Somewhere in Northern British Columbia...

Snowflakes came down in a seemingly endless amount, piling up around the small bar. A lone figure walked inside and brushed his shoulders off. He walked up to the bar and sat down, much like he had many months ago. Only this time, there was no petite brunette sitting next to him. The only person next to him was a fat trucker whose laugh was only slightly more disgusting than his odor. Logan growled and nodded at the bartender. The bartender walked over and Logan uttered three words.

"Gimme a beer."

The bartender popped the cap off and handed it to him. He took a swig and tried to tune out the obnoxious trucker next to him. It wasn't working. That's when he heard the latest story from his tubby lips.

"Yeah, 'bout a year ago...up in Laughlin City. I saw this broad, God whadda body. The younger side, but who cares when ya got curves like that...anyway, she was there when Stu, that big stupid guy, decided to pick a fight with the Wolverine. I tolja he was stupid. But, back to the girl...damn, I wouldn'tve minded gitt'n a piece o' that...."

Logan growled again and he grabbed the fat trucker by his dirty lapels.

"Ya talk too much, bub," he said, the glint of anger growing larger.

The trucker opened his mouth to say something, but, his tirade was cut short by an enormous left hook across his cheek. The fat trucker stumbled over a bar stool and hit the floor. Without losing a step, Logan rounded on the three other truckers and said,

"Any o' y'all have any other stories to tell?"

The truckers all shook their heads very quickly. Logan growled at them, and said, "Good."

The fat trucker started to get to his hands and feet. Logan wheeled again and planted about a half a pound of metal into his forehead, compliments of his steel toed boots. Logan cracked his neck, laid down enough to pay for the beer, picked his beer up and left the bar, flexing his hand as he went.

---

Westchester, New York...

Sunlight shone through the windows as Marie sat up in bed and stretched. She got out of bed and dressed rather quickly, because Jubilee apparently thought it was hilarious to reset her alarm clock. She finished with a pair of opera gloves and Logan's jacket, which she wore every day. She left the room, excited because today was the end of finals and her school year was done. She walked past the front desk on her way to Physics and the phone rang. She stopped and looked around for Scott or Ororo, but, neither was around so she answered it herself.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. How may Ah help ya?"

"Hi, darlin'," Logan said on the other end. Marie's heart soared. She tried to get her breathing back to normal as she chatted.

"Hiya Logan. Where have ya been? Ah've been worried sick."

Logan chuckled and said,

"I've been everywhere, darlin'. Right now, I'm just outside Calgary. I'm comin' home."

Those three words made her heart soar even farther into the stratosphere. She opened her mouth to say something witty and what came out was not at all what she intended.

"Ah love ya, Logan." she said, her accent thickening. Oh, perfect. Jus' sound lak a school-girl, why don'tcha?

Logan chuckled again, and he said, "I love you too, Marie. I'll be home tomorrow, hopefully."

Marie smiled and said, "Ah'll see ya then."

Logan grunted and said, "Bye, darlin'."

"Bye, Logan."

As Logan set down the receiver in the pay phone, a man sitting on top of a telephone pole disconnected the phone from the wire and chuckled.

"So, Professor Cornelius was right. He does have a weak spot. A very good thing." the man said, sliding down the pole.

"Too bad that Logan will not live long enough to find her. I never got the satisfaction of killing you, dear brother. And soon..."

The man began to morph. He grew taller and his skin turned a shade of bluish-grey. His hair was gone, leaving a skull plate of sorts. His body became encased in a blue armor with an enormous 'A' on the belt buckle.

"Soon, Apocalypse will reign supreme!"

---

Outside New York...

The roar of the motorcycle seemed distant as Logan dove deeper into thought.

'What am I doing? I can't take care of her anymore...I can't do the things I used to. The only thing I am is an old man with a crush and a grudge a mile wide.'

He heard a car horn and snapped out of it in time to see a luxury sedan rocketing at him. He steered out of the way and flipped the driver off, who gave him a dirty look. Logan sighed and put the bike into first gear to stop for the Canadian Border. The guard stared at him for a moment and then let him through. Logan roared off and tried not to think about it until he stopped in Buffalo for a hotel room. Logan slowly made his way up the stairs and kicked the hotel room door open. He dropped his bag and lay down on the bed. He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before closing his eyes and dropping off to sleep.

---

"Gee, Mistah, why is ya head pointy?"

This girl. This little girl was getting to him. He had to do the job and get back to Alkali Lake before her parents came back...He had no choice. He had to do this. For himself. For the Professor. For Canada. But, what could a little girl do? She can't be more than three...Three years old. He can't. But, he has to.

"Mistah, why are ya growlin'?"

He had come all the way from Canada to this podunk little hick town where her family was vacationing. He had been tracking her a long time. He couldn't let her get away. He has to kill her. He was the Weapon-X. He is a killing machine...he popped his claws and advanced on the child, she didn't look up as he brought his claws to bear... and as the claws buried themselves in her tiny chest she looked up at him. It was Marie! Oh, my god! He just killed Marie!!...

---

Logan sat up suddenly and breathed heavily. He looked at the clock and saw that he had slept longer than he had intended. He got out of bed, showered and walked out of the room, dropping the keys in front of the desk clerk. As he walked towards his bike, pictures of his dreams began coming back to him. The look on Marie's face as he stabbed her. His face darkened as he straddled the motorcycle. In his dream, he had referred to himself as 'Weapon-X' and the only man who ever called him that was the Professor. Logan growled as he kick-started the bike and roared off, back onto the highway.

---

The Mansion...

Rain clouds hung low as Logan pulled up near the front doors. He sat astride the bike a moment longer to light a cigar and he looked towards the front doors. The horrible memories of his dream came rushing back to him. He swung his leg over the bike and pulled his duffel bag free. He started up to the front doors and was about to open them when they flew open and Marie jumped into his arms. Logan smiled at the girl as she started babbling happily.

"Logan! You're here! You're back! Arent'cha gonna come in? Ah've been waitin' for ya!"

Logan hugged her tightly and said,

"I know, darlin'. I've been waitin' too."

Marie blushed slightly and disengaged herself from around his midsection.

"Sorry 'bout that. Ah just missed ya."

"I missed you too."

Marie smiled happily and grabbed his hand.

"Come on! Ah've got so much to tell ya!"

Logan allowed himself to be pulled along, and Marie never noticed the look of regret and fear in his eyes.

---

Logan's Room...

Lightning crashed for what seemed the thousandth time as Logan writhed in agony and fear. The picture of Marie was getting clearer and the look of shock and betrayal was becoming sharper. He sat up and took in a shaky breath. He had been home about a week, and the only time Marie left was when he showered or slept. He was starting to get nervous, because he was beginning to awaken to find his claws out, poised for strike. He wasn't sleeping and he wasn't eating, but, no one had noticed for the most part.

Logan, we need to talk, Professor Xavier's voice said in his head.

'Christ. Here we go.' Logan thought to himself as he got out of bed. After a few minutes, Logan walked into Xavier's office and stared at the man.

"What's up, Chuck?" Logan said, his face not cracking.

"Logan, I have been noticing you're not eating, nor sleeping. I don't want to read your mind to discover the answers because that is wrong, but, if you need medical attention, I will do what I must. Please, if you have anything to say, say it now."

Logan sighed heavily, and looked towards the door. He looked back at Xavier with pain written all over his face. He drew another shaky breath and sat down. He clenched his teeth and began his story.

"It's been going on for about two weeks now. I have this...dream. Nothing like any of the others. I...I kill Marie, when she is a little girl. She doesn't even seem afraid of me...it's like..."

"She recognizes you?" Xavier finished.

Logan nodded and put a hand over his mouth.

"And the strangest thing about the whole thing is that I keep referring to myself as 'Weapon-X', which is what I was called during my stint as local assassin for the Canadian government."

Xavier studied the man in front of him, and sighed.

"Could this be some sort of connection to your past?"

Logan shrugged.

"I dunno."

Xavier noticed a slight flash of something in Logan's eyes.

"Could it be a premonition?"

Suddenly, Logan jumped up and slammed his fist off of Professor Xavier's desk.

"God damn it, I said I don't know! They are three very simple words. Not that hard to understand, you crippled freak of nature. Even you could get it right!"

Xavier looked like he was in shock. Not only at the fact that Logan was going off on him, but because his normally brown eyes were turning a very disturbing shade of red. Logan swallowed and sat back down, looking pale and ashamed.

"Chuck...I...I'm sorry...I...I..."

Xavier smiled and nodded.

"It's quite alright. Nothing that I haven't heard before. You're tired and you're usual short fuse is considerably shorter. Go find Beast and ask him for a tranquilizer so that you can get some sleep. At least you won't have the dreams."

Logan nodded and stood up stiffly. He walked out the door and allowed the kids to enter. All of them marveled at the fist print deeply imbedded in the Professor's walnut desk.