The mall was crowded for a Tuesday, more than Marie had ever seen for a weekday afternoon. The children danced around them, gobbling up cookies and sucking down sodas.

“What a great way to spend an afternoon with just the girls,” Jubilee said as she sat down next to Marie on the bench near the food court. All in, there were eight students along with Kitty, Jubilee, Storm, Jean and Marie at the mall that day. Jean was just coming out of the trinket shop across the way and Marie rose to meet her friend. She and Jean had become close during the last few years. The amount of time she had spent in the Lab with Jean after she had permanently gained Logan’s mutation had lent itself to the blossoming of their friendship and every new discovery over the years had only added to it.

“Kids wearing you out?” Jean asked her. Marie shook her head and patted friend.

“They sure are full of energy, luckily I don’t tire easily.” She was about to make another off hand comment about the children and their high energy when she noticed a look of hurt cross Jean’s face. “What is it, Jean?”

“I just… heard something. Can I- can we go get some air? I need to be outside.”

“Sure thing, honey.” She turned her attention back to Storm who stood nearby talking to all of the children about the dangers of using their powers where others can see them. “Storm, Jean needs a break. We’re heading out for a bit.” She motioned to the double doors at the other end of the food court and Storm nodded absently. Marie waved to Jubilee and walked with Jean toward the outside.

After a moment they found another bench outside and Jean relaxed visibly.

“So, what was that all about?” Jean glared into the distance and it was a long moment before she spoke.

“There was a man in there thinking all the dirty and disgusting things that he’d like to do to each and every one of us.” She shuddered. “I just needed to get away from him. I’m just lucky I guess that the children are all too young for his tastes. I don’t know if I would have been able to control myself if some of the older girls had been here.” Jean relaxed and leaned back against the bench following Marie’s example.

The sound of a vehicle speeding too quickly in their direction was the first thing that alerted Marie that there was something wrong with the situation, but she didn’t have any time to react. There was a sharp pain in her neck, the everything went dark.

When Marie next awoke it was with a feeling of waking from heavy sedation. Someone had done their homework, she mused as she became more and more aware. Jean was near her, sleeping peacefully, the ground beneath her was soft and comfortable. A mattress then. Marie sat up, surveying her surroundings. It smelled harsh, like chemicals and cleaner. She remembered this smell from the olfactory senses that she had inherited with Logan’s memories. They were in a lab.

The next thing she noticed was the somewhat heavy feeling around both of her wrists. Examining them she found that she was wearing tightfitting thin metal bracelets. Wondering what they were for, she began to spin one, trying to find a weakness in the fit. A jolt of electricity, nearly as powerful as being strapped into Magneto’s machine, shot up her arm and into her heart. She fell to the floor in convulsions. Afterward, when the world was still spinning around her, she heard a voice ring out into the room.

“That’s just a taste of what will happen to you if you disobey or tamper with the bracelets in any way. Be warned that they are capable of keeping you down for quite some time. Your body might heal from the damage, but it will incapacitate you nonetheless.” The voice echoed in her ears as Marie pulled herself back up into a sitting position. Jean moaned.

Crawling on all fours over to her friend, Marie made it over to her friends side. “Jean, Jean come on I need you to wake up.”

“Marie… What’s going on? My head is killing me and…” She sat upright faster than Marie was prepared for. “My power, I can’t… I can’t hear anything.” Her hands came up to her head and she had a moment of quiet torment before she came back to herself. Jean took stock in much the same way that Marie had except when she reached for the bracelets Marie grabbed her hand.

“If you touch them or mess with them, you’ll get a shock.” Jean looked at her askance, but didn’t mess with the bracelets.

“Where are we?” The redhead asked her. ‘

“I’m not sure.” Marie replied. “But we’re going to be okay, Logan and Scott will come and get us, you’ll see.

Again the voice piped over the intercom and into the room. “That’s exactly what we’re hoping for.”

There was chaos at the Mansion after the girls got back from the mall. The rage and frenzy that Xavier had been expecting out of Logan didn’t disappoint. Luckily, he had been in the Danger Room when they found out about Rogue and Jean’s disappearance, the equipment didn’t take any damage that it wasn’t created for and could easily be repaired.

Xavier, feeling that Scott was too close to this situation, took lead on the mission. He called everyone to the Ready Room for a strategic meeting. But before they could begin, Xavier sensed the presence of a delivery man on the campus. Having heard the messenger long before it arrived, sent Ororo upstairs to greet the man and take his message. When she returned it was still unopened. “It’s addressed to Scott and Logan.”

Scott took the paper ‘Ro offered him and tore it open. Logan came to lean over his shoulder. After reading over it once himself, he read it aloud to the team. “Scott Summers and Logan Howlett you will report to the coordinates given and there and there you will learn how to retrieve your missing teammates. Come alone.”

Scott sighed and Logan pulled the paper from his hands. He brought the page to his nose but couldn’t recognize any of the scents and pushed the paper back into Scott’s hands. He prowled the room, back and forth behind the head of the table.

Xavier stated what everyone but Logan was thinking. “We can’t go in there like that and we can’t allow you two to go in alone.”

“We’ll never get them out of there sitting around here, so someone come up with a plan and point me in the right direction to start kicking ass.” Logan growled out.

Scott was the first one to speak. “We’ll need to leave some people back here to make sure that this isn’t a ruse to get at the school. Storm and Shadowcat, you two will come with Logan and I to the meet up. If Jean and Rogue are there, we’ll need the two of you to help get them out. The rest of you are needed here to protect the mansion.”

There was a chorus of agreement around the table and a grunt from Logan. “So when do we leave?” the older man asked. They hunkered down for the next two hours getting all the details straight and when they were finally finished, it was off to work securing the School for a possible invasion then into the jet for the rescue mission.

***

Logan and Scott disembarked the plane first. Kitty was to follow them until they made it into the building then break off and try to find the women while Logan and Scott worked to take out any of the opposing forces that they would run into. Ororo would work her magic outside, striking the electronics and taking out any ground troops that she could. For Logan and Scott the guards outside the warehouse were easy to dispatch, a quick snapping of the neck showing how ruthless their fearless leader could be when his wife was in danger and he had no other choice. Logan filed that information away for later.

When they entered the facility, it was dark and quiet, too quiet for Logan’s tastes.

“Kitty,” Scott called quietly, “Stay phased and check the rooms for Jean and Rogue. If it looks like it’s getting bad, get out to Ororo and into the jet.”

Kitty nodded and stepped through the wall and out of sight. Logan sniffed the air, strangers everywhere. “There’s a lot of them up ahead.”

Scott nodded the two of them marched carefully forward, claws out and finger on the visor trigger. The room ahead of them was dark, but Logan could hear the rustling and shifting of nervous people gathered together.

“Gotta go in fighting,” he whispered to Scott before charging into the room. Seconds later a blast of red followed him and cut through a line of men in black fatigues. The fighting was quick and hard, hand to hand combat on an expert level. Both sides landing blows while the two X-Men cut through the lines like butter.

Logan wasn’t sure where they were coming from or how many there ultimately were, but as soon as one man fell another three took his place. There were too many of them and he could feel them closing in on him.

The first time they shot him with the electricity he took out the wires with a swipe of the claws. The second time he yanked them from his left calf, the third and fourth hit him at the same time and were quickly followed by a fifth and sixth. He could feel himself going down and he turned to see if he could pull out any of the leads.

When he hit the floor, mind racing and muscles tight, he saw Scott, already down and being carted away, silver bracelets adorning his wrists.

***

Logan rolled over onto his stomach and pushed himself up with his hands and knees. Marie, who had been sleeping curled up next to him, reacted quickly sinking her hands into his hair and pulling him close.

The smell of her scared but whole, was like a drug shaking off the last remaining effects of whatever had kept him out for so long.

“Hey baby,” she whispered, “Careful now.”

When he finally made it to his knees, he pulled her to him in a crushing embrace. “Darlin’… God you don’t know how crazy I’ve been.”

“I think I do.” She responded and gestured around them. He followed her arm and took stock in their surroundings. Metal walls with a glass ceiling. One door on the center and two mattresses on the floor. A table and four chairs, all made of the same metal. Scott and Jean sat on the far mattress, holding each other protectively, Jean with a far off look on her face.

“Fucking hell,” was all he could say as the door swung open and revealed a face that was somehow familiar.

“My name is William Stryker. Welcome to Weapon X.”

Within seconds Logan had shoved her behind him and let loose the claws. Before he even took a step his body locked up and he groaned. All Marie could do was sit there helplessly while he burned from the inside out. Eventually the convulsions subsided and Stryker, who had just stood there waiting the entire time, spoke.

“As you can see,” he started, “the bracelets you are wearing are controlled remotely to send you electric shocks if you do anything we don’t approve of. Deploying your claws Wolverine is one of those things.”

Logan had pulled himself up into a sitting position and growled at the use of his name. Marie reached out and smoothed her hands along his back trying her best to calm him. The bearded man continued on.

“The Weapon X Program is simply this: Wolverine you are a government created weapon sent out to handle things that go bump in the night that need to be taken care of. You and Cyclops are now the new Weapons at our disposal. We can’t lose you like we did last time, so your women will be held here and used to keep you in line. Let this be an example of what will happen if you don’t do as you’re told.”

Marie was prepared for it this time and managed only to grunt in pain when the electricity shot through her. She convulsed and writhed through the pain, barely feeling Logan’s hands on her and only registering his screaming and yelling as a part of the background noise. Again, when everything subsided, she was left in an exhausted and confused pile on the floor for a short while.

When she sat up, with Logan’s hands on her everywhere checking for injuries, she did so with a groan. Jean was just coming to a short distance away.

“Marie…” Logan said forcing all the emotion he had into that one word and brought her to him in a crushing hug.

“I’m fine Logan, I’m fine.” His hands shifted to her lower abdomen and she watched as he pressed his ear there for a moment, listening.

“You’re fine,” he breathed.

“I’m fine,” she replied.

Scott made a shushing sound at Jean and turned his attention toward Marie and Logan. His face was contorted in a mask of rage and frustration the look burned in his eyes along with a question. What can we do? It was still odd to her seeing Scott’s eyes, as brown as her own, without the protection of his glasses. He cradled Jean against him, rubbing her back and talking quietly to her.

***

Food came and they all ate at the table, then the lights above switched off and they settled into a restless sleep on the mattresses. The hours passed by and Logan and Scott became increasingly edgy as the time wore on. Marie herself had fallen into a fitful sleep wrapped in Logan’s arms, the warmth of his embrace and the safety she found there allowed her to forget their circumstances for just a little while.

It was only a few hours later, after Logan had fallen to sleep curled around her that Marie was pulled from her slumber. Logan was up in an instant crouched in front of her in a fighting stance, but no claws were seen.

The door banged against the wall with a clank and she jumped. Scott pulled Jean behind him and rose in a crouch that mimicked Logan’s. Marie met Jean’s eyes for a moment and both women came to a stand behind their men.

“Wolverine,” one of the guards called, “You’re up for a mission. Remember what’s at stake.”

Logan nodded, “Give me a minute.”

He turned to face Marie and pulled her to him in a hug. “Tell Jean, then tell the docs when they pull you out for a physical. I know they’ll wait until I’m gone to do it. Tell them, Marie. Let them know and it’ll keep you safe.”

She nodded and snuggled into the warmth of his chest, tears threatening to fall. She kept them at bay, not wanting his last look at her to see tears in her eyes.

“Come on, Mutie. We don’t have all day.” Logan responded with a growl and kissed her. It wasn’t a soft and gentle kiss; it was a hard and long one, Logan making his claim on her for the guards to see. His lips crushed her and his tongue dove deeply into her mouth. It was a kiss of passion, of possession, and of the special brand of love they shared between them. She growled low and deep in her chest, the feral part of her that had evolved from when she’d killed Logan on top of the Statue of Liberty rose in her mind. Her hands gripped his arms and she brought her hips into his. It ended to quickly, the guards low harrumph reminding them that they were waiting.

When he released her and walked toward the guards she growled again, this one deep and threatening. Logan growled in response, a sound that she interpreted as a reassuring gesture on his part. The door slammed closed behind them.

Marie, feeling a little feral and a little wild, paced back and forth across the room. Scott knew well enough to keep his distance but Jean, closer to Marie on a more intimate level, approached her friend.

“Rogue,” she finally called after having said Marie had gotten her nowhere, “You need to calm down and let Marie get back into control.”

She growled in response. “Mate. Gone. Angry.” Jean wasn’t sure if she could pull Marie back from under the protective embrace of her feral side. Rogue could be just as difficult to control as Wolverine if she choose to. Rogue gave Jean a look with her head cocked to one side. She was considering.

“Rogue, we need Marie right now. She needs to think through what’s going on and to be strong. You can’t hide her from the rest of the world or she’ll be weak.”

“Marie. Strong.” Rogue said with a growl. But there was a hesitation there that Jean had been counting on. Marie wouldn’t want to be considered weak and Rogue wouldn’t want her to either. After a few more moments of pacing, Rogue’s body language changed. Her steps because lighter and her shoulders more relaxed. She settled down on her mattress, the one that still smelled of Logan and sighed.

“Sorry about that. Sometimes it’s hard to get her to let go. But I’m here now.”

Marie shook herself and looked up at her friends. She rose and walked over toward them, settling on the floor in front of them. She spoke so quietly that Jean asked her to repeat herself.

“I’m pregnant.” Marie said again, her voice no louder than a whisper. Their reaction was delayed.

“Oh my god!” Jean all but whispered. “Are you ok? Shit, you’ve been electrocuted twice! I need to get you…” Her voice trailed off when she remembered where they were.

“How did this happen?” Scott asked. At Marie’s deadpan stare he cleared his throat and amended his question. “I mean, you know… You know what I mean.” Scott wasn’t talking about control. Marie had been able to control her skin for the last three years, the incident at the Statue of Liberty had spurred on her desire for control.

“When did you know?” Jean asked her.

“Logan and I have been trying to get pregnant for a few months now. We only just found out, because Logan could hear the heartbeat last weekend. I figure I’m in my fifth week.” She paused and looked at Jean apologetically.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t come to you sooner, we wanted to make sure that it… stuck. I didn’t want to have to explain to everyone that I’d miscarried after telling them that I was pregnant.” Jean reached out and rubbed a hand along Marie’s hair before pulling her in for a tight embrace. Jean’s scent was sweet and warm and forgiving.

“Don’t worry about it.” The women disentangled themselves long enough for Scott to reach out and take her in his arms. She could smell the happiness and sadness mingling together on him and couldn’t help but feel the same.

“Congratulations,” he whispered then he let her go.

She took a moment to enjoy sharing this news with family before getting back to business. “Logan wants me to tell them. He thinks it’ll make my life easier in this place if they know that I’m carrying his child.” She knew his reasoning and agreed with him, though Rogue hated every moment of it. She denied even the possibility of telling them, wanting only to find a way to a den and hunt and sleep and make a home for their child. Marie tamped her down. This is my life. I will not live it like an animal on the outskirts of humanity. I deserve more. Her baby deserved more and so did Logan and Jean and Scott.

“It’s a good idea,” Scott said, interrupting her inner struggle. “They’ll see the baby as a-“ He never finished his sentence because Jean elbowed him in the ribs. But Marie knew what he had been about to say. They would see her child as a thing that they could mold, from birth to adulthood, into a killing machine bowing to their every whim. Something broke inside Marie at that revelation and in this one aspect her and Rogue were of a like mind. Their child would not be born here.

Jean had been watching her intently, Marie noticed as she took a moment to shake herself. When she was sure she had Marie’s attention she spoke. “I think it’s a good idea too, but I’m worried that they’ll take you away from here.”

“I don’t think so,” Scott said thoughtfully. “You and Marie were brought here for one thing and one thing only, to keep Logan and I in line. They won’t jeopardize that mission. If anything, it’ll ensure Logan’s cooperation completely.”

Nodding in agreement, Marie stood and walked to the center of the room. She looked up and shouted at the men she could see through the glass ceiling of their prison.

“Hey! Hey you up there, I’ve got something I thought you should know!” No one paid her any attention, they all continued with their work, but she knew they were watching and listening. Maybe not through the obvious route, but through monitors and speakers. She continued on. “I’m pregnant.”

The door burst open a few moments later and Stryker, along with a number of men armed to the teeth walked into the room. “What did you say?”

Marie looked up from where she’d moved to sit with Scott and Jean. “I said I’m pregnant.” She replied. He motioned to a couple of the guards and two men walked forward, firearms at the ready. Scott jumped up from his sitting position, but Marie placed her hand in his stopping him. He helped her to her feet and Jean rose alongside her.

Stryker narrowed his eyes and motioned again to the guards. I want the two females. Leave the male.”

Jean turned a pleading eye to Scott. A silent conversation seemed to go on between them because Scott drew her to him in a deep kiss and simply held her for a moment. Marie shifted on her feet, feeling like an intruder on their peaceful moment. Stryker held his men back in a surprisingly generous gesture. Rogue growled in her head, reminding her that Stryker was using them to keep the men on a tight leash and the happier they were the more controllable they were.

Jean pulled away from Scott and moved to stand next to Marie. The two of them presented a united front for Scott holding their heads high as they were paraded out into the hallway. The door closed behind them with a resounding and heavy click.

Outside their room was much the same as inside in respect to severity and simplicity, except here the walls and floor were made of white tile and concrete and the doors all had titles on them. She passed hallways with arrows and doors labeled Testing 1, 2, and 3 as well as one that read Laboratory and another that read debriefing on their five minute walk. Finally Stryker opened the final door in this section of the hall, one named Medical, and ushered them into it.

Everything that happened in the room happened so fast that Marie could barely keep up. Blood was taken from both her and Jean and then both of them were given shots, probably vitamins. Marie was eventually laid out onto a bed and a sonogram was brought over. She was given a look at the small child growing in her womb, a tiny little blob of a thing, it looked nothing like a human yet. Tears welled up in her eyes, sadness overcoming her for the briefest of moments when she thought of Logan. Her husband should be here for this. The tears never fell though; she steeled herself against the sadness and listened patiently as the men discussed her as if she weren’t there.

“This is a huge step forward in the plans we had already been making.” The doctor was telling Stryker.

“Yes. Definitely something that is to going to work to our advantage.” Stryker looked down at Marie and noticed that she was no longer looking in awe at the screen on the monitor but had begun to pay attention to their conversation. He quickly changed the subject. “I want a full blood test on both of the women, make sure they stay fit and healthy. Follow on with the orders you already have, make sure to move to stage two. I don’t think we’ll have a problem with the first stage.”

Marie tried to follow along with what they had been saying but Rogue was too loud and growly in her head, making it difficult for her to discern more of their conversation. She came away from it with a more than uncomfortable feeling. Evidentially Rogue felt the same way.

They were poked and prodded a little more, Jean underwent considerable more testing than Marie had, earning a few more shots of some kind before being sent into the bathroom to pee into a cup. Eventually Marie had been placed under the same scrutiny, someone watching as she filled a clear plastic specimen cup with urine. After a little while longer, Marie and Jean were marched back down the hall and into their cell.

Jean and Scott reunited with a long and searing kiss, hands checking each other for injuries and general realness. Marie sat down on her mattress and listened woodenly as Jean filled Scott in on what they had done. Marie, not knowing Stryker’s endgame, sat still and waited. Logan would be back soon.

Logan stared at the new and smooth skin on his forearms. The hair hadn’t grown back completely; instead there was soft stubble. With his healing there was no way to know that just a scant twenty minutes ago they had been burned beyond all recognition. Logan’s arms had been covered in second and third degree burns. His eyes moved from his arms to the man sitting across from him. He didn’t know his name, didn’t give a rat’s ass what it was either, all he wanted was to forget the whole thing and get back to Marie. Had she told them that she was pregnant? What had they done to her? Had he been right to tell her that it would keep her safe?

Wolverine growled loudly in his head, he believed that telling them that his mate was pregnant was exposing her to a greater threat.

“What was your first contact with the target?” The man cleared his throat and repeated the question that Logan had ignored.

He thought back to earlier in the day. It had actually been close to midmorning when they had awakened them in their cell. They put some kind of sensory deprivation helmet on him before they’d let him step foot outside and only removed it after a short helicopter ride and a ten minute car ride.

The file they had handed him on the target hadn’t been what he’d expected. Instead of some mutant they wanted to trap and control, he found page after page of evidence on a serial killer who had been released on a technicality. His victims had been mutant girls no older than 22. He’d hunted them down like animals and taken them from their homes before mutilating and finally strangling them. Reading all the news articles and court documents on the man made him itch to get his claws into him.

He knew what Stryker was doing, giving him something that could get on board with to try to ease his way into assassinating people who didn’t deserve it. He should have saved that kind of thing for Scott, but Logan was willing to take it nonetheless.

After reading all of the trial information he found a sheet of current information about the man in the back of the folder. He memorized it and they cut him loose.

“I found him in his backyard.” Logan replied, remembering letting the Wolverine loose to hunt. He’d been grilling on his patio, having dinner with some friends. He growled from the cover he’d found in the neighbors yard and for a second the man had looked up, but a comment from his friend refocused his attention.

“How did you end up at the warehouse on 5th street?”

Logan growled and was silent while he thought. He’d spent the afternoon waiting on the man’s friends to leave and afterward had followed him to the warehouse. “Tracked him there,” Logan said aloud to the room in general.

The place had reeked of fear. It was the first thing that he’d noticed about the place, before even the filth and the scent of old blood. He’d meant to take his time going through the warehouse, he really had but the soft whimper of pain and brought him to a full run through the rooms. What he found would have made any man sick to his stomach and Logan wasn’t spared that emotion.

“How is it that there came to be a witness to the event?”

The growl that escaped his throat was more threatening than his last had been. The girl had been half dead and burned up when he’d burst through the thin office wall. He got a face full of heat before the man turned the blowtorch to the hands that had imbedded themselves in his stomach and thigh. Still he felt the blood flow, warm and sticky, over his knuckles as he released the claws. He angled them upward, toward the man’s chest before he released them again. By the time the man was dead the skin on his arms was flaking off, showing new and clean instead of blackened and cracked.

“Why? Because there was no way I was going to hand her over to you fuckers and give her another set of scars that wouldn’t heal long after the event was over. Because you have too many hostages as it is. Because I don’t want you thinking I’m just going to roll over and do you dirty work or you. Take your pick.” Logan’s claws shot in and out as he roared at the man questioning him in such a calm and collected manner.

Of course they’d been concerned about a possible witness instead of a real live victim. He growled again as the pain of the electric shock shot through him. The only thing that he could think was that he was glad that Marie wasn’t around or they might have decided to use her as his whipping boy.

It was a long moment before he could do more than lie on the floor and pant. If anything, he thought, this would give him a healthy sense of control over his reflexes. They waited until he was coherent before they brought him back to his cell. When they opened the door he wasn’t two steps in before Marie crashed into him, clinging for dear life and drinking in his scent.

He picked her up and carried her to their mattress before the guards decided that they were going to do anything. The lock clicked into place behind him.

Logan spent a long minute just holding her while she cried. He wasn’t sure what had happened while he was gone, but he’d get it out of her later rather than sooner. Now he just growled softly to her and held her close to him, glad to have his mate back in his arms.

He would do anything to make sure that this was the one thing that was never taken from him, even if it meant being a weapon.

Hours later Logan was curled around Marie on their mattress, his hand flat against her stomach. She had relayed to him in hushed whispers what happened to her and Jean during the medical exam. It had saddened him, to know that he wasn’t there for such an important time for his mate. He’d reassured her that they had both been the first to know and what was important was that they were safe and whole and the baby was fine.

He wondered, while he held her, what their child would be. Would he end up with a daughter or a son? He mused on that for a long moment. He didn’t care if he had a little boy to run with or a daughter the spitting image of Marie, as long as it was healthy.

Logan dreamt that night of him and her in a cabin in the woods with their baby. It was a pleasant dream that he was loathe to wake up from. Still, when the lights switched on over head he jolted from sleep and rose to his feet. Marie was already awake, sitting on the floor between the mattresses with Jean, deep in conversation.

The door burst open and men poured into the room. Marie and Jean stood quickly, Scott took a step forward toward the men putting him in line with Logan. Stryker came forward to the front of the group.

“What the hell do you want now?” This Scott asked.

“Come with me, all of you.” Though both Scott and Logan were loathe to follow, there wasn’t much choice with the men and their weapons at the ready. Logan kept an arm around Marie as they filed down the hall behind Stryker. He could hear Jean’s heart beating erratically. There was something about her scent that was off, but he couldn’t place it. There was so much that was different here, he mused, she’s probably feeling a state of paranoia that he’s never scented on her before. Stress can do amazing things to your body, Logan knew that all too well.

They were led down a long hall, opposite the direction he’d went when he’d left them for a mission. Marie had long since moved in closer to him, clutching at his clothing. He reassured her with a little caress of his hand on her arm and steeled himself to be a rock for her. It was a long walk and an awkward elevator ride. Eventually they were led to a silver metal door. It stood out from the otherwise white hallway.


Stryker stopped and opened the door inward, revealing a living room with a matching couch and a dining room behind it. He stepped backward, giving them access to the room. Logan and Marie quickly stepped through the door followed by Scott and Jean just as rapidly. Stryker stood in the doorway watching them. Marie and Logan were grouped together in the dining room and Scott and Jean had taken up residence just behind the couch. No one was sitting.

“This will be your home for the foreseeable future.” Stryker said with a sweep of his arm. “You’ve each got your own room; you’ve even got a dining room and a kitchen. I expect you to be much more comfortable here. Now, we’ll give you time to settle in, but Wolverine and Cyclops still need to be seen at medical.” Stryker left and locked the door behind him, but his voice echoed through speakers set in the ceiling. “Remember, the same rules apply.”


After a long moment of staring at the door Marie moved to sit down in one of the couches. It took even longer for Logan to move to sit behind her.

“What kind of sick game is this?” Jean asked from where she stood with Scott. “What, we’re expected to play house now?”

Scott didn’t say anything but instead locked eyes with Logan across the way.

“I don’t know what they’re up to.” Logan said into Marie’s hair. “But we’re going to be ok, we’re going to get out of this eventually.”

It felt like ash in his mouth, like an empty promise. He couldn’t see any way out of this for them other than what Stryker had already planned. Their baby wasn’t going to be born in captivity, which meant that at some point he’d have to pop his claws and deal with being electrocuted. Until then, they’d have to play fucking house. He didn’t have enough information right now and moreover he didn’t have a plan other than cut down every mother fucker in the place. With them still loaded with tranqs, there was no way he was going to hack his way out of this. They needed a plan.

“They’re gearing up for something. When I was supposed to be looking at the ultrasound I heard Stryker say something about Phase 2.” Marie was silent for a long moment. Thinking of the ultrasound, Logan supposed. There wasn’t a bone in his body that didn’t hurt for her. What was supposed to be a time of happiness wasn’t and he would gladly have killed someone if he could have prevented it. Still, he’d vowed to be a rock for her and he would.

“Well, it’s likely got to do with Scooter. If I’m right their first goal was to get me onboard with assassination, then get on to Scooter.” He was quiet for a moment before continuing, his eyes boring into Scotts. “Now they know they’ve got my number. They know I won’t do anything that might put Marie in danger. Now it’s your turn to prove to them that you won’t let them hurt Jeannie to punish you.”

Scott shifted uncomfortably but tightened his grip on his wife. “I will do what I need to do.” He replied, his eyes just as steely.

Marie hadn’t said anything more since her little revelation; instead she had turned inward, thoughtful. Logan wondered at what was going on in her head. Was she worried about the baby? About him? He didn’t know what to do so he took her into his arms once again and stood. He carried her to one of the bedrooms off of the main living area and kicked the door closed behind him.

Marie snaked her arms around his neck as he laid them both down on the bed. “I don’t want to be your weak spot.” She whispered.

“Baby, you’ve always been a weak spot for me, but you’ve also been a source of comfort, strength, wisdom, passion, love and wonder for me. You’re more to me than anything, you’re my life and you’re mine and I’ll never ever let anything happen to you. I promised that years ago and I’m going to keep that promise for as long as I’m alive.”

She kissed him then. Longing and need and all the emotions that she had pent up went into that one searing and passionate kiss. There was no more need for words, just this coming together into one.

Later, when Logan lay sleeping and Marie was still barely clinging to wakefulness she spoke.

“You’re my everything too. You’re mine and if I can spare you from one tiny little hurt, I’ll do it and gladly.”