‘Logan, the attack has dropped off on our side. It looks like they’re concentrating on your position. Have you been pissing people off again?’ Pete’s voice came through the comms system as they made their way back to the wall.
‘Send Iceman and Pyro to me, you and Jubilee stay put,’ Logan growled in reply. Marie could see him desperately trying to think of a solution that would keep them all alive, but he was coming up blank. She could think of a few ways to wipe out the Cured, but destroying them all and everything within a two-mile radius wasn’t the best solution.
Bobby appeared beside them, dragging Pyro by his collar. Logan’s eyebrow crept up at the bruises Pyro sported on his face and the rapidly developing black eye. ‘Is he behaving?’
‘He is now,’ Bobby grinned, rubbing his knuckles.
‘Good. See that it stays that way.’ Logan called everyone over, gathering them around him and Marie. ‘Storm, I want you up there blasting the crap out of them, but no more tornados. Bobby, I need you to coat the ground in a layer of ice, all along the breach and out towards us. Pyro, when they loose their balance on the ice, you’d better start flaming as hard as you can, or your ass is mine.’ Logan gestured with his claws, grunting in satisfaction as Pyro shrank away from them. ‘Me and Marie will deal with any who make it through, understood? Go.’
Everyone scattered, eyeing the breach uneasily as the noise level outside rose once again. Logan frowned at Marie’s innocent expression as she gathered useful bits of scrap metal until he caught a hint of a smirk on the corner of her lips just as he started vibrating again. He growled at her, flaring his nostrils at her as she raised an eyebrow in perfect imitation of him. She smiled at his expression and the humming stopped. He took hold of her hands and pulled her close.
‘Marie, listen. I need you to promise me something.’ He saw the playful expression slide off her face at his tone and hurried on. ‘If this doesn’t work, if it goes really wrong, I want you to get the kids, get to the jet and fly them the hell out of here.’
‘And leave you behind? No way!’ She tried pulling her hands away but he wouldn’t let her.
‘Marie-‘
‘No, Logan! Ah’m not going without you. ‘Ro and the Professor will take care of the kids. If you stay, Ah stay. You’re not getting rid of me; get used to it.’ She planted a firm but quick kiss on his lips, ducking as something nearby exploded.
‘We’ll finish this later,’ Logan promised, a dark gleam in his eyes.
* * * *
The Cured attacked again, fewer in number and more cautiously than before, but still more than Logan had hoped. He and Marie grimly held off those that got through the icy hell of the breach, chests heaving with exertion. Logan’s skin burned as it healed again and again, not given a moment’s peace. Catching a scent, his nostrils flared and he focussed on a small cluster of Cured who’d made it through. They were huddling together, hiding something, but Logan could tell Mystique’s stench anywhere. He growled softly in anticipation as the group parted, his ears catching the sound of machine gun fire before he could react. The spray of bullets caught him and threw him backwards, the air jolted from his body as he hit the ground. For a few seconds he couldn’t breathe as an agony of fire ripped through him. Two bullets had caught him in the chest, one lodged in his lung, the third in his abdomen and another in his leg. He convulsed as Marie screamed his name, air rushing in too fast, blood bubbling on his lips as he coughed. Feeling his flesh begin to knit again he hauled himself to his feet, staggering slightly, and found himself face to face with Mystique.
For a moment neither moved, then Mystique launched a barrage of kicks and punches at him, driving him back. He snarled and dove at her, ignoring the fresh damage her fists caused. They hit the ground hard and rolled, both coming up in a crouch. Mystique’s eyes flicked to the three long gouges on her thigh and grinned.
‘That’ll leave a scar,’ she murmured, licking her lips slowly and fingering the old puncture wounds on her abdomen. Logan growled again and shook the blood from his claws. He could feel his body was almost healed, his strength returning, and a feral smile grew on his face.
Rising, they circled warily, searching for weakness, before launching at each other gain. Mystique’s smug attitude vanished as Logan took control of the fight. More gashes appeared on her blue skin, her attempts to defend herself growing more desperate until Logan pinned her to the floor, both arms lying useless beside her, nerves severed.
‘Why wouldn’t you just give him to me?’ she shrieked, all semblance of control finally gone. Her eyes flicked madly from colour to colour. ‘Why are you protecting him, after everything he’s done!’
‘It’s not about him,’ Logan snarled. ‘It’s about doing what’s right.’ He pulled his claws free from her and turned to walk away, stopping as hysterical laughter erupted behind him.
‘Doing what’s right?’ They really have tamed the Wolverine!’ Her laughter faded abruptly, hate twisting her features again as she sneered at him. ‘You’ll regret your new-found honour if Eric stays. He’ll get to your ‘X-Men’, every one, especially his favourite, your little girl.’ Her eyes slid to where Marie was twirling scrap metal around her, tearing her opponents to shreds. ‘He’s wanted her since he first tasted her power. He’ll devour her mind, drive her insane until there’s nothing left but a screaming shell-‘ Her words cut off with a gurgle as Logan’s claws sliced through her throat. He retracted them quickly, watching as her flickering eyes finally stopped on yellow before they dulled.
* * * *
Charles paced around the control room, listening carefully to the comms system. His eyes fixed on Eric as Logan’s gruff voice echoed in the room.
‘Mystique’s dead. Once the rest of ‘em see that they might pull back.’
‘I hope so!’ Pete’s voice took over. ‘Jubilee’s hurt; I can hold them off for now but I can’t last much longer!’
‘John’s down too, and Storm’s looking a bit ragged.’ An explosion followed Bobby’s statement before the comms abruptly closed off. Charles’ gaze didn’t waver as Eric sat with his head in his hands.
‘She really was an extraordinary woman,’ Eric mumbled, hands over his eyes. For a long moment he stayed that way. When he raised his head, the years were once again etched into his face. ‘Enough, Charles. Are you really going to sacrifice your students, your children, for me?’ When he got no answer he rose quietly and left the room.
* * * *
Logan had signalled the retreat and everyone was falling back to the mansion’s perimeter. Storm thudded to the ground in front of him, falling to her knees. ‘We need a miracle to get out of this one,’ she gasped, her eyes taking in their injured comrades.
‘I know,’ he snarled, desperately trying to think of a way out. He caught the sound of raised voices before the others, turning to stare at the door a few seconds before Eric burst through it.
‘-won’t let you do this!’ Charles stomped after him, waving a fist, fury contorting his features. The X-Men stared at such an explosive display of emotion from the Professor.
‘I’m sorry Charles, but this can’t continue. We both know that.’ Eric smiled sadly and continued to walk away.
‘It’s always ‘death or domination’! There’s never any middle ground with you!’ Charles’ face grew purple as he screamed the words at his friend, years of feeling pouring out in a flood. ‘In all the years we’ve know each other, you’ve never once believed I could be right!’
‘Charles, calm down-‘ Eric stopped walking, an alarmed look on his face. A high-pitched whining noise started emanating from the Professor, growing louder, shooting through Logan’s head. He hissed at the pain, surprised to see the others doing the same. Eric’s face grew horrified, his hands outstretched to the Professor.
‘You never once listened, really listened to me! Everything you did, I stayed by you, tried to talk to you, but you would never listen!’
‘Charles, please, you must-‘
‘No! This time, this one time, you WILL listen!’ The X-Men cried out and dropped to the floor as the shout reverberated through their minds. Charles threw back his head, waves of telepathic power rushing from him. ‘You will all listen!’ he shrieked, spreading his arms wide. An invisible blast headed away from them, towards the Cured who were thrown from their feet, horror on their faces as they gripped their heads and screamed. Logan crawled on top of Marie, holding her tight and screwing his eyes shut until the roaring noise finally died down.
Raising his head cautiously he saw the Professor crumple noiselessly, falling at the prone feet of his oldest friend. The other X-Men began to stir gradually, Storm crawling over to Charles.
‘He’s alive,’ she whispered, closing her eyes in relief.
‘Which is more than they are.’ Logan gestured to the where the Cured were lying, faces twisted in death. Nothing moved amongst the destruction. ‘He killed them all.’
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Eep! I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted *hides under desk*. Almost finished now, just one short chappie after this one. Not beta'd, so any mistakes are completely my own. Enjoy!