever do.”
“Hmph… I’ll go and see her now. Oh, and turn off the surveillance, okay?”
“I’d rather…”
“She’s my fucking wife, Jean! Is it too much to ask to have few minutes in private with her?”
“Sorry. Of course. I’ll turn them off now…”

It has been too long when people are thinking her as a patient. That has got to stop. First thing tomorrow I’m going to trash the camera that’s observing her. This is not a fucking zoo. She’s not a fucking animal.

“Honey?”
“Logan!”

That’s a… She’s… That’s a hug! Oh, Jesus, it has been years since she has greeted me like this. Just going to hold her now. Not going to let go. Nope. She feels so fucking good against me, scent as sweet as ever, warm and alive. Oh, God. I have to sit down…

“Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“How long? How long have I been in here?”
“Too long, darling. Too long. I miss you so much that it fucking hurts…”
“If I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have…”
“Just forget it. It’s not your fault. You did what you thought was right. It’ doesn’t matter anymore.”
“And Anna?”
“She’s… She’s fine. Lived with a guy for a while, but it wasn’t working out, and she moved back in here today.”
“Oh… My poor girl… Can I… Do you think I could see her?”
“Uh… No. I don’t think you’re quite ready for… But I have a photograph in my wallet. Let me get it for you…”

She actually realizes that time has passed! She knows who I am! She wants to see Anna! Oh, shit. Oh, for fucking shit… Have to calm down.

“Calm down, you klutz!”
“Sorry, darling… It just… It has been for quite some time since I last saw you…”
“That’s her? That’s our little girl?”
“Yeah. That’s Anna. But it’s an old picture. I took it couple of years back when she moved out from home. She was eighteen.”
“All grown up… What does she… She hasn’t been in here to see me.”
“No.”
“Oh…”
“That has got nothing to do with you. I told her not to come. I knew you wouldn’t want her to see you like that.”
“Thanks.”

I don’t know what to do. What to say. Dear God in heaven. I have never been a believer, but this is almost enough to turn me to one.

“Logan? You’re crying.”
“No.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I have just missed you. Missed this. Us… Let me…”
“No! Logan, you can’t kiss me…”

I can’t? Want to bet on it? Her lips are so soft and she tastes like that herbal tea. I’m liable to have a heart attack right about now. Come on… Open those lips for me, darling… Oh, fuck this hurts… Forgot how strong the pull is, have to let go, have to let go…

“Logan! What did you do?”
“Huh… Felt like kiss to me…”
“No! What did you do to that man? Oh… Why would you… Oh, God. I’m going to be sick…”
“Marie…”
“Get your hands off from me!”
“Marie, please…”
“Get out!”
“Kid, I…”
“Get out! Get out! Get the fuck out! Don’t touch me!”

Sometimes I just hate my fucking life. What ever I do, I end up knee deep in shit. Right now I have a sane wife that hates me, a daughter that’s nearly insane from cocaine withdrawals, and Storm is seriously considering turning me in for assaulting that wanker that screwed up Anna. Fuck. Lesser man would have already taken a rope and… Crap. But as it happens, I don’t give a shit. Never got rid of the pot I took from Anna. Doesn’t really give me even a good buzz, but at least I can fool my head thinking about something else than how to squirm out of this.


“Dad?”
“Hi, pumpkin. Feeling better?”
“Weren’t you the one lecturing me how drugs are bad for me?”
“Never said anything about myself. I heal. You don’t. End of discussion.”
“Come on… It’s just pot. Can I have some?”
“No.”
“Asshole.”
“Love you too, kid.”

Somehow it feels like this relaxing-thing won’t work. Not when Anna’s standing there, hands folded over her chest and tapping the ground with her toes.

“Fine… Tasted like shit anyway. There. It’s gone. Happy?”
“Is it true?”
“What?”
“You did something to Jack.”
“Yeah. And I do it again if that bastard as much as looks at you the wrong way.”
“And mom threw you out?”
“Yeah. She did.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I was thinking… Well, I could… Fuck. You want the truth?”
“Duh! No. I want the best lie you can come up.”
“I have no idea what am I going to do next. Marie pretty much hates me, so I can’t stay here. I’m guessing you’re siding with her on this. There really isn’t any reason for me to stick around.”
“Dad…”
“I guess I’ll just pack up my stuff and hit the road.”
“Who’s going to bail me out when I do something stupid when you’re not here?”
“Your mom will. Shit. She won’t even let you get in to trouble. She’s more responsible than me. Has always been. And smarter than me. Keep listening to her, Anna. Do as she tells you to, and you’re going to be just fine.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“Tough luck, kid. Your mom doesn’t want me to stay.”
“There’s something else as well, isn’t there? I can’t believe she’d freak out like that because of Jack.”
“That’s something between me and her.”
“She knows about those women?”
“Anna! Jesus Christ! It’s not like I have been sleeping around…”
“But I know you bring women in to your home.”
“Every now and then. Started when… Shit. You’re not supposed to know about these things!”
“It’s kind of hard not to know when I can smell them on you when you come to pick me up.”
“Yeah… Well, it’s not something I’m proud of. And I haven’t done that often. It’s just… Sometimes it gets so hard. There’s just me and… I miss Marie. It’s so fucking cold and lonely. It helps a little when I can pretend that she’s there.”
“Well, it looks like you get to pretend all you like from now on.”
“Yeah. Anna?”
“What?”
“Could you give your old man a hug?”

It feels like she’d rather strangle me. Doesn’t matter. I guess I’d deserve that. Shit. This is fucking embarrassing. Well, fuck it. Show me a man who’s not able to cry when he’s loosing his whole family and I show you a seriously fucked up bastard.

“Dad? You’re going to… You’re coming back, right?”
“I don’t know, Anna. I don’t know…”

Let’s see… Level of numbness? Can’t feel my nose. Visual check? Standard double and little blurred from the edges. General state and condition? Amount of booze consumed has managed to override my systems. In other words, I’m completely, entirely drunk. Good. God. Finally. There.

“Well, well… Look what the cat dragged in…”
“Not now, Nadine. Just keep the booze coming…”
“Didn’t get enough at the last joint?”
“Fuck you… You’re ruining it…”
“From where I’m standing it looks like you ruined it all by yourself. Hard to top that.”
“Jack straight. Leave the bottle… Oh… Better make it two bottles.”
“Only two? Are you sure?”
“For now…”
“I hate to do this, but you have to ditch your wheels. Hand over your keys.”
“Already did that couple of towns ago… Just give me the goddamned booze already! Took me a fucking week to get this hammered, I’m not going to let some no-good-bartending-bitch to ruin it…”
“You good for this?”
“I’m good. Was thinking I could even make some more money in the cage tonight…”
“Is it a good idea to get in there in that condition?”
“You know it doesn’t matter…”
“It’s not you I’m worried about. You look a bit off. Wouldn’t want you to kill anybody in there. If you want to fight, maybe you should sleep off that booze first. I have a cot in the back. You can crash there.”
“Nadine?”
“Yeah?”
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?”
“Only every time you come through this way, Wolverine. Go. Get sober. We’ll talk when I close up, okay?”
“Fine…”

Hate to admit, but Nadine’s right. The only reason the people are still walking out from the cage after round or two with me is because I’m pulling my punches. With so much hardware buried in me it would be a fucking slaughter otherwise. And right now I’m not in the mood for pulling them. I’d like nothing more than shatter some skulls. And Nadine knows that. Got to love that woman. And this bottle I managed to smuggle from under her nose. Alcoholic? No. But if I change my mind I’m not about to squander yet another week to get wasted again.

“Give me that.”
“Hey!”
“I’m going to get you sober even if it kills me.”
“You know, it just might do that…”
“Fuck you, Wolverine. Lay down and get some sleep. There are some blankets in the cupboard. You look frozen stiff.”
“Well, I walked the last ten kilometers to get here…”
“Sleep. Get sober. You didn’t walk all the way here just to whine about my service policy.”

I really hate Nadine. I hate it when she’s always right. I hate it when she can make me see how right she is. Just like Ma… Fuck. Better not go there. Just going to close my eyes and rest for a while. Christ. I have last slept well over a week ago. I have last lied down well over a week ago. Fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed from my back and feet. I think they just fell in to a coma.

“Nadine!”
“Yes?”
“Carl still brewing that medicine of his?”
“There’s some in the cupboard!”
“Could you get it for me?”
“Jeesh, Wolverine! I have customers! You know? The people who actually pay for what they drink! I can’t keep coddling you, I have to take care of them first!”
“Fine. Be a bitch. Don’t need you anyway…”

Yeah. Right. Couldn’t lift a pinkie even if my life depended on it. Fuck… Ookay. I can do this… I can. Just throw my legs over the edge and… Whoah. Fuck. I’m a fucking mess…

“What’s that noise? Wolverine? Wolverine… Shit. Johnny, Peter! Get over here! Help this poor bastard back to bed!”

Coffee’s good. Would be even better if Nadine wasn’t staring at me over the counter and rapping her nails impatiently.

“Spill.”
“I screwed it up.”
“Screwed up what?”
“I have been fucking other women and pretending they’re her when my wife has been off to lala-land. I maimed my daughter’s boyfriend. To say that they’re pissed at me would be an understatement.”
“Jesus. You’re fucked up.”
“Tell me something I don’t know already… Marie… She woke up couple of weeks ago. You remember the cure?”
“How could I not remember? It was all over the news back then.”
“She took it. It worked. Sort of. Shut off her mutation. Nobody bothered to tell her that within a year she’d go mad from it. For the last twenty years she’s… She hasn’t quite been there. Couple of weeks ago the cure started wearing off. She found out what had been going on, and threw me out.”
“You had it coming…”
“I fucking know that. It’s just… I have no fucking idea of what I’m going to do now. There’s nothing left for me anymore.”
“And you thought you could come here, lay down this sob story and get a roll in the sack with me?”
“No. Just left. Wasn’t thinking where I was going. Just kept driving and drinking, then just walking and drinking. It fucking hurts to be sober.”
“That’s just your conscience trying to tell you something.”
“I fucking know that! I fucked up, and I have no idea how to make it better! If I even can make it better!”
“Keep that up and I’ll throw you out.”
“You and what army?”
“Was that a threat?”
“I don’t know. Would you want it to be?”
“You’re impossible… So. What the fuck do you want from me?”

Good question. And as soon as I figure out the right answer I’m going to tell it to her.

“More coffee for starters.”
“You’re easy to please. There.”
“Thanks.”

Thank God she started straightening up this place. The way she keeps staring at me is fucking unnerving. It’s hard to think, let alone come up with something reasonable when those eyes are drilling in to me. Feels somehow pointless to even say out loud what I’m thinking when it looks like she’s reading my mind. Not that Nadine’s a mutant. She isn’t. Far from it.

“You could hire me.”
“For what?”
“Anything. I know my way around here.”
“I don’t…”
“Come on. You don’t even have to pay me. I can get my wages from the cage. I just need a place to stay and clear my head.”
“I sold the cabin last year.”
“So? I could bunk in here with you.”
“With me?”
“You weren’t complaining last time I came around…”
“I’m not going to become replacement for your wife. Get your head sorted out first. Then we’ll see if you stay here with me, or go back to her.”
“Shit. You wouldn’t be a replacement, Nadine. You know that.”
“And that’s even better reason not to bunk with you. I know you. You’re not a good guy, Wolverine. But you’re not an asshole either. You married that girl because you love her. I’m not going to let myself fall for you just to have you running back to her when you can’t stand to be apart from her any longer.”
“Fuck, Nadine…”
“I’m not throwing you out either. I need a bouncer, and you can sleep in that cot.”
“Thanks.”

Yeah. Nadine’s a good woman. And she has a good head on her shoulders. Sometimes I wonder. Wonder what it would be like if I had met her first. Found this bar and her year after Anna was born. I have fucked with Nadine. I can trust her. And she… She wanted somebody who wouldn’t stick around afterwards. I guess that’s changed. She has always laughed to that shit about biological clock, but harsh reality is that she’s getting older every day. And she’s alone. Sure, there are more than enough men frequenting in this dingy bar who would gladly step in to her life and start sharing it with her, but there aren’t so many she’s willing to accept. She once told me that she wouldn’t be able to tolerate a wuss who couldn’t top her in arm wrestling. So far nobody has dared to even challenge her, and me… She took a one look at me and said that a match would be a waste of time.

She really doesn’t need me. Nadine. Hired me more out of pity than anything else. These schmucks wouldn’t even dare to breathe without her consent. Slavering fucking mutts… I blend in nicely. How the hell did I become this pathetic? This… Domesticated? Is this what a marriage does to a man? Is this what caring does to a person? I let one woman in to my life. Took her in to my heart. And many others crawled in through the crack she left after her. Marie. Biggest chink in me. A flaw. I can’t fucking afford to carry around faulty armor.

“Wolverine! If you’re planning to get in to the cage tonight, drag your carcass to the line!”
“Yeah. You need anything done before I…”
“Jesus! I have been watching you moping at that door for a week now! You’re starting to scare off paying customers! Get in to that cage or get lost!”
“Yes, Nadine…”

Gladly. Maybe few good and solid kicks will clear my head. That big-ass trucker that came in couple of hours ago looked bloodthirsty enough. I could probably lure him in with me. Yeah. The guy with the swastika tattooed on his forehead. Huge motherfucker. Where the hell did he go? Fucker that big can’t get lost in this crowd… Come on, come to papa, ugly bastard… There you are!

“What does a guy like you do for fun?”
“Beat up runts like you. Get lost, asswipe.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, I have a problem.”
“A problem?”
“Yes. A huge, ugly problem. And it’s standing right in front of me.”
“You want to get in to the cage with me?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it’s your funeral…”

My funeral? I kind of doubt that. Even bigger and uglier assholes have tried, my friend. But you’ll do. For now. Just have to turn around. Not too many men get in to the cage with me when they see me grinning like a fucking maniac. I really should get myself under control. I really should. But not tonight. This is going to be so good…

“Wolverine!”
“What?”
“There’s someone asking for you!”
“Tell them they have to wait!”
“I think it might be your daughter!”

Shit. If it isn’t Anna at the end of the line, Nadine’s going to get few selected words. The guy I was going to get in to the cage with fled as soon as he heard Nadine hollering my name.

“Yeah?”
“Dad?”
“What is it, pumpkin?”
“It’s mom. She’s… She’s gone, and…”
“What the hell do you mean? Gone?”
“She just packed her bags and left. Last night. Ororo thinks she might be coming after you.”
“Thanks for the heads up, Anna.”
“Just be careful, okay? She… She was real angry.”
“I’ll always be careful.”
“Don’t hurt her.”
“Jesus, Anna!”
“It’s just… You didn’t part ways exactly friendly manner. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
“I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“Careful like you were with Jack?”
“Anna! I’d fucking chew my arm off rather than hurt your mom! You don’t have to worry about…”

She hung up. Just like that, hung up on me. I should probably call back and scold her for good. Or not. Haven’t I done enough already? Fuck. Fuckety-fuck. Marie. Is she after my head? I’d be if it were me in her place, that’s for sure. She left last night. If she took one of Scott’s cars that gives me two days to get my shit together. Two days at tops. If she’s popping caffeine even less. Crap. I better move my carcass out of Nadine’s. Don’t want Marie to jump in to wrong conclusions. She might end up hurting Nadine as well as me.

“Nadine?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll be hitting the road tonight.”
“Jeesh! Thanks for the early warning!”
“I’m sorry. Something came up. I really have to go before…”
“It’s your wife, isn’t it?”
“Yes. She’s not exactly stable. Things might get ugly when she catches me.”
“Fuck. You really did a number on her. Didn’t you?”
“Yeah. And it looks like it’s time to pick up the bill. It’s been nice knowing you, Nadine. You’re a good woman. Don’t let these assholes push you around, okay?”
“Wolverine…”
“I’ll see you around. Take care.”

Fuck. It’s cold. Should have bought a new truck. Well, little late for regrets now, isn’t it. Just keep walking, bub. Keep walking. Few prayers wouldn’t hurt either. I’m easy target for her now, walking down here. She can just plow me over with what she’s driving. And if she’s as mad as Anna made it sound, it won’t stop there. She knows about pain. She’s a fucking expert at it, having my memories floating in that pretty head of hers. She can ran me over, finish the job backing over me again, tie me up and then just wait for me to wake up, and that’s when the fun really starts. And there’s no end to it. She can keep going forever, quite literally. Just let me heal up and start all over again. Nice.

Shit. I think I froze my fingers. What the fuck was I thinking when I gave my truck away?

Just face it, bub. You’re scared. Scared to shitless. She has every right to be mad at me. She’s entitled to anything and everything she sees fit to do. There’s no one to blame but myself. And maybe those bastards who cooked up the cure. That boy and those scientists. But that’s splitting hairs. And it wasn’t them who fucked around while my wife was living in lala-land. It wasn’t them who abandoned my daughter to the hands of that fucker. It wasn’t them who fucked up that bastard. It wasn’t them who fucked up my life.

A car? Stopping. Oh, shit. I thought I had more time.

“Well, hello… What does a guy like you out there in this weather? Get in before you freeze your ass off.”
“Marie…”
“Get in the car, Logan.”

Well, at least it’s warm. The heater’s in the max. She never liked the cold. Makes me wonder what the fuck made her to choose Canada back then.

“Marie, I want you to know that I’m sorry…”
“Shut up.”
“I never meant to hurt you…”
“Shut up, Logan.”
“I don’t blame you. Do what you have to do. Just don’t let Anna know…”
“Anna is the least of your problems right now. Keep your mouth shut before I zap you.”

She’s tired. With any luck she’ll collapse before she gets on with her plan. Shit. I wish I had my cell phone with me. I bet Ororo’s worried out of her mind. And Jean. They have been taking care of Marie the past eighteen years.

“You should call home. Let them know that you’re alright.”
“None of your concern. I’ll give them a call when I feel like it.”
“Okay. Where are we… What are you going to do now?”
“You’d like to know that, wouldn’t you…”
“Jesus, woman. I’m crapping my pants here. Couldn’t you give me a clue?”
“No. And shut your fucking mouth already!”

Oh, shit… She’s stronger now… One brief touch and I can’t fucking breathe… Fuck… Have to stay awake… I don’t fucking want to end up like Jack…

That’s it. Breathe. Just keep your mouth shut and breathe, you moron. Keep your eyes open. She just turned from the main road. The car is not running anymore. Bright lights… A motel? Yeah. A motel. ‘The Road-End’. Fitting name. Doesn’t look like much, but I bet there are sturdy and thick walls to keep the noise out. Or in.

“Okay, darling. Here we go. Let me help you up…”
“Watch your back, Marie… I’m heavy…”
“Oh, I know. I know everything there is to know about you…”

This should be interesting. I can’t lift a fucking pinkie, let alone fight back. What ever she wants to do, she gets to do in almost full cooperation. Not that I would have hurt her anyway. Not much at least. Just knocked her out long enough to get away from her. Not going to happen now. Not with my hands shackled behind my back. Not when I’m sitting in a bathtub, completely naked. Not when she’s naked as well. What the fuck is she planning to do? Fuck me to death?

“Here. Take these.”
“Viagra? Marie, what…”
“I’m planning to find out everything that has happened during the years I was… Indisposed. And I’m going to have some fun as well. My control over my skin is rickety at best. I’m going to fill that tub with gelatin; it should slow down the drain a little. These little pills are just an insurance. Wouldn’t want you to shrink back at the wrong moment.”
“You do know that my healing will eat them up like they’re fucking candy?”
“That’s what I have this for. Viagra will just give you a jump-start.”
“A fucking dildo?”
“You have your soft spot as well as I.”
“Couldn’t find a bigger one? Are you sure that’s enough?”
“Is the Wolverine afraid of an itsy bitsy piece of rubber?”

Afraid? No. Just relieved. If her skin doesn’t finish me off, that thing will. I’m quite sure that my healing doesn’t cover torn up and stirred intestine.

“Want a free advice?”
“You’re going to give it anyway. Why bother asking?”
“Forget this shit. I’ll fuck you and let you drain me during or after that. How about it?”
“Nope. You’re too good at hiding your thoughts from me. Bend over, darling.”
“No.”
“No?”

Heh. That sure messed up her plan. Looks like she was counting on my cooperation all along. She’s all flustered up. Fucking idiot. If you don’t have the guts to get your hands dirty, darling, don’t even start messing with me.

“No. You can shove that dildo up in your own ass for all I care. If you want to fuck, lets fuck. If you want to kill me, get on with it already!”
“Fuck you, Logan!”

Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall… Shit. It’s getting cold in here. And there’s a nasty crick developing to my shoulders. She left about half an hour ago. Jesus. That dildo’s thicker than my fucking wrist. Wouldn’t have gone in without lube anyway. Basic rule of nature. You can’t force a dry elephant through an eye of a needle, but grease it up a bit and the sucker will slide through faster than you can say KY.

Shouldn’t have been so mean to her. It’s not like she has done something like this before. She’s just lashing out, channeling me. Had it been Jean or Magneto she’d touched instead of me, and I’d be pinned against the wall, paralyzed and spilling my guts, talking a mile in a minute and begging her to finish me off. Crap.

Just come back darling. Come back and finish me before I freeze my balls off.

“Wolverine?”

Nadine? The fuck is she doing here? Have I finally lost it?

“Wolverine, oh Jesus! At first I didn’t believe it, but I had to come and check it out myself… Let me get those cuffs off from you…”

Fuck… Stop fucking jostling me…

“Hurts…”
“I bet it does. She said that you have been a week in here. Said that she was too scared to come and let you go by herself.”
“Who…”
“She didn’t tell me her name. Young. Pretty. Long brown hair. Awfully skittish.”

Anna. Must be. Why the fuck is she afraid of me? And how the hell does she know about what happened?

“Water…”
“Here. Drink slowly… That’s it, don’t choke on it. How about if I move those arms of yours to your front side?”

Please, don’t. I’m just fine like this and…

“Oh, fuck, Nadine!”
“That’s the thanks I get for releasing your sorry ass from this tub?”
“I’d fuck you if I could, but right now I’m… Little tired…”
“What the hell is this?”
“Haven’t seen a dildo before? You surprise me, Nadine.”
“Do I even want to know what happened?”
“No, you don’t… You think you could find some clothes for me? I don’t know what Ma… Rogue did to my clothes and…”
“Here. They were in a heap in the bedroom.”
“Thanks… Uh… You think you could give a hand? I can’t seem to… My fingers are little stiff…”
“Dad?”
“Anna?”
“Is he alright? Nadine, is he alright?”
“Come and see for yourself.”
“It’s okay, Anna. I’m okay. Don’t worry.”

Nadine stepped out after dressing me. Now it’s just Anna and me. And she’s looking awfully guilty. Shuffling her feet, staring at her toes, acting like a fucking three-year-old caught from the cookie jar. Fuck… My shoulders hurt. Left one is probably dislocated. Shit.

“So…”
“Mom came home few days ago… Or she didn’t come. Scott found her wandering around in the mall, completely dazed off, and brought her back home. Jean scanned her mind. Just in case…”

Just in case I fucked her up for good. Jean’s not stupid. She knows perfectly well what I’m capable of. She just can’t comprehend that I couldn’t use my skills against Marie.

“She told me that I would find you here.”
“What about Marie?”
“Mom… She’s… They put her back in to her old room. She’s in a really weird mood. One minute she’s walking down the hall or reading something, and at the next moment she’s screaming and crying, trying to tear her eyes out or…”
“Oh, God…”
“Dad? Please, dad, are you alright?”
“What happened to her?”
“I don’t know. Jean didn’t tell me. Are you alright?”
“I will be as soon as I find out what happened. When she left here she was okay. How the hell did she end up back in N.Y. completely screwed up?”
“Dad…”
“Daddy’s not home right now, pumpkin. Nadine!”
“Yes?”
“I need your phone and your car.”
“Okay. Just drop me off at my place. And please, don’t trash my baby, okay?”
“Don’t worry, Nadine. You get your truck back in working order as soon as I don’t need it anymore. I have some… Family issues to attend to.”

Anna doesn’t look too hot. She’s… She’s fucking scared. Scared of me? She hasn’t spoken a word since we dropped Nadine off. That was two hours ago. It would probably be a good idea to pull over at the next diner that comes ahead and have a little chat with her.

“Jean said that I shouldn’t come.”
“You know what, pumpkin? Auntie Jean was probably right. But now that you’re here… You know what I did to Jack, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s going to look like a pat on the head once I find the person who screwed up your mom. And you’re going to help me to find that creep.”
“But dad! You can’t just waltz around maiming people…”
“I can, and I will. Usually I get paid for it, but Jack and the fuckhead who ruined your mom… Those are personal.”
“Get paid for it?”
“Yes, pumpkin. When I’m not worrying over you and your mom or pummeling out some poor schmucks in the cage, these hands and this mind are for rent to anybody who needs a little wetwork done.”

She looks a bit green around the gills.

“Are you going to finish that waffle of yours?”
“Uh… No… I think I’ll go to bathroom…”
“You mind if I eat it? I’m still a bit hungry and…”
“No. No, I don’t mind. Go ahead.”

She’s taking her time. We should get going already. The weather is acting up. Wouldn’t want to get caught in to a freak snowstorm at this side of the border.

“You’re insane.”

And that’s news?

“Yes. Do you want anything else or can we get going? I’d like to get cross the border tonight.”
“Could you just leave me here? You could ask Scott to come and pick me up when you get in to N.Y.”
“No, I can’t leave you here. You don’t have a spiffy mutation to cover your ass like your mom has. You just got my senses, and a lot good will they do to you when some asshole decides to have a piece of your ass.”
“Dad!”
“You’re coming with me, Anna. I need your help when we get back to Xavier’s. Jean probably won’t let me see Marie. You have to go in there and find out what happened. Find out who hurt her.”
“What if I don’t help you? What are you going to do?”
“Anna…”
“Are you going to tie me to a chair and cut off my hands? Or maybe draw off my toenails? Or how about some electric shocks? I hear they work like a charm!”
“Shut your mouth, young lady. I’m still your father. And electric shocks? I’d like to think that I’m more creative than that…”

At least that shushed her up. And now she’s more scared than she were before we walked in to that diner. What the fuck is wrong with me? I practically threatened her back there.

“Anna… I’m sorry. Your old man is fucked up from the head. But I’m not that fucked up that… I could never hurt you. I could never hurt you or your mom. Not intentionally anyway.”
“You sure could have fooled me back there…”
“You’re the only one who can help me. I can’t just go asking from Jean what happened. She’d fucking lock me up and sedate me…”
“Dad. Jean is not stupid. And she loves mom. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help…”
“Jean has ethics. She’ll know what’ll happen to the person that attacked your mom. Jean’s a doctor. She’s a good woman. Nice and caring. She doesn’t want, or even need somebody’s death on her conscience.”
“Jean doesn’t deserve to carry that burden, but you’re ready to pile it upon my back?”
“Anna… Stop fucking with me. You don’t even have a fucking conscience. You’re too much like your mom and me. It really isn’t even bothering you, is it? What I do? You’re just stalling because you’re afraid that you might like little too much stepping over the line.”
“So? What if I am afraid?”
“Suck it up, pumpkin. Your mom needs both of us.”

“Anna, wake up.”
“Huhnh?”
“Your turn to take the wheel. I’m about ready to pass out.”
“What time is it?”
“Around six o’clock.”
“In the morning?”
“Evening. You slept through the day.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”
“I needed to think. Now I really need to sleep. Scoot over here.”
“I don’t… I don’t know if I can drive this kind of car…”
“You better learn quick. We have no time to waste.”

The sooner we get back to Xavier’s the sooner I can start planning my next steps. Ororo and Jean, they have no grounds to keep me away from the mansion, I can bunk in there as long as it takes from Anna to snoop out what happened to Marie. Just have to be careful. Can’t let Jean to know that Anna’s new interest towards her mom is because of me. Can’t have Anna banned from the guest list as well. If that happens… Jean only knows what happened during those days Marie was MIA. And I really hate to drag it out from her. I will do that if Anna fails, there’s no question of it, but… Jean’s not a bad person.

“If you need to eat, my wallet’s in the glove compartment. Just stay out of five star restaurants and there should be enough cash for pretty much anything you feel like having.”
“I’m not a kid, dad.”
“Yes, you are. You went and grew up on me, but you’re still a kid. My kid.”
“What ever… Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Sleep well. I… I’ll wake you up as soon as we’re getting closer to N.Y., okay?”
“Wake me as soon as you get tired of driving. I just need few hours and I’m as good as new.”
“Okay.”

She’s so much like her mom. From inside out. From behind even I could mistake her for Marie. Younger Marie. The one I found from my trailer. The one who looked at me with those huge, moist eyes in the train just before Magneto interrupted us. Fuck…

She took the cure because of Bobby. Went nuts because cell structures the cure altered were never meant to be altered. But before that, before she went crazy… Fuck. I miss that year. I miss the woman she was. How she used t smile at me. How she let me hold her. How she held me in bed. All wrapped around me, warm and alive and happy…

“Dad?”
“Yeah…”
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m… I’m fine. I just miss your mom.”
“You still love her?”
“Never stopped loving her. I know… I know what it must have looked like, but… I’m not a smart man. I just did what felt right at the moment.”
“You still love her after what she did?”
“…After what she did? What did she do?”
“Jesus! She left you handcuffed to that bathtub after she had done God knows what to you with that dildo!”
“Umm… It’s really none of your business. But nothing happened. She got freaked out before… and besides, it would have been only something I had earned anyway.”
“But… Dad! Are you gay or something?”
“No. Can we just drop this subject? I’m not about to start educating you with the finer points of torture and powerplay.”
“And why not? Aren’t I exactly like you and mom? Fucked up enough to learn the whole ugly truth?”
“I never said that I was going to teach you to be like me. I meant that you’re strong enough to understand your mom and me. The things we do. And why we do those things. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to make you my fucking apprentice!”
“Dad!”
“End of discussion. Wake me up when you feel like taking a nap.”

“Logan.”
“Ororo. Good to see you.”
“I wish I could say the same. If you came for her…”
“I came to get some rest. And bring Anna back. I’ll be out of your hair in no time, don’t worry.”
“Fine. As long as you understand that we can’t let you see Marie…”
“And why the fuck would I even want to see her? She went fucking nuts and tried to kill me. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. Just take care that she can’t come after me again and everything’s okay.”
“What about… You’re still married to her.”
“Yeah? So? I’m married to a freak that you’ll be keeping locked up for the rest of her life. Hasn’t been a hindrance before. Won’t be now.”
“Fine. But if we find you snooping around anywhere near her room…”
“You won’t. Honestly. I rest for few days. After that… You won’t be hearing from me anymore.”

Ororo’s not stupid. Neither is Jean. Have to stay out of their way. And Anna… Fucking shit. I knew I forgot something. Anna. She doesn’t know how to shield her mind from Jean. She’s walking around carrying a fucking neon sign on her forehead. ‘Spy’, blinking on and off, bright red light, and as soon as Jean spots her… Fuck. Where did she go? Where the hell did you go, Anna?

“Logan!”
“Not now, Jean.”
“Walk with me. I need to discuss with you.”
“I don’t have time for…”
“You could have come to me and asked instead of sending Anna to do your dirty work.”
“Huh?”
“Logan, please. Neither of us is stupid. And Anna is scared out of her wits. What the hell were you thinking when you sent her…”
“Jeannie…”
“I know Ororo would wish you to have this information, but she can’t ask me to hand it over to you.”
“Jean…”
“Hush, now. I will give you this envelope. There’s everything you need to know. But I’m asking something from you in return.”
“Ask.”
“I don’t want to see you ever again when it’s over.”
“We have a deal. Just… Take care of Anna and Marie for me, okay?”
“You don’t have to ask. They’re family. They will be taken care of.”
“I… I need to look though this stuff. Make some plans. I…”
“You still have your room. But as soon as you’re ready…”
“I’ll go. I promise. And Jean… Thanks. Thanks for everything.”

I have to open that envelope eventually. There’s no way around it. But do I really want to know? It’s thick. It’s not as much an envelope as it is a folder. It’s from Jean’s desk at the infirmary. One corner is little frayed, and there’s X-rays peeking through the torn seam. X-rays. What the fuck do I need those for? I need names. Faces. A decent target. Fuck. I need a beer. In fact, several of them wouldn’t hurt right now… Who’s that at the door? I thought everybody was asleep already… I fucking know that scent. This is not good. Not good at all.

“Marie? How the hell did you get out?”
“Got out? What the hell are you talking about? I have been at the mall with Jubes the whole day.”
“Uh…”
“I called to Scott when we were ready and he told me you’d come and pick us up. We waited like three hours and you didn’t show up, so we had to hail a cab! Do you have any idea of how much it costs to get from the city back here?”
“Um… No?”
“Oh… Why do I even bother to ask! You probably haven’t used a cab in your life! Well, anyway… I just came to tell you that you shouldn’t start worrying even if Scott said something. Oh, and I brought you this! Enjoy.”

Six-pack of Molson’s. Where the hell did she pull that out? From her ass?

“Thanks, uh… You’ll be heading to Bobby, then?”
“Why would I do that? He’s probably off somewhere, fawning over Kitty. I’d rather hang out with you. That is of course if you don’t mind…”

A girl you know and who has tried to off you with her poison skin and big-ass dildo on the previous week shows at your door and proposes a date. What do you do? What do you do, bub? Considering that the girl’s telepathic and telekinetic friend, as well as her weather-controlling friend have already warned you off from her.

“I don’t mind. The roof okay with you? It’s a nice night out there.”

Ahh… This is how it should have been. Me, Marie, rooftop and all those fucking bright and blinking stars above. We had this, in the beginning. Before her mind started fraying. We used to come up here after curfew and sit for hours, just talking and sharing beers. Students got off easy during nights when we were supposed to monitor halls, but… It wouldn’t have made any difference even if we sat at the front door. Kids had the sense to sneak back in to their rooms through the windows.

“Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever thought about having kids?”
“Sometimes. Why?”
“It’s nothing. Just a thought. Before I took the cure I was so sure that I could never have a normal relationship. That I could never have what normal people had. Now that my skin is off… I don’t know what to think about it.”

I should have noticed. I should have noticed how lost she were. How completely out of it she was right from the moment they squirted that fucking poison in to her system. But I was blind. Blind and deaf. I could only see how she smiled. I could only hear how she laughed. I could only smell how fucking happy and contended she was when she was finally able to kiss me and feel my lips and hands on her bare skin.

“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing… Got a bug up in my eye…”
“Let me see…”
“No, it’s fine. I think… I think it came off already. Just let me hold you…”

Can’t let her touch me now. Can’t let her find out that her skin is on. She’s fucking thinking that she took the cure last month. I should take her back downstairs. Wake up Jean and ask her to sedate Marie. But I don’t want to do that. It’s not fucking fair. I don’t want to leave her here. I want my fucking life back! I want my fucking wife back!

“About your skin… I just want you to know that it wouldn’t have made any difference to me. It wouldn’t have mattered.”
“It would have. Eventually it would have, Logan. And it mattered to me. I want same things as anybody else. A handshake. A hug. A kiss.”
“Well, as long as you did it for yourself and not for some boy…”
“Cut the crap, Logan. You’re afraid because you think I did it for you. Isn’t that right?”
“No.”

And that’s a big fucking lie. I’m glad she’s sitting her face turned away from mine. I’m not much of a liar. Not at least when it comes to her and things that really matter. Well, it’s not a complete lie. I’m not afraid. I fucking know that she did it because of me. The thing she had with Bobby… My girl is smart. She knew already that what they had wouldn’t last when she stepped in to the line in front of the clinic. She was just taking necessary precautions so that she’d have something, somebody to turn to when everything came crumbling down. She wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be able to say no.

“About that kiss, Logan…”
“Ah… It’s getting a bit cold out here, don’t you think? Maybe we should head back inside…”
“Logan. It’s rude to interrupt other people.”

Yes, it is. But if I don’t interrupt you right now, we’re both knee deep in shit. And this time it’s going to take a fucking miracle to crawl on top of that pile before we both drown.

“Sorry. But it’s getting late. We should go to bed; we both have early morning tomorrow. Come on, I’ll walk you to your room.”
“Lo-gan… Why can’t I sleep in your room?”
“You know why, Marie. I’d love to have you in my bed. I’d like nothing more than to wake up next to you, but…”
“Yeah, yeah… You know, sometimes I think that those nightmares are just convenient excuse for you to pull out when you feel like having your own time and space.”
“Marie! You know that it isn’t like that!”
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just so frustrating… Are you sure there’s nothing that the professor Xavier could do? Couldn’t he just… I don’t know, block the nightmares or something?”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to ask him about it tomorrow. Come on. Maybe we can catch some of the kids sneaking in… I know how you like scaring the wits out of them…”
“Can we grab some ice cream from the kitchen on our way?”
“Yeah. But we have to be real quiet. You know how much Jean hates it when we wake her up.”
“It wasn’t me who dropped that crystal bowl last night…”
“Fuck. It wasn’t my idea to try and see how much ice cream we could stuff in it.”
“You’re just one, big, clumsy ass…”
“Yeah. And that’s why you love me so…”

Fuck! Fuck! Don’t! Marie, don’t! Don’t fucking touch me! Oh shit… Why can’t she feel what she’s doing to me… Jesus… Let go. Let go. Hurts… she doesn’t even fucking know what’s happening… Okay… I can do this. I. Can. Do. This. Hands against the wall… Fuck… Her lips are so soft… Tastes like beer… And tea… Don’t go fainting now, she doesn’t know… She doesn’t fucking know that she’s draining me!

“Honey… Let go… You have to let go…”
“Logan? Are you alright?”
“Yeah… Just a little woozy. Huh. That was… That was a hell of a surprise, darling.”
“You’re shaking…”
“Yeah. It’s just… I have wanted to kiss you so long and…”
“You swooned?”
“And if you ever let anybody know about this, my reputation will be ruined.”
“Don’t worry, big guy… Your secret is safe with me. But only if you promise that we kiss some more in the near future.”
“You can count on that, darling… But how about that ice cream now? I think there might be some vanilla and chocolate chip left from last night.”

Couldn’t do that. Couldn’t leave her down there. It sounds so good to hear her breathing behind me. All curled up on my bed. Her scent on my pillow and sheets. I’m a fucking moron. I have no fucking way of knowing who will wake up tomorrow morning. Will it be Marie twenty years ago? Will it be Marie from the last week? Or something from between? But who the fuck cares. As long as she’s asleep I can pretend. Pretend that none of the shit happened. And go through this fucking file. Better do that now. Jean and Ororo will toss me out in the morning when they find Marie from here.

Let’s see… Medical records? What the crap… Genetic modifications… Altered personality… Implant procedures… Isn’t this mine? Where’s that envelope? Holy shit. I need to see Jean. Right now.

“When the hell were you planning to clue me in to this shit?”
“Never. Okay. Never. But you asked for it. Happy now?”
“Jesus. How fucked up you are, Jean?”
“Fucked up enough to think that it wouldn’t matter. I must admit that I had my doubts, but…”
“Jesus Christ, Jean! Wouldn’t matter? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Logan… You must understand… I wasn’t going to ruin what you two had just because there was this miniscule possibility…”
“Miniscule possibility? There was this miniscule possibility that I married my own fucking daughter! There was this miniscule possibility that I was fucking my own fucking daughter and you didn’t see it fit to tell us? What the fuck is wrong with you, you sick bitch?”
“But she isn’t your daughter, Logan…”
“Oh, yeah? And how do you know that? How can you be so sure?”
“If Marie was your daughter, Anna would have gotten both of your mutations. She’d have born with your ability to heal, and later on her skin would have activated, just like Marie’s did.”
“So… You just sat on your ass for the year I lived with Marie and kept hoping that I wasn’t her father? Christ. And I fucking trusted you. Trusted you enough to leave her life in to your hands. You’re one sick fuck, Jean. I’m leaving tonight. I’m taking Anna and Marie with me.”
“Logan…”
“Fuck you, Jean! Stay the hell away from my sight before this urge to see your innards gets the better of me…”

That’s what happened to her. I know they have been following my progress every now and then. Just to see what has become of their little pet-project. They snatched Marie when they found out her connection to me. When they realized that she was their creation as well. Made just before I busted out from that fucking lab.

There are too many similarities on those DNA charts. Too fucking many. Even an ordinary idiot like me can draw some conclusions from that. Jeannie’s right, there’s not enough for Marie to be my daughter. I don’t have a fucking clue of what she is. Except that she’s mine. She’s mine. Anna’s mine. And it’s time to start taking care of what’s mine and forget the rest of the world.

“Wake up, Anna.”
“Dad? What is it?”
“I need you to wake up and pack your stuff. We’re getting the hell out of here. Meet me in the garage.”
“But… Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get your mom.”
“Mom? Dad…”
“I’ll explain everything later. Just pack your stuff. You got ten minutes. If Jean or Ororo tries to stop you…”
“Dad! You’re scaring me!”
“Sorry about that, pumpkin. Not my intention. Now move that pretty ass of yours. We don’t have much time.”

We don’t have time, period. If she’s not in the garage after ten minutes, I’m leaving without her. I can always come back later and pick her up. Right now getting Marie out of here is my first priority.

“Marie.”
“Hmmh?”
“Wake up, darling. We’re going for a ride.”
“At this hour?”
“Yeah. I have a bad feeling.”
“Do I have time to pack?”
“No. We can buy what ever you need, but we need to get out of here, right now.”
“Okay. I just grab some clothes…”

Thank God it’s Marie who woke up. Had it been that bitch from hell that came after me last week…

“Where are we going?”
“In to the garage. Just have to take a small detour. I need something from the infirmary.”
“Somebody’s hurt?”
“No. I just need something…”
“Shouldn’t we warn the professor? Shouldn’t we let him know that they’re coming?”
“The professor already knows. I told him before I came to get you.”

So she thinks we’re running from the army? This is fucking easier than I imagined. Something familiar.

“Are we taking anybody else?”
“Yeah. A… A friend of mine. Her name’s Anna.”
“I don’t know anybody named Anna…”
“I just met her. She moved here tonight. She’s… You’ll like her, trust me.”
“It doesn’t matter if I like her or not. We just have to make sure that everybody gets out safely, right?”
“Right. Take this.”
“First aid kit? This is what you came for?”
“Yeah. Go to garage now. Anna’s probably waiting for us there already. She knows my truck.”
“What about you?”
“I’m coming. I just have to take care of something first.”

Come on, Jean… Where do you keep them? All those pretty injectors… Where the fuck are they? There oh fucking shit!

“Storm.”
“Wolverine. Jean told me that you were getting on the road again.”
“Yeah. Is there a particular reason why you zapped me?”
“Yes. That cabinet is locked for a reason. Jean doesn’t like to leave narcotics laying around so that anybody can pick them up.”
“I’m not anybody, Ororo. You fucking know that there’s very little use for me with that stuff. But I need it anyway.”
“Need it for what?”
“Jean didn’t tell you? I’m taking my family to a vacation. Some fresh air and sun… Marie has been looking so fucking pale lately.”
“You figured that you could start fucking her again for a change, is that it? Just keep her doped up and use her?”
“Have you all gone fucking mad all of a sudden?”
“Back off from that cabinet, Logan. I can’t stop you from taking your wife, but you’re not getting anything else from here.”
“Ororo… I fucking need something to keep her calm when her mood shifts again.”
“Well, that’s your problem, isn’t it? You can of course leave Marie here if you feel like you can’t take care of her properly. She will be looked after. She’ll be comfortable. And when she starts missing you, we just tell her that you’re out there looking for your past. Just like we have done for the previous twenty-fucking-years you have been fucking around!”
“Fine. Goodbye, Ororo. And thanks. For everything you have done for her. I know she would have appreciated your friendship if she had had a clue of what was going on.”

Have to figure out something else then. Can’t really risk another shock from Ororo. My fingers are shaking as it is.

“Finally! You said ten minutes! I was about to leave your ass here!”
“Not now, Anna. Buckle your seatbelts. Both of you.”
“Jeesh, Logan. You’re a regular charmer, aren’t you…”
“Shut up, Marie. I need to think.”
“Da… Logan? Shouldn’t we be driving out of here?”
“Yes, we should, Anna. Hush up now, both of you. Are those seatbelts on?”
“Good and ready!”

Like a fucking stereo. This is going to be interesting. Well, at least it looks like they’re getting along just fine. I wonder how long does it take from Marie to start to wonder why her new friend looks so much like her? And what the hell am I going to do when that happens?

A week. A fucking week.

“Dad? Dad? Are you alright? Dad! Say something!”
“Stop fucking screaming, Anna. I’m not deaf…”
“Oh, my God! You’re bleeding!”
“Doesn’t matter… It’ll heal. We have more important things to worry about now…”

A full week with Marie and Anna. Just the three of us, nice and cozy in the truck during days, Marie and Anna sharing a room during nights and I’m sleeping in the truck, because I’m just Logan. The big and hairy Logan who saved their asses when the army came.

“More important? She tore you open with her bare hands and we have something more important to worry about?”
“Yeah… We need to find something to calm her down. You wouldn’t happen to know anybody…”
“I knew somebody. Unfortunately you took him out of business.”
“Who? Jack? The asshole’s not dead… Just… Just severely handicapped…”

Woke up half an hour ago. Marie was in the cab with me. I thought that she wanted to talk. Yeah. Right. She’s still pissed at what I did to Jack. And how I used those women. Fuck. If Anna hadn’t woken up for bathroom, I wouldn’t be here, leaning against this fucking door. Marie wouldn’t be on the other side of this door, screaming and kicking, trying to claw her way through it to get me.

“I thought you killed him.”
“Nope… Just took away his tools. Made sure that he can’t hurt anybody anymore… You think you could find him for me?”
“I don’t know. Shit. We have to stop that bleeding. Why aren’t you healing?”
“Your mom… She used her skin. Drained me… I’ll be alright in a few hours… You sure you couldn’t track down that bastard?”
“We’re in fucking Canada, dad! Use your brain!”
“Yeah. Not one of my brightest ideas, pumpkin… Fuck. Hand me that towel, would you? What ever this shit is, I have a feeling that it better stay inside of me…”
“What about Nadine?”
“I don’t know. That’s a possibility… Take the truck. Tell her that I sent you…”
“It’ll take a couple of days. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah. Just leave the first aid kit and I’m good to go… Fucking go already!”

Okay… Let’s see. Where to start? That gash on my side will fucking tear wide open as soon as I let go of this towel. Stomach’s not in any better shape. Jesus. She really did a number on me. If I weren’t bleeding my guts out I would fucking kiss her. Then strangle her. She’s too good at this shit.

“You think you could stop screaming and kicking this door for a sec, darling? I’m trying to stitch up my stomach here!”
“Fuck you, asshole! Curl up and die!”
“Not yet, honey! You have to try harder!”
“I wish I had never even met you!”
“No, you don’t! And stop that fucking kicking! It’s kind of hard to make even row when you keep jostling me!”
“Like it matters! When I get out of here I’m going to gut you anyway!”
“You think so? You sure you wouldn’t want to play dominatrix for a change? Give me a good spanking for being a bad boy?”
“Fuck you!”
“That’s it! Kick that door once more and I’ll fucking come and stitch your legs together!”
“Uuu… I’m so scared!”

Fuck this.

“In about two hours I’m going to be as good as new. If you don’t start behaving at this second, I’m going to knock you out and fuck you to the next week. Is that understood?”
“You can’t do that, you sick fuck!”
“Want to bet on it?”

Blessed silence. Maybe I can get this mess sorted out after all. Now where the fuck did that needle go?

Almost there. Christ, I’m thirsty… As soon as I get this finished I’m going to raid that minibar… Wha… She’s crying? What the fuck is her problem? She’s not the one sitting in a puddle of blood and shit!

“Logan… Is it true?”
“What?”
“That stuff in that file? That we’re…”
“Related? I don’t know. It’s not like I’m your father or anything, but there’s several markers…”
“Oh, God… I think I’m going to be sick…”
“That’s what you get when you go waltzing through my mind.”
“It doesn’t bother you?”
“It does. But until we find out the truth… There’s no use to weep over it.”
“No use… You could very well be my fucking grandfather for all we know!”
“No. That’s a definite no. You’re too old for that.”
“Does Anna know?”
“No. Wasn’t planning to tell her before I know for sure.”

Shit. That last stitch’s not going to hold… Okay. Concentrate, asshole. You could do this with your eyes shut. Close your eyes, you fucking moron. Double vision makes you only fuck this up…

“Logan?”
“Yeah…?”
“Could you… Could you let me out of here?”
“For what? If you want a second round, darling, you have to wait until I get better…”

This is fucking impossible. My hands are shaking. Dropped the needle again. I need something to drink. Can’t leave this door. Lock’s on the inside. She’ll bolt out of there as soon as I raise my ass from this floor.

“I… I could help.”
“Help with what?”
“You’re still bleeding.”

No shit, Sherlock? It’s a fucking miracle that I’m still conscious. Should have asked Anna to bring me some water before she left.

“None of your concern. Just keep still. Keep your mouth shut and let me concentrate, okay? Because this is hard enough without your whining…”
“A truce? I promise not to try anything…”
“Shut up, Marie. I’m not in the mood for games… I just want to get this fucking mess fixed up before I spill my fucking guts all over this floor!”
“But I really want to help you!”
“Fuck you, bitch. Not going to fall for that one… Oldest trick in the book, Marie! Give me some fucking credit!”
“Logan, please. Open this door.”
“I’ll open it as soon as Anna gets back and we have enough shit to knock you out.”
“You sent her to buy drugs?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you insane?”
“Probably. Fuck! Fine, okay… I let you out. But try anything and I swear I’ll fucking slice you to ribbons…”
“Coming out now… Uh… You might want to move a bit. You’re blocking the door.”
“I’ll move in a sec… Just promise… Promise me one thing first.”
“What?”
“Take care of Anna.”
“Logan, she’s my daughter…”
“Fucking promise! Oh, fuck…”
“Fine! I promise! Let me out, I don’t like that pool of blood coming from under the door!”

Insane? Definitely. For all I know she could just finish what she started earlier. Wouldn’t take an effort. But if I croak here, she’ll be trapped in to that fucking bathroom for God knows how long. There’s no window for her to crawl out.

“You did stitch up arteries as well?”
“Wha… Couldn’t really see what I was stitching… It’s all kind of jumbled up in there…”
“I married an ass. Come on, get up… I’m going to help you on that bed.”
“Just forget the fucking stitches… They’ll fall off anyway as soon as healing kicks in…”
“Easy now. You don’t want to tear those open. I’ll go and get some towels.”
“Marie?”
“Yes?”
“Why?”
“I want to find out the truth. I need you for that. But don’t get your hopes up. We’re over. And after this is over, after we know what really happened in that fucking lab… You’re going to wish that you just kept driving back in Laughlin.”
“Fair enough… For what it’s worth, I really am sorry…”
“So am I. Sleep now. You need to rest.”

“Wolverine…”
“Hmmhuh?”
“Wolverine.”
“Marie? What…”
“You’re him!”
“Huh?”
“Please, don’t kill me! Please, don’t! Don’t hurt me, don’t touch me, please! Don’t come any closer, just stop, don’t kill me plea…”

Okay. That went fine. She knocked herself out to the dresser. She’ll probably stay unconscious for a while. I could take a quick shower. Yeah. All sticky and dried up. Ugh. And I’m not even going to try and guess what all this shit and goo is… Shower it is. Just going to move her to the bed first. She can’t be too comfortable on that floor. My ass is still numb from when I sat in front of the bathroom door.

All healed up. Jesus it feels good to stretch up without having to be afraid that half of my innards will flop out… Shower and I really need to shave. I’m starting to look like a fucking yeti.

As soon as Marie wakes up we can get going. Have to find a car. It really was a stupid idea to send Anna to Nadine’s. Okay. She might be a good girl and ran back here as soon as she gets her purchases done. But there’s every fucking possibility that she’ll shoot that shit up to her own arm. In fact, that latter’s more likely to happen than the former. She can’t help herself.

“Marie!”

I know she’s waking up. She moved a bit. Could hear the sheets rustling. She’s barely breathing. Afraid.

“Marie? Are you alright?”

Hmm… This is something I could work with.

“Marie. Answer my question. Are you alright?”
“…yes? Please, don’t hurt me…”
“I’m not going to hurt you. You got just out of the lab, is that it?”
“…yes. You can just let me go. I promise not to tell anybody about you…”
“I’m really sorry, darling, but I can’t do that.”
“Please, don’t hurt me. If you’re going to kill me, make it fast. Please? Please!”
“I’m not going to hurt you, kid. You have nothing to be afraid of, I promise.”
“You promise?”
“Yeah. I have been there. Gone through what you’re going through. Afraid of everything and everybody. Lost. Alone. But you’re not alone. I’m going to take care of you until you get better. That okay with you?”
“… I’m not sure.”
“Why?”
“What do you want in return?”
“What have you got to offer?”
“… nothing?”
“There’s your answer. Come on, scoot over a bit. We’ll sleep for a while and go and get us a car later.”
“Just sleep?”
“Just sleep.”

From what I have understood before, the shit about her being from Meridian, about her parents throwing her out is just a big load of bullshit. At first I figured out she just cooked all that up so she wouldn’t have to reveal the real reason of a girl of her age to be out there all alone. But the info Jean had dug up… She was in a lab. Just before she stumbled in that dingy bar and hid in to my trailer she had been in a lab. In a same lab from where I escaped almost forty years ago.

“Wolverine?”
“Logan. Call me Logan.”
“Why… Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Helping me.”
“Because I can. You’re not tired anymore?”
“… no?”
“Okay. Then we should get going.”
“Where are we going? ….I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be so nosey…”
“It’s okay. We’re going to find my daughter. She left last night to do some errands.”
“You lost your… Daughter? You have a daughter?”
“Yes, I have. And if I had even half of brain I’d have her arrested and locked up for the rest of her life. For her own good. But as it happens, I kind of hate to see people getting locked up.”
“… oh. How old is she?”
“She’s about twenty.”
“That old?”
“That old? How old are you?”
“I’m twelve.”

Fucking twelve? My wife thinks she’s twelve years old? This isn’t fucking happening.

“That’s… That’s nice.”

“They put you through some rough shit back there.”
“… yes…”
“What did they do to you?”
“I don’t know… Just… Stuff.”
“Do you know why you were there?”
“No!”

Okay. That came out little too quick. She knows something.

“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m sorry… Please, don’t hurt me…”
“I’m not going to hurt you, darling. But I need to know.”
“…Why?”
“I have this funky feeling that we have something in common. I just can’t put my finger on it. And I’d like to find out what it is. I’m curious. Sue me.”
“… They talked about you every now and then.”
“Uh-huh… What did they talk about, Marie?”
“Nothing. But they were angry that you got away… Hey, is it really a good idea to drive around in a stolen truck?”
“I know what I’m doing. Could you just answer to my question?”

Blushing. She’ll fucking pop an artery soon.

“They talked about me. What did they say?”
“… nothing?”
“Bullshit, Marie. Just spit it out.”

Before I fucking spank it out of you. Can’t be anything good when it’s that hard to repeat.

“… They made meforyouasarew…”
“What was that?”
“They made me so that they could lure you back in there! … sorry. Didn’t mean to shout…”
“Lure me back in there? Sorry, darling, but I don’t think I would have gotten back there even if I knew you were there. Are you sure?”
“They were going to wait for me to grow up, then let me go. They put something in me. Some of your genes. To make sure that you’d get interested when you saw me.”
“Get interested?”
“They tried to make it so that you’d… That we… That we started dating…”
“They wanted me to start fucking you? And then what? Just wait that I get distracted enough and reel me back in?”
“…. Yes?”

That explains why she looks about ready to sink through that seat. Would explain even hell of a lot more. My reaction to her when I first saw her. That sick, perverse need to fuck her right then and there, to hell with other people, to hell with the fact that she was barely legal, to hell with the fact that I didn’t even know her and all I could smell from her was fear. If it hadn’t been for Magneto and X-Men, we would have both been back in that lab under a week.

“Uh… You’re not going to…”
“What?”
“Do ‘that’. I think I wouldn’t like it… That much…”
“I’m not in the habit of raping twelve-years-old little girls. You have nothing to be afraid of.”
“You promise?”
“I promise, Marie.”

It can’t be that simple. They fucking knew me. Knew me from inside out. Even if I had started anything with her… I kind of doubt that I would have let it go far enough. I was paranoid. I still am. I don’t think I would have gone after her even if they had snatched her from right under me.

“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“What? Marie? Isn’t that your name?”
“There was this one person… I think he was a janitor or something. He was much nicer than other people in there. He had all of us different names. He’d talk to us when he was mopping floors or fixing stuff. Talk and joke about things. Told us to hang on, one day it would get better for us. I think he wasn’t right from the head. But he was nice. He used to call me Marie. Everybody else called me Rogue.”
“Uh-huh.”
“How did you know about that name?”
“I don’t know… You said it when you slept. I just assumed…”
“It’s okay. I like that name. It just sounded weird coming from you.”
“Is it okay if I keep calling you that?”
“It’s good… Listen, could we stop soon? I… I’d really need some stuff, and…”

Blushing again. Jesus. Was she always that shy?

“Tampons or pads?”
“Huh?”
“I think there’s… Anna left some of her stuff in my bag. See if there’s something.”
“… thanks…”
“There’s a truck stop coming soon. We can stop there and you can get yourself cleaned up. You hungry?”
“Yes. Do they have pancakes?”
“I’m sure they have.”
“Can I have some?”
“As many as you like.”

What’s taking her so long? If she’s not out from that restroom in two minutes, I’m getting in. She’s been in there ten minutes already. Even if she took a shower in there it wouldn’t take that long. She’s going to have to eat those pancakes in the truck. And she’ll complain that they’re soggy and cold. She will. I fucking know she will. That’s it.

“Marie? You decent in there?”

Knock-knock… Little piggy, little piggy, let me in or I’ll huff and puff and blow down… Your… What the fuck? Where the hell is she?

“Marie? Are you in here?”
“…yes. In a stall….”
“We have to start moving. Hurry up.”
“… I….”
“Marie? What’s wrong?”
“Why do I look so old? Logan? Why… What’s going on?”

Well, darling… You look old because you’re almost forty years. You look so worn out because the past twenty years you have been living underground where there’s no windows. There are no bruises on you because they padded the walls of your room.

“It’s a long story, honey.”
“A long story? I’m not twelve, am I?”
“No.”
“How… How old…”
“You don’t want to know. Not now. Just come out of there. I’ll tell you everything once we get back on the road, okay?”
“I… I can’t… You know me, don’t you?”
“You could say that.”
“What are you? What are we?”
“Just open this door, Marie. Please. Open this fucking door before I kick it in.”
“I can’t… I’m scared… I don’t know what to think anymore…”
“Open this fucking door Marie. Open it now.”
“It’s open… please, don’t be mad at me… Don’t…”
“I’m not mad at you. Hush. Come here, darling. Come here… Hush…”
“Don’t hurt me…”
”I won’t.”
“Why? I think… I did something to you, didn’t I… I hurt you…”
“Hush. It’s all gone and over now. I got you. Just calm down, darling.”

I don’t know if it is a good thing, but it sounds like she’s… I don’t know… Pulling back together? At least few bits of her have fallen back to their places. At least she knows now that there’s something wrong with her. Shouldn’t that be a good thing? I just wish she’d stop crying. I take her out of here like this and they’re going to call the cops after me.

“Wipe your nose, darling. And try to calm down. I got you. I’ll take care of you. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure. You… You have been through a lot. And I’m going to tell you all about it. Later. It’s a long and complicated story, and we really have to get going now.”
“… Yeah. Your daughter, right? Anna? She’s in trouble, isn’t she?”
“I don’t know. Most likely. I wasn’t really thinking when I sent her out.”
“You weren’t thinking because… Oh… I did that to you? Oh… I’m going to be sick…”

Nice. Was it too fucking hard to turn your head and lean towards the toilet?

“I’m sorry.”
“That makes the two of us. How the hell… You haven’t even eaten anything! What is this? The Exorcist?”
“What?”
“Just forget it. Get yourself cleaned up. I’m going to see if there’s warm water in that shower… But hey. Make it quick. We have been hogging this place too long already.”

Don’t look at me like that. Just eat your goddamned pancakes. I fucking know they’re cold already. Don’t… Don’t you dare to open that mouth of yours…

“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did I do that to you?”
“Tore me up?”
“Yes. Why did I hurt you like that?”
“I did some pretty shitty things to you before that.”
“You… Hurt me?”
“Yes.”

Where to start?

“You… You do know that you’re little fucked up from the head, right?”
“… Yes?”
“When we met, you weren’t like that. You were running away from some bad people. I helped you out. We met some good people and decided to stay with them. Other mutants. People like us. You… You started dating this boy…”
“Bobby? His name was Bobby, right?”
“Yeah. How much do you remember?”
“Just bits and pieces. But keep talking. It feels like… Like it’s helping me to remember.”
“Okay. So, you started dating that little wanker…”
“Logan!”
“What? Fine… Bobby. You two were doing just fine at first. Then something happened. I don’t know what. You just started drifting apart. Then some people developed a cure. Some shit that was supposed to ‘cure’ mutants. Make us normal. You went and took it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. You once said that you wanted the same things as everybody else. Touch other people without hurting them.”
“Oh… Yes. My skin.”
“Yeah. You took the cure. Little later you and Bobby broke up for good.”
“And then what?”
“You were little over seventeen back then… We… I…”
“We… We started dating?”
“Wouldn’t call it that. Fucking like small animals would probably be closer to the truth. Then you got… You got pregnant. And we got married.”
“… Anna isn’t just your daughter.”
“No. She’s ours. I was so fucking… When she was born… Shit. It was the best, and downright most fucked up day in my life… Oh, crap. I have to pull over.”

Have to. Because this is where it gets ugly. Where the hell did I put those cigars?

“Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“What happened?”
“In a minute, darling… In a minute…”
“Why was it so awful when Anna was born?”
“Up until that something… Probably the pregnancy, I don’t know… Fuck, Jean would have known how to explain this better… That day I got a daughter. And lost you. Jean thought it was probably the pregnancy that had kept you sane. When Anna was born, few hours after that you just collapsed. Freaked out. Jean had to sedate you. Next weeks… They were fucking hell. Anna needed taking care of, you needed taking care of, and all they could say was that I should just give you some more time, you’d snap out of it eventually. I lasted a year. A fucking year before I had to get away from there. I left you. I left Anna, and just ran.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“You should. I should have been stronger than that. Wasn’t away longer than couple of weeks. Came back. Ran again when it started to feel that walls were crumbling over me.”
“But… That’s you. You can’t change what you are…”
“I should have tried fucking harder! Anyway… I drank. I fought…”
“You do that all the time…”
“… and fucked around.”
“Huh?”
“I cheated you. Didn’t do that often, but I cheated you. I couldn’t very well just ask Jean to sedate you because I wanted to fuck you. Kept looking for women that looked or smelled like you and paid them for pretending to be you.”
“Logan…”
“I’m not proud of what I did, but I did it anyway. Then later… Well, Anna grew up. Got mixed up with some bad people. Drugs and shit. I diced up a boyfriend who used her as a punching bag. You found out about it. The cure had started to wear off and I came to see you, because I thought… I thought that I could get you back, but I can’t fucking have you back, ever. I fucked up, and I’m so fucking sorry about that. We’re going to get Anna, I’m going to find a place for you two to live.”
“And… What about you?”
“That’s up to you. I was planning to go after those bastards from the lab, but you had some other plans.”
“Other plans?”
“You wanted to finish me off by yourself.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah… So. Uh…”
“I… I need to think about this. It’s… It’s a bit much all of a sudden…”
“Yeah. What ever you decide to do, it’s okay with me. Just take care of Anna when… Take care of both of you when I’m gone.”

Tomorrow we’ll hit Nadine’s. Can only hope that I find Anna from there. I’m a fucking moron. Well. It’s not all bad. Marie… She’s been quiet since our little chat back in the truck. Still wanted to share a room with me. Go figure. Maybe she wanted to save money. Don’t have too much of that. Have to get in to the cage at Nadine’s. But right now…

She’s in the shower. Has been for the past half an hour. Got in right after me. This is nice. Can almost imagine that there’s nothing wrong. Just the two of us on the road. A vacation. Yeah. That’d been nice. On our way to Alaska. That’s where she said she was going when I found her from my trailer.

All day in the truck, and now she’s just freshening up. Freshening up because we’re not that tired yet, and we don’t have to get up early tomorrow.

Get a grip, you fucking ass. You already jerked off in the shower. And she wouldn’t touch you anyway. Why the fuck would she?

Better just go to sleep. Good night, ugly world…

“Wakey, wakey…”
“Huh? Marie?”
“Hush…”
“What… What are you doing? Marie…”
“Keep your mouth shut for once. I need this.”
“Marie, I don’t think this is such a good idea… To… To… Oh, shit!”
“Shut your mouth before I shut it. I want to fuck.”
“Okay… Shutting up now… Just be careful, okay… Marie? Marie!”

Oh, sweet Jesus… It’s slower… The drain. It’s slower but it’s still there. I’m never going to get my dick up if she keeps touching me…

“Honey, you have to… We need some protection…”
“You don’t want me anymore?”
“You fucking sick bitch! You’re fucking draining me!”
“But that’s the whole point…”
“Let go. Let go! Let the fuck go of me!”
“You have to try harder, darling… Having some troubles?”
“I won’t… I won’t be able to do jack shit as long as you keep touching me, you fucking leech!”
“What? And I thought you liked it rough? Is the Wolverine afraid of itsy-bitsy me?”
“Let the fuck go of me already!”

That’s it… Stay there. Stay the fuck down… I can’t fucking do this, I don’t want to hurt you… Stay down!

“That wasn’t very nice. You’re hitting women now?”
“I told you to get your fucking paws off from me.”
“But I want to fuck!”
“And I don’t fucking care!”
“Oh, yeah? Is that why you’re hard as a rock already?”

Fucking traitor. Should lop it off. But what the hell…

“Get over here! On your fucking knees!”
“I don’t want it like this!”
“I don’t fucking care! You wanted to fuck, didn’t you? Let’s fuck then!”
“Logan, no…”

Logan, yes. Have to be quick. Before she drains me. Thank God for her period. She’s slick already.

“Ready or not, darling…”
“Logan!”
“What!”
“Oh, God! Harder! Go harder!”

Gladly. Don’t know how long I’ll last… Jesus-fucking-Christ… she’s so fucking tight and hot… Smells so good… Blood and mine and Marie… Has been too fucking long… Oh, fuck!

“Asshole.”
“Right back at you, darling…”
“Did I tell you that it was okay to come already?”
“No, you didn’t. Fair warning if you’re planning for the next time: Invest to bodysuits and condoms. And ask nicely.”
“Next time? It wasn’t that good.”
“You could have fooled me… With all that screaming and begging…”
“Fuck you.”
“As soon as you find yourself some clothes and some condoms for me.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake… I thought it was damn near impossible for me to get a headache, but this thudding and throbbing feeling right behind my eyes… Either it’s a leftover from our little incident last night, or just my body telling me what my mind already knows. There’s no fucking way back. No way back to what we once had. What we once were.

After we fucked I took a shower and went back to bed. Marie… she took a shower and sat in a corner sulking for the rest of the night. Found her in a heap from there in the morning, little speckle of drool under her cheek, all curled up like a fucking kitten. And I fucking kicked her. Just thought I’d be careful in case that nutjob from last night woke up. It wasn’t really a kick. More like a nudge. She woke up alright. And has been bawling her eyes out for three fucking hours already because Bobby-fucking-Iceprick-fucking-Drake broke up with her. Two more hours and we’re at Nadine’s, but if she doesn’t stop that screaming and sniffling she won’t make it to there. I’ll fucking dump her ass to the curb.

“Marie.”
“…What?”
“’This may be a wrong moment. I may be an insensitive bastard. But do you think you could stop your bawling already? It’s giving me a headache.”
“Even you don’t like me anymore!”

Shit. I need a drink. I need a fucking lobotomy. We both could use some inventive brain surgery.

“Come on, kid. You’ll be better off without Iceprick anyway.”
“Yeah, right!“
“What ever. Just try to suck it up, okay? I don’t get headaches for nothing, and there’s not fucking enough painkillers in this world to ease me if…”
“Well, excuse me! Wouldn’t want to bother you with my worries!”
“Just shut up already. Bobby’s an ass. We’re going to start fu… Erm. Just keep your mouth shut, okay?”
“We are going to start what?”
“Having some fun? As soon as you stop crying we can have some fun?”
“Fine. Be an ass. I don’t care…”

It would be so fucking easy just grab her, snap her neck and dump her out. Wouldn’t even have to stop for that. There’s this long, straight stretch of road coming, just after the next curve and small uphill… She’s stopped wearing scarves, but drain is slow. I wouldn’t probably even notice it. Could steer with my thighs. Lean over, grab her chin and forehead. Quick yank, kick the door open and drop her out. No more whining. No more waking in the middle of the night when she crawls in to bed with me. No more this ‘good uncle-Logan’ bullshit. No more this fucking headache. Just the road. Me. Anna. Could tell her that Marie went nuts and run away. Yeah. That could work. Maybe then I could actually find somebody new in to my life. Somebody who would be able to carry on full conversations without flipping through dozen personalities during each sentence. Somebody who I could fuck without having to be afraid of heart attack…

“Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. I… I don’t mean to be such a bitch.”
“Hmph.”
“It’s just so easy to let go of everything when I’m with you. I feel like… Like I can trust you. No matter what, I can trust you.”

On the other hand, it’s only hour and a half left. Hour and a half, and I can get some beer. Get in to the cage and crack some skulls. Get Anna and introduce her to Marie again. They’ll be sitting in the back, chatting about what chicks of their age chat about, not bothering me.

And Marie… When she looks at me like that… Oh, hell. She really believes it when she says that she can trust me. How the fuck can I not love her when she goes and does something like that? Fucking impossible.

“Logan…”
“Shut up.”
“But Logan…”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Logan, I’m sure that…”
“Shut the fuck up before I shut you up, Marie.”

This isn’t happening.

“Logan, say something.”

What the fuck there is to say?

“Logan, please… You’re scaring me…”
“I don’t particularly care right now, Marie. Just keep your mouth shut.”

Just keep that trap of yours shut and your ass on that stool.

“Wolverine, I don’t know what kind of asshole-pills you have been popping lately, but…”

Okay. Nadine goes first.

“It seems to me, that the only one popping any kind of pills lately has been my fucking daughter…”

Fingers just a little tighter around her collar. Just enough to make those veins on her neck bulge. Fear fucking suits her.

“Fuck you, Wolverine… You sent her yourself… How was I supposed to know…”
“Do I look like a man who would send his own fucking daughter to buy some happy-pills because she happens to need a fix?”
“Logan, let go of her! Logan!”
“Get your hands off from me, Marie. And plant your carcass to that chair over there.”
“But…”
“Do as I tell you. Now. I’m going to take Nadine here to the back room, and I’m going to have a little chat with her. Just the two of us. Between friends. Right, Nadine?”
“Fuck you… Wolverine… You sent her; you’re the… responsible one. Not me…”
“Never said I was innocent. I’m guilty for stupidity. You… I fucking thought I could trust you, Nadine!”

Over the counter, keep walking, bitch. Keep walking…

“Logan! Stop!”
“Let go of me, Marie!”
“I won’t let you hurt her!”
“You’ll do as I say! Get back on that chair before I… Fuck! Marie…”
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Logan…”

Can’t fucking breathe… Drain’s quicker now… Have to get up… Get up, get up get up you fucking pathetic wanker before she fucking kills you!

Door. Where is it… There…

“Logan! Wait!”

No fucking way.


Dead. Anna’s dead. Marie’s as good as gone. I almost killed Nadine. I almost killed Marie. Nice. I fucked it up. Fucked up everything. There’s fucking nothing left. I should call to Ororo. Ask her to come and pick up Marie. I’m pretty sure I can find a way to finish this on my own. Marie as sure as hell won’t need me in her head for the rest of the eternity.

Let’s see. Hanging? Doubt it. Works only if neck breaks, and those fuckers back at the lab made sure that nothing in me could be broken. Bullets won’t work. Neither knives. Or poisons. I’m pretty much indestructible. Of course if I could get my hands on the cure… Yeah. That might work. But it has been so fucking long. I doubt there’s even a drop of that shit left anywhere.

Leaves the lab. Where the hell are those bastards when you actually need them?

Running. That’s something I’m good at. Something familiar. Running and hiding. And screwing up things.

Stole Nadine’s truck. I doubt she’ll call it in. There are too many hazy things going on in that place of hers to let cops loose in there.

Left Marie there. Nadine knows who she is. Nadine knows what to do. She’ll take care of my girl. She’ll take care of Marie, because if she doesn’t, next time I’m coming through there’s nobody who could stop me when I feel like taking a slice of her.

I don’t even know where to go. Should have thought about this. Should have made a plan. Should have. Could have. Should, could, if… What’s fucking wrong with me? I have to stop fucking regretting! I have to stop second-guessing! I have to pull my shit together, turn this fucking truck around, go back and take Marie with me!

This fucking stops now. I’ll go and get her, find a decent place where we can bunk for the duration and see if there’s anything I can do for her.

Nadine will most likely have my hide for scaring her; Marie will be pissed as hell if she has taken a glimpse of that shit she pulled from my head when she touched me. Tough luck. I’m not going to give a shit. I’m not. I can’t afford to screw things up again. Have done that enough as it is.

“What the fuck do you want, Wolverine?”
“I came to get Rogue. You can put that shotgun down, Nadine.”
“Like hell I will…”
“Wouldn’t do much good for you anyway. Shit. Look, I’m sorry. Here.”
“What’s this? You think you can buy my forgiveness with money?”
“No. That’s for your truck. I need it. And I kind of doubt that I will come through this way anymore, can’t return it.”
“You think you can just waltz in here and…”
“I don’t think. I just came to get my wife and pay for the truck. Where is she?”
“Rogue? Wouldn’t you like to know…”
“Cut the crap, Nadine. I’m not in the mood.”
“She’s outside. In the back. That’s where… Where they buried Anna.”
“Hmph. Go and get her. I’ll be waiting in the parking lot.”
“Aren’t you going to…”
“Going to what?”
“… Say goodbye?”
“She’s fucking dead, Nadine. I’m not in the habit of talking to dead people. Go and get Rogue.”

“Where are we going?”
“Just driving for now. I’m looking for a good place for us to stay.”
“Good place to stay? Aren’t we going to go back Xavier’s? I’m sure it’s safe already…”
“We are not going to go back to Xavier’s. Ever.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, for fucking shit… Do you remember touching me earlier this evening?”
“Touching you? I… Did I hurt you?”
“Yeah. Now… If you could dig around in that pretty head of yours and pull everything you have buried under closer to the surface, it would really help us both, and I would fucking appreciate it.”
“Why are you so mean? What have I done?”
“Just fucking do it! I’m tired of this fucking shit already!”

At least she doesn’t act like a fucking teenager anymore. She looks… Frozen stiff. Locked up. Just staring straight ahead. Much like professor Xavier used to look when he was toying with his power. She’s probably going through everything that has happened. A new kind of home vid. Should keep her entertained for few hours at least. Will make it hell of a lot easier to be with her. Have to do this with every personality that surfaces. Give them all the same info. That way there’s something connecting them all together. Who knows, maybe it’s enough to jolt them all back together.

“Oh, my God!”
“Yeah. It happened. Deal with it.”

Is she going to go through that shit year by year? Because if she is, this will be over at some time next fucking month, and I don’t think I can keep up with her reactions much longer anymore. First she’s blubbering and sniffling, all over me, trying to see that I’m really alright, and the next minute she’s screaming and trashing, trying to gauge out my fucking eyeballs!

Had I been smarter I would have started this after we were somewhere secure. Tied her up and pushed her through faster. I think we’re somewhere near her twenties, and it has been a fucking week. Funny how she seems to go through this so fucking controlled all of a sudden. Random reactions, but she doesn’t keep skipping over years now like she did earlier. Maybe this is working? Maybe she really is getting better?

“Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s going on? Where are we?”
“We’re taking a vacation. Do me a favor. Take a look inside of you.”
“Huh?”
“You touched me a while ago. I need you to go through the stuff you pulled from me.”
“I…”
“Just do it. It’s important.”
“Okay… I see if I can… Huh? What is this shit?”
“No shit.”
“This can’t be right…”
“I can’t fucking lie to you when you touch me. You know that.”
“But… Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why would I want to kill you? You only did what you had to do… It’s not like you cheated me when we were together. Really together. This… How fucked up am I?”
“Beats me. You know, I kind of like this you much better than the older you.”
“I can’t blame you. Maybe I should… I probably could…”
“Marie?”
“Yes. I can do it. I know I can. I just need to…”
“Marie? Marie! Kid!”

Oh, for fucking... What the hell did she do now? Better pull over… She’s not dead. But looks like she’s in a fucking coma. What did you do? What did you do, you loony bitch?

“Marie! Wake up!”
“Sssh… Don’t wake her…”
“Marie? What…”
“Listen, asshole. Wake her now and she’s going to finish you off, there’s no question of it.”
“Who the fuck are you, then?”
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just say that I’m somebody who would like to see you squirm a bit longer.”
“Wha…”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Forgot that I was talking with a retard… I’m you. You from when you touched her at the Statue Of Liberty.”
“But… Uh…”
“Close your fucking yap before something crawls in and makes a nest. And pull that head of yours from your ass. I have a feeling that as soon as she wakes up, I’m going to disappear for good. So you better listen what I have to say.”
“What is this shit?”
“Listen, you pathetic wanker! You think you have it all figured out, don’t you?”
“What all?”
“You’re going to put her together like she was a fucking jigsaw puzzle, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Then you’re going to make sure that she has everything she needs. Food, shelter, some kind of support system, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And what then? You let her drain you?”
“Yeah. You got a problem with that?”
“You’re a fucking moron.”
“Hey!”
“I was just stating a fact, not trying to insult you. Calm down, bub.”
“Fuck you.”
“Love you too, buddy. Have you thought about what happens after?”
“What do you mean? After? After what?”
“After she has drained you and you’re floating around in here? In her head? I can tell you have given some thought to that already, but have you really thought it through properly? You won’t be able to sit back and let her run her own life.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I fucking know you! I am you! Do you have any idea how hard it is to sit back and let her screw up her whole fucking life? Starting from the moment she hooked up with you?”
“This is fucking giving me a headache…”
“Good. Maybe that’ll make you concentrate better, because she’s starting to wake up… I can sit back because I had no claim over her. You on the other hand… You’re different. You’re her fucking husband. You took the first chance to jump in to her bed, you took her in your heart, you love her, you want her, and you’re so fucking selfish that you won’t be able to let go when…”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Logan? What happened? Did I pass out or something? Where are we?”
“Welcome back, darling. How old are you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m twenty-one. What’s that got to do with anyth…”
“Old enough. You take the wheel for a while. I need to rest…”
“But I don’t know where we are going! Where the fuck are we anyway?”
“Just drive. I’m going to sleep for couple of hours.”

So. There’s Marie. And several more Marie’s. Then there’s me. Who the fuck else is sharing that brain of hers? And do I have to take care of them all? And how the hell Jean missed this all? How the hell she couldn’t tell how badly Marie’s mind is twisted up? And if she did knew… Why the hell didn’t she tell that to me?