Huddled near the base of a large spruce tree, Marie shivered, her gaze searching the dusky light for signs of life beyond her own. The faint but distinct sound of vehicles drifted on the wind, making her even more uneasy.

Alone, her heart pounding she waited for her mate to return as he’d promised. The low crack of branches had her rising desperately, fear clutching at her throat. Glancing up she struggled to grab the lowest branch, if she could get above whoever was coming through the brush she’d have a better chance.

Scrambling clumsily into the tree Marie clung to the trunk praying Logan was on his way back to her. When she’d awakened in a strange cell, her first impulse had been to panic as recollection hit her. She could still taste her fear, her hatred for those who’d hunted them. She’d risen and searched the darkness for the door, intent on finding Logan - or finding those in black who’d taken him.

The heavy grip around her waist had startled her, and she’d whirled around striking out only to find herself staring into a pair of familiar hazel eyes. The relief had been immediate and intense, scaring her as she’d sobbed against him.

Hunger had finally driven them from their cell and Logan had been on edge and hostile since then. Following soundlessly Marie had eaten the small animals he’d killed, grateful for the sustenance as concern for her cub had risen within her.

A week later she was huddled in a tree waiting for Logan to return, praying he was safe. Through the falling snow she stared down her teeth clenched to avoid chattering, wondering if she was facing recapture.

Breathing a soft sigh of relief she watched a doe wander past, a fawn by her side. Settling into the branches she wrapped the thin tunic Logan had put on her tighter around her shoulders and waited impatiently.

A familiar growl had her climbing down from her perch to drop gracefully next to the imposing figure standing on guard. Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Marie smiled warmly at him a soft almost inaudible purr echoing from her throat.

A shift and Marie pressed against the tree for balance as Logan lifted a foot and wrapped it before sliding a tall boot on, “You were successful,” she whispered as he pulled her arms through the sleeves of a woolen coat.

“We need to move,” Logan’s low rumble was achingly familiar and in that comforting. With a slight shift of his body, he pulled her close, his eyes and ears scanning the area.

“Okay,” Marie whispered as Logan straightened, his hands trailing along her body. Nuzzling at him she smiled at his purr before he shifted his head tilting as he sniffed the air. A moment later he was leading her deeper into the bush, his steps sure even as he remained on high alert.



Sitting at his desk, Charles stared at the files on his desk. This latest mission had been limited in its success. Both Scott and Jean had been injured and the young woman they’d found in that cell had disappeared along with her clawed cell mate.

The horror of discovering a breeding program haunted both Jean and Scott, and painfully honest with himself Charles had to admit he’d been shocked and horrified as well. Of course the paper trails they’d located were all invaluable, telling of atrocities humanity hadn’t seen in decades.

Turning the page Charles rubbed his tired eyes and continued reading. The details were cold, impersonal, but the end result was the same. Charles had to agree with Scott’s assessment that the pair had become institutionalized to the point of excluding everyone but themselves from their trust and needs. Pushing aside the thought that they’d failed the pair, Charles refocused on the files within arms reach.

******

Sucking on the hard packed snow Logan had handed her, Marie struggled to hide the chills racing through her body even as they pushed deeper into the foliage. Keeping as close to Logan as she could, she kept her eyes open on the trail in case those in the green uniforms or the white coats, or even in the black leather were somehow following them.

Stumbling slightly she grabbed hold of Logan’s arm to steady herself. Smiling shakily at his look she tried to right herself.

“You’re exhausted, we need to stop.”

“I’m fine Logan, we’re fine,” she replied one hand resting on the slight swell of her abdomen.


With a quick nod Logan sniffed the air, his eyes searching the darkness. With a satisfied grunt he pulled Marie along with him as he approached an empty cabin. Pausing at the edge of the building he sniffed, searching the air for a fresh scent. Finding none he tugged gently on her hand before slipping into the cabin.

The thick air was stale, the faint odor of dead carcasses tainting it even further. A heavy coating of dust covered the furniture, thick corded cobwebs hung from the rafters, the corners of the table, and the windows bore a thick layer of crud obvious signs that it hadn’t been used in a long time.

Inspecting the fireplace, Logan grunted in approval as he didn’t pick up on any hint of blockage. Using his claws he sliced up the nearest chair and quickly went to work building a fire, “It’ll be warm in a minute or so.”

Marie nodded quickly, “Do you think they’ll come for us?”

With a sharp sound Logan rose, rage and something unnamed within his posture, “Nobody’s gonna get you or our cub. Nobody.”

Nodding gratefully, Marie moved closer to the growing flames, “I’ll die before I let them take it, take you.”

“I know,” Logan growled. It had been too long since he’d trusted anyone but Marie and he wouldn’t risk her for anything anymore than he’d risk the loss of their offspring. The lab had inadvertently created a rather large, rather dangerously unpredictable force when they created the situation by throwing Marie in with him. That innate wild instinct included Marie and their offspring to the exclusion of all else, indeed Logan’s world had narrowed to include only those that had been locked within the cell and only those.

Stripping the bedding off the mattress he tossed them aside, before wrapping Marie in the sheet. Knowing he wouldn’t be sleeping at least for the night, Logan settled down next to her his arms wrapped around her tightly. There was no way he’d allow them to take her back to the lab.


The smell of roasting flesh crept into Marie’s subconscious waking her slowly. Sitting up slowly, she glanced around the interior of the room. Catching Logan’s frame by the window she breathed a soft sigh of relief that came out a soft purr. “Logan? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, darlin’,” Logan replied seriously glancing at her. “I went hunting, just wasn’t safe is all.”

“We’re still too close aren’t we? They can find us too easily.”

Logan’s low, tense growl was answer enough as she slid from the bed and moved toward him. “What can I do Logan? What would make it more safe for all of us?”


“Nothin’, we’re what we are Marie. Nothing is going to change that, there’s nothing wrong with us.”

“I won’t let them take you, take us. I’d die before that ever happened,” Marie promised hoarsely, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I can’t..”

“I know,” Logan whispered pulling her closer to him. They needed shelter from the elements, safety from those who were stalking them and he didn’t know how to accomplish both. “I won’t let that happen baby.”

The soft purr rumbling through her eased the tension gripping him but he refused to lower his guard. There were too many unknowns out there for him to completely relax at least yet. He’d keep them safe, protected no matter how long it took.

Letting her contentment ease over him, he held her a little tighter an answering rumble deep within his chest. Turning her slightly he led her to the fireplace, cuddled together they made short work of the meat before sitting quietly, staring into the flames.

“As cold as it is outside, if you got a deer we’d eat well for about a week, maybe even more,” Marie whispered thoughtfully.

“Thought of that,” Logan grunted one hand resting on the obvious signs of her pregnancy, “We’ll stay here until the baby comes. With the hides we can make warm clothes for travel. Head further north - it’s our best chance.”

Marie nodded, “We’ll make it Logan.”

“Yeah we will,” Logan replied staring into the flames.

Despite his reassurances, neither had any illusions about their situation. They were hanging on by a thread with the deck stacked against them. They had more than one enemy out to get them and no security to sustain them. The only thought they had was keeping their cub safe and out of the hands of that bad place.

Nuzzling into Logan’s chest she snuggled into his warmth, curling around him in a familiar ritual. The gentle combing of his fingers through her hair preceded the gentle nipping along her throat and jaw, a low growling vibrating through their bodies.

Mewing softly, Marie leaned her head back exposing her throat to his ministrations. Whimpering softly when he nipped hard enough to send a painful shock through her body she squeezed his thigh hard, her nails digging into his flesh. Tangling her fingers in his hair, Marie held him steady even as he pushed at her clothes impatiently. Feeling his hard body pressed against her back she mewled softly before moving to accommodate his frame.


Feeling the familiar shudders racing through his body she snuggled further into his grasp, content to sleep with him close by. The pleasant buzz of her orgasm washing over her repeatedly.


As the days passed blending slowly into weeks then months Marie settled in at ease with Logan, never more than a few inches away. With each passing month the desire to begin nesting grew. Things she would have never ordinarily found a use for were now kept. Awareness of Logan’s growing anxiety and unrest settled within her soul, keeping her from relaxing completely.

As the day of their cub’s birth approached Logan began doing regular patrols, even if he wasn’t really aware of it. Everything that came too close to the cabin was suspect and treated with blatant hostility, in fact they received the full brunt of his rage.


Growling Logan paced the confines of the cabin, his body on edge. Moonlight streamed through the window and fell on the bed, an empty bed. As was the usual routine of late, Marie had risen to go searching for something.

She was nesting and it was making Logan nervous. Sure he’d been there at the creation of the baby but to his knowledge he had never delivered one before. Hearing footsteps he glanced at the door just as it opened and Marie stepped inside, her arms laden with branches, and the soft down from the reeds that he’d found nearby in a frozen pond.

“Hey darlin’ I would have gotten those,” he muttered softly, knowing better than to just snap at her.

“I know. Couldn’t get to sleep so I went to gather a few things.”

“Not much longer huh?”

“Not much longer. A day, maybe two,” Marie replied as she set everything on the floor next to the roughly carved cradle board he’d made her. “I’ve felt a few contractions already.”

“Come to bed Marie,” Logan held out a hand and smiled gently when she took it. Curling up on the bed they made short work of the snack she’d hidden earlier then she curled into a ball and fell asleep, content with him nearby.

Eying the rapidly growing pile of things from within the wilds Logan sighed, he didn’t know where she found half the stuff she had found so he couldn’t even return it before it was missed. No instead he was stuck with a mate who was a packrat.

Lying with his head on her chest, listening to her heart beating and the beating heart of his child, he sighed at peace for the moment. One hand rested on the more obvious swell of her tummy and he smiled as he drifted off to sleep when the baby kicked sharply, moving around under his hand.


Waking suddenly Marie rolled over to reach for Logan; something had woken her from a sound sleep and discovered he wasn’t lying next to her.

“Logan?”

“I’m right here,” Logan grunted from by the window.

“What’s wrong?” Marie hissed as she sat up and reached for the lamp.

“We’re being watched.”

“What? Are you sure?” Marie felt a moment’s panic race through her.

“Very, I just don’t know by who.”

“We stayed too long,” Marie moaned softly, distress rising within her along with the painful coiling of a contraction.

Shaking her head Marie winced at the sharp pain in her abdomen. Realizing that it was the contractions that had awakened her she rose from the bed and paced to the window to stand next to him.

“Logan?”

“Its okay,” Logan said softly then pulled her closer to him. The smell of pain that came off her told him more clearly than anything that the baby was coming, he’d felt the change in her body since yesterday, and the way she tensed and relaxed told him he was right. “I promise I won’t let anything happen.”

Nodding Marie sighed, the need to move, to pace clawing at her now that she was awake. “I need to walk; you want to come with me?”

“You couldn’t stop me,” Logan said seriously as he watched her. He would be by her side through everything, even this.




“What’s the matter Professor?” Ororo inquired sinking gracefully into a captain’s chair, her hands folded into her lap.

“I’ve reconsidered my earlier opinion,” Charles spoke calmly, his gaze steady as he stared at the lush forest that bordered the back lawn.

“About?” Scott prompted an uneasy feeling within his gut.


“I’ve been doing a bit of research on those files you gave me. Digging a little deeper you might say and the pair that escaped were indeed part of a breeding program. According to the file I’ve read the army did have limited success with their goal. The young woman was indeed impregnated at least once during their captivity; however, she miscarried after being struck by a guard.”

“You think she might be pregnant again?” Jean asked softly a frown marring her face.

“I have no reason to doubt that she would be. Apparently they started her on quite the regime of vitamins and fertility drugs. They were quite determined in their pursuit.”

“What about her cell mate? Pumping her full of such things one could assume that he was also included in that regime to a degree,” Jean glanced uneasily at Scott as the realization of the degradation that they’d broke up sunk in.

“One would assume that. From what I was able to glean from the files, his regiment of drugs was just as intense as hers. There is no telling what the damage is as a result of the drugs on top of the experimentation. I do not think they should be left alone, we can help them regain their footing, rejoin society.”

“Were you able to locate either of them?” Ororo asked softly.

“Yes. True to form they’ve stuck together. Ororo, you and Scott will take the Blackbird and get them. As far as I can uncover there may be injuries, exposure and such. Handle both targets with extreme sensitivity. They haven’t gotten a vehicle yet, no motorized means of escape at all actually so your confinement area will be small. Just the area around the cabin they’ve settled in.”

“Do you not think I should go?” Jean inquired uneasily. “After all with injuries I may be needed in the field.”

“Precisely. That’s the main reason I believe you should be here. If nothing else we must be prepared for any eventuality. I would like you to provide the team with a mild tranquilizer that they can use in case the hostilities are too high.”

“I’ll ensure the med lab is ready. I’ll call Hank in on standby.”

“Get everything prepared. I want you to leave immediately Scott. The longer we delay the more at risk they are.”

“Any concerns about mutations we need to worry about?”

“Her skin is toxic,” Charles said reading through the file. “They implanted a chip into her but it may no longer be functioning so you’ll have to be careful. His is healing, he heals rapidly from anything. As far as I can tell that’s the main reason he was implanted with the metal on his skeleton.”


“Yes sir,” Scott rose smoothly, his mind already focusing on the upcoming mission. He remembered only too well the power and the rage behind the Wolverine’s attack. Regardless of the Professor’s eternal optimism, he knew this wouldn’t be an ordinary mission.


Landing in a small clearing less than five hundred yards from a run down hunting cabin, Scott and Ororo hit the ground on edge. The smell of wood smoke was heavy in the air, along with a thick, heavy tension. Memories from their last meeting still fresh as they headed for the shack kept both of them on edge.

“Keep your eyes open,” Cyclops muttered even as Storm nodded carefully.

Walking through the snow covered foliage they scanned the area carefully, closely for any indication that they’d been detected. Stepping over a log Cyclops paused watching as Storm hopped over to land next to him.

Hearing the creak of weight on wood Cyclops tensed even as he caught a slight movement from the edge of his visor’s vision field. “Heads up,” he warned a moment before a large, heavy object connected with him sending him flying across the clearing.

The crackle of lightning lit up the dark sky as Cyclops struggled to his feet, groaning at the pain in his ribs. Scanning the clearing he noted the imposing shape crouched next to a huge spruce claws extended to full length.

“This is gonna get ugly,” he drawled a moment before he glanced skyward. “We need to neutralize him. Can you give him a slight shock, just enough to knock him out?”

“I can,” Storm replied through her comm-link. A moment later the streak of lightening raced through the night sky hitting the target with enough force to send him flying backwards. “Get the girl,” she shouted even as she fired a tranquilizer into the burly man.

With a slight nod, Cyclops headed for the cabin at a run. Creeping into the building through the partially opened door he stayed on alert as he went. The faint but distinctly soft sound of purring tickled his hearing as he scanned the room and found the figure cloaked in shadow. Moving toward her slowly, silently he rigged a dart before firing. The sharp hiss as the needle hit its mark echoed in the cabin a moment before she slid into a dead faint.

“Targets acquired,” Cyclops stated wrapping the girl in a blanket and hoisting her over a shoulder. Adjusting the rather awkward position he swore as he realized that their fears were in reality facts. She was obviously pregnant, probably close to her delivery by the way her body kept tensing in waves.

“Mission was successful,” Cyclops radioed back to the mansion. “We got both targets, but we have a problem.”


“What is it?” Jean inquired softly concern lacing her voice.

“The girls pregnant. I’d have to wager she’s in labor the way her abdomen clenches and relaxes about every five minutes. The movement looks like waves and there are indications of lactation.”

“Get her back here as quickly as possible. We need to get her stabilized.”

“Our ETA is ten minutes,” Cyclops replied. “The male target is still out. A slight shock from Storm’s lightening and a hit with a tranquilizer’s kept him under.”

“I’ve got everything prepared. Just get back here.”

“One our way,” disconnecting Cyclops shared a look with Storm before glancing over his shoulder at the young woman who’s body seemed to ripple with the contractions despite the mild sedative he’d given her. He wondered if she’d be okay and prayed that she would be.


Moaning at the pounding in her head, Marie struggled to open her eyes despite the harsh lights above her. Blinking them open even as she felt the hands on her back easing her back into a prone position, she stifled a shocked scream. A red-haired woman with a long, nauseatingly familiar white coat stood laying a small naked bundle into a clean, clear plastic cage. She turned her head to check the monitors a slight smile on her face even as she picked up a tool and pressed it to the baby’s chest.

Moving slowly, struggling against the dizziness and pain Marie felt her anger rise as she realized that she couldn’t move her body. A quick glance down her body revealed that indeed her baby was gone.

They’d taken her baby, taken him as easily as one would pick a flower. Grinding her teeth against the pain she struggled trying to get into an upright position with no success. Watching through narrowed eyes as the doctor ran a series of test, she struggled even harder, determined to get to her cub.

“How’s the little guy doing?” the voice was masculine and laced with curiosity.

“Healthy as far as I can tell. Doesn’t appear to be any signs of an obvious mutation. He is rather alert and aware, but all things considered that’s to be expected.”

“And the girl?”

“All indications are that she’s healthy and given time should bounce back. I spoke to Charles and he agrees that putting the baby up with another family might be best. I’m not too certain she can handle raising him. He is after all a rather unplanned child.”

“What about the one called Wolverine?”


“I secured him in another cell. With his mutation he should be coming around soon which is why I’ll give him another shot of sedatives in a couple of minutes.”

“I’d be surprised if either of them are normal. According to the files, he’d been there in that cell for close to ten years before she got there. She was in her own cell for a year before they threw her in with him. They’d been locked together for three years before we got there Jean.”

“It will take some time to finalize their recovery. If they can even do that, they may be so institutionalized it may be impossible. Another reason I think ‘Ro and Kurt should watch the baby.”

“I talked to Kurt already; he said that ‘Ro will be down later after her shower to pick up the baby. She’s curious to know what you named him,” the male voice chuckled even as he moved further into view. “He sure is cute.”

The soft laughter from the doctor sent a chill through Marie, “Yes he is. I haven’t named him yet, figured she could do that herself. After all she’s got the task of raising him she should name him.”

“Don’t spend all night down here okay. As long as this pair is sedated there shouldn’t be any problems. We can get everything cleared up first thing in the morning.”

“I’ll be up soon. Just gonna run one more test then I’ll call it a night.”

“Good,” the soft affection in his voice angered Marie even as she watched him disappear out the sliding door.

Laying still Marie listened to the familiar sounds of a syringe being filled, a moment later the fuzzy, clouding in her mind returned as she slipped under the effects of the sedative. Even as she slipped under, she was planning her revenge on these bad ones. Black leather or no, they were going to suffer - she wanted her mate and her cub back!



The smell of chemicals, new bodies, mixed with the scent of a female nearby greeted Logan as he woke. His head was splitting and the bright lights hurt his eyes. Blinking he glanced around, his sense of smell telling him that Marie wasn’t anywhere around, that she had been there but not recently.

More importantly the faint but distinct scent of her milk filled his head, telling him that his cub was either born or would be born shortly. Rather than placate him, the scent only increased his fury, his anger as he pictured what would happen once these people had his cub.


Growling he rolled off the bed and stepped forward only to find himself behind a clear barrier. Snarling he unsheathed his claws and took a swing, the barrier didn’t give way and his wrath intensified as a woman with red hair moved into view. The long white coat that she wore only angered him more, obviously she was one of the bad ones, the pain bringers - more importantly though she had his mate and cub and he wanted them both back!

“I see you decided to wake up. We were a little concerned,” the soft tones only drew another furious growl and Logan began to pace.

They had her, they had his cub and he wanted them both back now. Snarling at the woman who looked at him serenely he smelt her fear, heard her heartbeat increase and he hit the barrier again.

Moving slowly, Jean pressed the alarm as the man behind the Plexiglas hit the barrier again, making it shake. She was honestly scared that he would hurt himself and glanced at the darts out of the corner of her eye.

“What is it?” Scott demanded loping into the room, followed quickly by the Professor and Storm.

“Someone’s awake,” Jean said jumping when the Plexiglas shuddered under the force of the blow it received.

Glancing at the man pacing behind the glass, Professor Xavier sighed. He was untamed, and half crazed by something but it was the desperation in his eyes that made it clear he was human.

“Have you attempted to talk to him?”

“Started to and he went crazy. I don’t know how to reach him.”

“Did the girl wake at all?”

“Not really. She surfaced slightly from the previous sedation but no actual awareness was evident. It was probably the fact that she delivered the baby that brought her out of it in the first place,” Jean said sadly.

“Well..” Charles started only to freeze as the Plexiglas shuddered and a crack echoed in the lab. “My goodness, maybe you should sedate him before he hurts himself.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea Professor, he doesn’t seem to be easily medicated.”

“We don’t have much of a choice.”

Growling Logan paced again, his claws coming out and going in rhythmically. They had her, they had taken her away. Where was she? Why did they take her? Why wouldn’t they give her back? Like a flood the questions raced through his mind even as he recognized the instruments that were being prepared. They were going to hurt him again; they were going to put him to sleep again!


Growling, snarling, he hit the barrier again a second before he felt the bite of the dart then only blackness that swirled around him. Marie! Marie was out there alone and without their cub and they needed him.

“Well, we’ll just have to keep him sedated until we can figure out a way to get through to him,” Charles said sadly. “Whatever those so called ‘experts’ did is behind his actions and I’m very much afraid that until we figure it out, he will remain confrontational.”

“Yeah, some way to be,” Scott grumbled rubbing his throat. The man’s grip was like iron, and he wasn’t too keen on the idea of letting him remain at the mansion.

“Now then it is rather late; perhaps we should all retire for the evening. We can try to get through to them tomorrow,” Charles said softly with a glance at all three. “Jean you checked on the girl?”

“Just before I came in here. She’s fine, sleeping soundly.”

“Good. Good,” Charles said as the others slipped away and the lights dimmed to a certain degree. It wasn’t going to be easy, the pair desperately needed some semblance of normalcy and it was up to him to give it to them. Sighing softly he turned and headed for his own bed, the day had been long and it was only the first of many.



Waking slowly Marie shifted glad that she appeared to be able to move. Rolling off the gurney she stood shakily, leaning heavily on the gurney. Breathing slowly, mindful of the lack off attire beyond a simple gown with holes in the back she glanced around for something more to wear.

Grabbing a pair of black pants and a matching shirt she slipped them on even as she plucked at the tubes and needles that remained in her body before inhaling slowly. There was no sign of Logan or the cub and she growled low in her throat. The soft lighting told her it was probably late night and she looked around carefully.

“Gotcha,” she growled low in her throat as she moved toward the sliding door. Pausing before it she wondered how to get it open only to step back in shock when it opened on its own. Slipping through it she looked both ways, taking in the silvery corridor with utter disgust and hate.

Whimpering softly she clenched her fists as she struggled to figure out which way to go. Finally she turned and headed for the longer end of the corridor, experience had taught her that the bad ones didn’t like to stay close to their test subjects. Pausing before a door that glided open she stared at it for a moment, studying the small, well lit area.

Pushing aside her fear she stepped inside the narrow confines of the elevator and let the door slide shut with a soft click. Gasping suddenly with the downward pull as it started to descend she shot out a hand to steady herself until it came to a gentle stop and opened.


Stepping out Marie glanced around, the lights had been dimmed here as well effectively draping the area in shadows and barely there lighting. Following the sounds of life she padded softly down the hallway toward another room, pausing before the door even as she slipped soundlessly inside careful to keep low.

Ignoring the warm, stickiness seeping into her clothes, soaking the front of her shirt she hunkered down and moved forward. Staring in fascination as she realized just what she’d stumbled upon, she snarled silently as she scanned the room. The soft hum she’d picked up on was what appeared to be a dishwasher but the room itself was empty. Rising she padded over to a large carved block sitting on the counter.

Reaching out she grabbed the black handle and pulled. Grunting at she held up the large blade she looked around and smiled. She had obviously found their food. Knowing that she had no way of knowing where her cub was at least until she found someone to torture it out of she sat down on a tall stool and pulled an apple out of the dish on the counter.

Oh yes, she would have her son and her mate back before too long or she’d die trying. She hadn’t spent months living off the land, struggling to survive with them only to lose them to these bad ones. Determination filled her and she growled as she finished her apple and reached for another one.


Hearing footsteps her grip tightened on the weapon and she slid into the shadows to lay in wait for her prey. The door slid open to reveal a slim girl, with short dark hair wearing pink pajamas with teddy bears on them.

The soft sound of her humming irritated already exposed and raw nerves and she moved toward the fridge. The door opened washing the floor with light before she closed it and turned to set the jug of milk on the counter. Freezing at the furious looking woman holding a knife she swallowed harshly.

“Where are they?” the low snarl was steady, cold.

Shaking her head the girl shrugged, “Who?”

Moving quickly, familiarly in a way she’d seen Logan move thousands of times before, Marie had the girl pinned to the fridge the blade against her throat. “Tell me where they are or I will kill you.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know who you mean,” the girl’s voice cracked even as she felt the arm across her throat tighten effectively stopping her from screaming.

“My mate and cub,” the low angry hiss rivaled that of a wildcat. “Now where are they?”

“I don’t know. They didn’t tell me that,” the girl said reaching up to grab at the arm across her throat. “I swear. I’m a student here. They don’t tell..uhgg,” the pressure increased exponentially and she gasped for air.


“The pain bringer, the one with red hair. Where is she?” Marie snarled.

“Up..upstairs..” the girl panted pointing out the door. “She’s in bed!”

Pulling the girl away from the fridge Marie wrapped one arm around her throat, the blade never leaving her jugular and used the other to grab an arm and twist it sharply. “Take me there or lose the arm.”

The girl nodded frantically and swallowed harshly. “I could just get her..”

“Move it. Killing you sure as hell won’t bother my sleep,” Marie hissed tightening her grip on the girl who sat the jug of milk on the counter and moved slowly toward the door. Keeping a careful grip on the girl she allowed her to lead the way up the staircase.

Pausing at the top of the stairs, Marie searched the area, her ears telling her that they were alone, “Which room?”

“This way,” the girl whispered softly too scared to even reach out to the Professor. Pausing before a door she raised one hand to knock only to be jerked to a sudden stop when the blade dug into her flesh a little tighter. Swallowing as she realized that the back of her top was soaked she blinked at the burning in her eyes. “This is Dr. Grey’s bedroom. Her and Mister Summers live here..”

“Mister Summers?”

“Uh yeah, Cyclops. He’s got red glasses on. Wears a visor sometimes to,” the girl whispered painfully.

Searching her mind Marie growled as she realized where she’d seen someone with red over their eyes before. Searching the area carefully, Marie sat the girl on the floor before jerking a piece of wire from the wall and following it to the black object sitting on the table. After taking care of that she moved quickly and tied the girl’s hands and feet together before slicing off part of a pants leg. Using it as a gag she patted the girl’s head and opened the door softly, silently.

Being dragged into an instructor’s bedroom was not a fun thing to do, Kitty thought as she huddled on the floor by the quickly closing door. A faint light from the full moon lit the room to reveal both Mister Summers and Dr. Grey sleeping soundly.

Whimpering softly only to fall silent at the quick flash of light on metal she sat there waiting, watching for what she didn’t know. The quick efficiency of the woman’s movements as she grabbed the phone line and quickly bound it into a roll before approaching her was startling.

“Why does he need the red glasses?” Marie hissed, intent on using any weakness jerking the gag out of the girl’s mouth for a few seconds.


“His eyes shoot optic beams. He can’t control it..” Kitty whispered slowly, painfully.

“And her?” the quick, merciless jab at the sleeping woman had Kitty shaking.

“She’s a telepath and a telekentic.”

“Traitor,” Marie hissed before sticking the gag back in the girl’s mouth and moving across the room. Using a familiar set of knots, Marie had both people bound into their bed in nothing flat before she moved up to the top of the bed and slipped the red goggles from the sleeping man.

Moving to the other side of the bed, Marie used the flat side of the blade to skim across the woman’s face. “Wakey wakey Doc,” she snarled backhanding her.

The sharp pain brought Jean out of her sound sleep and she automatically went to raise her hands to protect herself. Feeling her hands being cut into by a thin wire she jerked her head around to stare at Scott who was squirming in his own bonds.

“What is going on?” she demanded angrily.

“Where are they,” the low, angry hiss echoed next to her ear and she froze.

“Who?” Jean asked only to squeak out a protest at the slow, steady draw of the knife across her cheek, drawing blood that trailed down to mix with the earlier cut.

“I learned from the best,” the soft words were filled with more hatred than any one body should be able to hold. “Now tell me what you did with them or else.”

The muted whimper from near the bedroom door had Jean staring at an obviously frightened Kitty who was bound and gagged. Swallowing Jean took a deep breath to steady her nerves before she reached out to Charles.

A heavy blow to her ribs a moment before the girl moved suddenly had her rethinking her stance. She stared in muted horror as the girl brought the blade up to Scott’s throat, “No. Don’t do that,” she whispered renewing her struggles.

“How’s it feel huh? You can’t move,” Marie chuckled softly. “Can’t move, can’t do anything without it causing injury to you or him. You scream, you reach out with your mind to anyone within this place and I’ll start cutting on him. Carve him up like a side of venison. Tell me where they are and I might let you live.”

“No, you can’t handle the responsibility..” Jean froze as the blade made a clean slice into Scott’s chest, in the first of a series of cuts that resembled a familiar letter. “Look I can help you. I can fix this..”


Marie shook her head and punched the man laying there with his eyes squeezed shut before rubbing the blade across his chest from his shoulder to the center of his breastbone. The cut wasn’t deep enough to kill, but it would be painful and it would bleed quite a bit.

“I don’t want your kind of help. Tell me where they are..”

“Jean for the love of God tell her!” Scott panted against the pain flooding his body.

“I can’t!” Jean replied tearfully. “She’s a baby, she doesn’t need..NO!” she screamed as the blade made another incision. “No please, you don’t know what you’re doing..”

“Oh yes I do,” Marie giggled softly as she brought the blade up and tapped it against her jaw before meeting the doctor’s eyes. Swiping at the blood that ran down the blade she sucked it off her finger before licking her lips and smirking. Noting the woman’s paler and the tremble in her body she tapped the blade against her captive’s throat. “Should I continue?”

“No! Please don’t,” Jean struggled within her bonds before focusing on the knots. If she could get them untied maybe she could stop the girl before she did something else.

Grabbing the pillow from under the man’s head, Marie shifted putting it over his face and holding it there firmly before she brought the blade down sinking it deep into the man’s shoulder despite his rather violent attempts at struggling. The pillow muffled his scream as he lay there twitching, “I have no objections to killing him. Now, tell me where they are or I’ll tear this place apart.”

Sobbing softly Jean watched the knife as it made a slow, steady withdrawal from Scott’s shoulder covered in his blood. “Okay, okay. Please just don’t hurt him anymore.”

“Good girl,” Marie snarled remember the praise from the other pain bringers even as she shifted and jerked the pillow aside. A sharp blow to the side of his head knocked him unconscious and she smirked at the woman. Grabbing the wire that she’d used to tie them up she adjusted the bonds easily before dragging the woman from the bed and onto her knees. Tying her to the bedpost by her throat she grabbed the girl and dumped her into the bloody bed, “Be a good girl now.”

With a pat on the girl’s head she turned her attention back to the red-haired doctor. “Tell me where they are?”

“They aren’t together,” Jean panted softly as her hands were bound with a length of cord that was wrapped around her throat. “You’d have to be in two places at once..”

“Be a good girl and it won’t hurt,” Marie whispered next to the woman’s ear her fingers tangled in her red curls. “Sure hope you uh turned off the skin baby. It’s gonna hurt like hell if you don’t.”

Realization hit Jean as she remembered what the girl’s mutation was and she shuddered in fear. “Please, if you kill me I can’t save him.”


“Fuck him,” Marie growled jerking the woman to her feet and pushing her toward the door. “Guess what, you move the wrong way, even an inch and I’m gonna pull this cord. You’re gonna choke to death before anyone can save you. My skin is the least of your worries,” she whispered softly before opening the door and pushing her into the darkened hallway.

“Which way?” she growled angrily.

“This way,” Jean panted softly as she headed down the hall. If she could get to Storm and Kurt’s room they’d help her she knew that. And the mere fact that the baby was there as well only intensified Jean’s fear. What would the girl do with the baby?

Moving quickly down the hall, Jean wondered what was happening in her room. Offering a firm prayer that Scott was okay, she stopped in front of the familiar door and exhaled, “This is one room they’re in.”

Opening the door Marie pushed the woman into the room and jerked her to a halt with the cord. “Don’t make a sound Doc,” Marie grunted, “Or you’ll be wishing it was you lying bleeding out in that bed.”

Standing perfectly still Jean watched the girl as she looked around the room. Noting when she tensed Jean shifted, ready to scream even as a soft purr echoed from the girl’s chest. Turning her head Jean stared at the girl as she moved to the cradle and lifted the baby, the purr growing in volume.

“What the..?” Storm’s sleepy voice had Jean tensing as the woman snapped to attention, the blade flashing in the light.

“‘Ro no!” Jean shook her head as the other woman rose from the bed and moved toward the cradle. “No, don’t!”

The soft grunt and crunch of at least one bone breaking had Jean wincing and swallowing a scream as the cradle went sailing into ‘Ro’s body. The way her friend hit the ground angered Jean and she turned to confront the girl who stood smirking at her. “You didn’t..”

“Where is he?” Marie snapped adjusting the baby easily even as she stared at the doctor.

“I won’t tell you,” Jean snapped angrily. “You didn’t have to hurt her..”

“You’re right,” Marie smiled coldly, watching the fear fill the doctor’s gaze. “It’s not her fault that you gave away my baby. It’s yours.”

Stepping back a step, Jean shook her head. “You hurt me you won’t find him.”

“I don’t need you to find him. She knows doesn’t she?” Marie moved over to Storm and grabbed a handful of hair. “Don’t you?”


“Yes,” Storm whimpered the pain from her broken ribs searing through her.

“Your choice,” Marie flashed her teeth at the red-haired doctor. “You or her?”

Swallowing Jean shook her head, “Even if you get to him you can’t leave. Its not safe..”

“You or her?” Marie repeated the blade arching up to be held directly at Storm’s throat.

Jean swallowed harshly her gaze meeting Storm’s.

*Give her what she wants,* Storm pleaded softly. *We can’t handle this on our own.*

*I’ll get the Professor to reach into her mind. If we can do that..* Jean paused at the look on the girl’s face. Cold, indifferent hatred was all that stared out at her. The underlying fear was so faint, so unnoticeable that Jean realized she couldn’t play on it.

“He’s down in the med lab,” Jean replied softly. “The door after the one you came out. He’s been heavily sedated.”

“Then you better reverse it,” Marie hissed. “Cause I ain’t gonna let you hurt him again. If I have to I will kill you. And I will enjoy it.”

Shaking her head Jean stared at the girl holding Storm, a knife and the baby without any assistance. “I’ll take you down there. Just please let Storm go.”

“No,” Marie shot back. “She doesn’t deserve to live. She’s like you, like all the others that hurt us.”

“No, she isn’t,” Jean replied firmly.

Marie smiled and shrugged before shoving Storm aside. “Move it.”

Leading the way down the corridor, Jean reached out to Hank. *Hank we have a situation. Scott’s been hurt pretty badly in our room and Storm’s got a few broken ribs. Can you see to them?*

*What happened?*

Jean glanced over her shoulder at the girl who moved confidently through the semi-darkness, *The girl got out.*

“So you and him have known each other a long time then?” Jean asked softly as they moved down the stairs.

“He’s my mate,” Marie snarled at her.


“Do you think that hurting those people is going to help you?”

“Does it matter? You do it. You and your kind just cut and burn and hurt us like we were some sort of object. We have feelings, desires. I could kill all of you and it wouldn’t bother me at all.”

“But we didn’t..”

“Yeah and you’re a saint. We should bow down and worship at your feet,” Marie snarled shoving her a little uncaring of the roughness. “Funny though. How you always seem to have answers to questions nobody asked. Think of something new to do to someone and you do it. When did you ever think of someone beyond yourself huh? Never. Not once in all the time you’ve been alive have you ever thought of what you’re doing to us. Instead you just make a decision and never look back.”

Jean sighed softly, “Rogue you need to able to grow up. To live a normal life..”

“Normal life!” Marie hissed and glared at the woman. “What kind of normal life are you talkin’ about? The one that takes away my son and my mate? The one that lets you destroy me?”

“You’re young Rogue, very young. According to the papers we have you’re not even nineteen yet.”

“My age is none of your concern. I’m Wolverine’s mate that’s all you need to know. Get in,” she shoved at Jean who promptly stumbled into the elevator. “We’re going for a ride.”

The elevator ride to the lower levels was silent, broken only by the beeps as they passed each floor. As soon as the doors swished open Jean stepped out and headed down the corridor the soft padding of bare feet following her along with the rather faint sound of a baby suckling. Shaking her head slightly, Jean hid her amazement.

Rogue was determined to save both of the men in her life, she was so confident in her ability to do it that she’d allow her son to suckle even while she held a hostage. Obviously, they were dealing with a much more aware woman than they’d first thought.

Opening the door Jean blinked at the sudden movement a second before her face smashed into the wall and darkness enveloped her.


Rushing through the door Marie followed the steady beeps and tones she came around the corner and froze.

A row of beds stretched out before her. All were neatly made, the covers folded back to give easy access, and the wires at the head of each one told her she was in a lab. Shuddering in revulsion she moved further into the room, her eyes scanning the area.


Noting the thin ribbon of light that slid gracefully through the doorway to another room she moved toward it and paused. Listening she cursed she couldn’t hear any signs that Logan was here, yet part of her said he was.

A quick glance had her heart stopping painfully. Logan lay stretched out on a gurney, his hands and feet bound, his chest rising and falling rhythmically, but he didn’t stir as she moved into the room. “Logan? Logan, can you hear me?” she whispered rushing toward him in fear.

Stopping next to him, her breath coming in terrified pants she started pulling wires off him, noting that several needles were imbedded in his skin. Tossing them she sobbed slightly at the drops of blood that appeared before the wounds healed. Glancing around she eyed the medical equipment, the monitors and felt sick at her stomach, it was just like at the other place; only this time they had kept them apart they had taken their child.

Silently cursing the ‘good’ doctor and her husband, Marie started pushing the monitors away from the bed, ignoring when a couple hit the floor shattering with the force of her displeasure. Uneasy and filled with fear she stood beside the bed pushing on Logan’s shoulder hoping to wake him the need to escape clawing at her throat.

“Come on Logan, we have to get out of here,” she cried trying to wake him. Jerking back when he woke with a start, snarling as he sat up his claws coming out she breathed a shaky laugh of relief the baby clutched to her chest tightly.

“Marie?” gasping her name, Logan rolled off the bed, shaking his head even as he hit his feet. “Marie, you’re safe!”

“Yes,” Marie whispered as she moved into his grasp. “We are.”

“They took you away from me. They..”

“Shh, I told you I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you. They’re gonna be so worried about their wounded that they won’t have time to deal with us. We need to get out of here now. Before they decide to raise the alarm.”

“Where are they?” Logan growled his claws fully extended easily.

“It doesn’t matter,” Marie panted as she adjusted the baby’s position and let him suckle to his hearts content. “Lets just get out of here Logan. If they find us they’ll separate us again. I can’t do that. I can’t lose my baby again - they gave him away Logan!”

“Shh,” the low hostile growl eased into a familiar comforting rumble and he wrapped his arms around her. Hugging her steadily he rubbed his chin on her crown before he pulled back slightly, “We need to get out of here. Anyone gets in the way let me handle them okay?”


Marie nodded frantically the pain easing in her chest as the baby nursed. “Come on grab a couple sets of clothes and let’s get the hell outta here. We stay here and we’re going to run into more trouble.”

Dressing quickly in the manner Marie indicated Logan tucked another set of the dark clothes into the back of Marie’s top before taking her hand and leading her out the sliding doors. Pausing in the darkness he sniffed but there was no indication of life beyond them.

Moving swiftly yet carefully he headed for the doors at the end of the corridor furthest away from him. Stopping at Marie’s tugging he frowned but followed her into the small, tubular room. Growling at the sudden jerking upward motion he remained on guard as it slid to a graceful, silent stop.

The minute the doors opened he stepped out and sniffed, the distinct smell of pine and fresh air reached him and he turned his head, “I can smell fresh air that way,” he grunted nodding in the direction of a series of doors, away from the kitchen.

“Fresh air means escape,” Marie replied and smirked at him. “Do you smell anyone? Anyone at all?”

“No. Why?”

“I know where they keep their food. We could take some with us,” Marie suggested easily.

“Could grab enough for tonight and tomorrow morning at least,” Logan thought it over for a moment. “Is there an escape route from the kitchen?”

“A huge windowed door I think,” Marie replied trying to remember. “It overlooks some shrubbery and stuff.”

“Could be. Come on, just stay close. Let me handle any trouble.”

Marie nodded quickly as she scurried behind Logan. She knew it was only concern for her well being that would keep him within the walls of this prison even long enough to gather some food. Slipping into the kitchen area, Marie grabbed a bag that had been sitting on the counter and began filling it with fruit even as Logan searched the cupboards. Dumping a few boxes of things into the bag, he glanced around his ears and nose on high alert. The soft creak of metal releasing told him that she’d found a lock.

“Come on, it’s a door,” Marie whispered softly even as Logan’s body tensed, his claws coming out again even as a low, furious snarl issued from his throat. “Logan.”

“Someone’s coming. A guard I think.”

“Come on!” Marie hissed, “It doesn’t matter. We can get out of here.”


“Baby I am not..”

“Please, they haven’t found out we’re leaving. Let’s just go before they catch us. I don’t want to kill us to save us.”

That last statement hit hard and Logan nodded before grabbing the bag and pushing her out the open door. A moment later, hunched down beside the tall shrubbery next to a cement walk way, Logan looked around sniffing the air.

The familiar scent of pine trees and free running water pulled at him as he grabbed her hand and hurried through the moonlight to the edge of the wooded area. Slipping into it he glanced back and growled as lights began coming on within the prison.

“Our captors found out we’re gone,” Logan drawled nodding at the lighted windows.

“Where do we go?” Marie whispered as Logan inhaled in the cool night air.

“Come,” the single word was all the incentive needed as Marie followed soundlessly, her hands clutching at Logan’s back and at the soft bundle laying against her skin snoring softly as they moved.

Slipping past the trees easily, Logan kept moving even as the sounds of activity from behind them grew. Obviously they had called out a full search team to find them, finding the rocky outcropping he paused before sitting Marie down and investigating.

A low growl had her rising to join him as he slipped into the interior of the rock into what appeared to be an uninhabited grotto. Dropping the bag of food and the extra clothes Logan went over it carefully before grunting his approval.

“We’ll be safe here?” Marie whispered.

“For a little while. You and the cub need to rest. I’ll stand guard.”

Marie nodded wordlessly as she hunkered there on the floor and cuddled her son to her chest. Despite the darkness of the night she smiled at his sleeping face, somehow she knew he would recognize her in the darkness. Curling up on the extra clothing they’d grabbed Marie slid into a light sleep, on guard against attack.



“We can’t let them get away,” Storm winced at the pain in her ribs as she stared at Charles who sat in his pajamas studying the battered, bruised, and bloodied X-men.


“I under estimated their ties,” Charles sighed raking a hand over his face, “Underestimated how much they relied on each other. For one woman to do this much damage, with such precision, such skill would be amazing. But for that one woman to do it so easily, to maintain such cold control without leaving a trail of some sort leaves me with no explanations. How is it that she managed to get out of the sedation so quickly?”

“My guess is adrenaline, with a good possibility that she has retained some of his mutation. You explained how her skin works, it is a good possibility that they have shared his gift of healing on more than one occasion,” Hank replied seriously as he put the finishing touches on Scott’s bandages.

“Can I go back to bed now?” the soft, small voice belonged to the other casualty who sat wrapped in a blanket her face pale, her hands trembling like crazy.

“Hank?” Charles looked at the other doctor even as Jean winced under an ice pack.

“Yes Kitty. Would you like something to help you sleep?”

“No thank you,” Kitty whispered rising to her feet. “I’d just as soon be able to wake up if this invades my sleep.”

Hank nodded and watched the girl slip away into the main hall of the mansion. “The girl was trained sir, there is no other explanation as to how she managed to take out not one but three of our team members.”

“She’s a mother after her baby,” Jean muttered angrily. “Fear and fury.”

“Perhaps, but how did she know where to cut, how to cut. The incisions on Scott’s chest are in the perfect lines for an autopsy.”

Charles sighed and glanced out the window into the darkness, “The lab. She was probably a witness to a procedure, or had it carried out on her.”

“There were no indications of scarring.”

“Doesn’t matter. She obviously learned it from somewhere. Our main goal now is to reestablish control over the situation. They can’t have gotten far,” Charles declared.

“How do you propose we do that?” Scott snapped. “We don’t have anything in our arsenal that would allow us to recapture them. The sedatives obviously don’t work, and it’s not him we have to worry about! She nearly killed me twice over!”

“Scott,” Jean sighed. “That was my fault. If I’d just told her what she wanted..”

“She’d have killed both of us where we lay. As it is she traumatized poor Kitty by throwing her around like a rag doll, broke ‘Ro’s ribs, not to mention nearly breaking your skull. I say good riddance.”


“We can’t just let them go Scott,” Charles replied softly. “They need our help.”

“No they don’t! They don’t need a damn thing from us, except to be left alone. You think they’re gonna appreciate us ‘helping’ them? No they won’t. I’m not willing to risk the lives of the students to help them.”

Exhaling Charles nodded, “Perhaps you’re right. We need another way of keeping an eye on them. They’re still here on the property but..”

“Then let them stay wherever the hell they are,” Scott replied angrily. “The possibility of them coming out of their funk is slim to none. Three lives against two hundred? I side with the students.”

Knowing that Scott’s mind wouldn’t be changed, Charles held his tongue. He saw no point in rubbing anyone’s nose in the fact that there were some things you couldn’t change. The injuries sustained were a side effect of his own misjudgment; he wouldn’t compound that error by not listening to his team’s leader.

At least for the moment he’d leave them be - with the availability of open space within the mansion’s grounds it was just possible that they’d settle there thus allowing him to monitor them. Leaning back in his seat he sighed and glanced out the window, yes that would work. He would leave them be right where they were and hope that they would develop a trust strong enough to come in on their own.