The low, hostile growl that filled the cab of the battered pickup parked in front of a run down, condemnable building revealed the drivers displeasure. The building itself was nondescript, old, with peeling paint, dirty windows and sandwiched in between two other buildings that looked in even worse shape but there were signs of life. The heavy beat of a jukebox filled the air along with the loud, boisterous screams of a crowd.
The snow’s crust crunched under his heavy shit-kickers as he stomped into the bar. A quick, assessing glance revealed the usual scum that floated to the surface for a fight night, a rather large, imposing metal cage, and the filth of a bar that obviously was beyond repair.
The hunched figure sitting by the back door however was another matter. Shrouded in a heavy woolen cloak the distinct scent of fear wafted off her like perfume. A brightly colored sheer piece of fabric did little to hide the chains around her ankles or the bruises that colored her flesh - what he could see of it.
Stalking toward the bartender he ordered a whiskey straight and settled on a stool. A glance at the clock revealed he had a short wait before the first fights started and he tossed the whiskey back easily as he turned to evaluate his opponents for the evening. With a dark look at the glass in his hand he swore softly to himself, there wasn’t a single comparable opponent within the bar, not that he’d back out of fighting - no he was here to get paid even if that meant fleecing these dumb fucked up red necks out of their money.
“You here for the fights?” the low, gravely voice belonged to the bartender who stood polishing a glass.
“Yeah.”
“Talk to Slim, he’ll put your name on the roster,” he said eying the short, mean looking fucker drinking whiskey straight like it was water.
“How much?” The low question was snarled as he eyed the tall, overweight man polishing glassware.
“Fifty. You bettin’ on yourself?”
With a snarl the man rose to his full height and tossed the money on the bar. “Yeah, Wolverine’s the name.”
“I’ll get Slim to put it on the roster. Main challenger tonight is Grizz,” the bartender nodded at the hulking figure standing next to the cloaked girl, “Never been beaten.”
“When’s the cage open?” Wolverine snarled eying the man with disgust. Well over his six foot height, Wolverine figured the man weighted in at close to three fifty and he looked mean. There was something about him; some hint of the violence that lay within the man’s frame that Wolverine knew he was going to like exploiting. Narrowing his eyes Wolverine watched the girl shrink back from the man’s touch, the smell of her fear jacking up to soak the air around her. The move was obviously familiar if the twisted smirk slicing across the man’s face was any indication even as he shrugged and kicked her with a heavy booted foot.
Growling softly Wolverine sat back and waited, he was going to enjoy kicking the ass of this fucker even as he turned his attention back to his drink and waited for the announcer to start in on the roster.
Huddled within her cloak Rogue watched her captor closely, avoiding contact with him in a slight, easy range of motion that was both familiar and alien. When he’d picked her up in that little town in Tennessee she’d thought he would drop her off at the next town.... She’d been wrong.
That first day he’d pulled off the interstate onto some untended strip of road that was nearly overgrown and stopped. She’d known beyond a doubt what was coming but when she’d tried to get out of the truck he’d locked it, effectively blocking her escape. The sharp click of the handcuffs that had tied her to the door hadn’t stopped her struggles as she’d kicked and fought to get away from him. He’d gotten her clothes off - tore them to shreds - and was pulling his pants off when he’d touched her skin. He’d wound up in a twitching mass on the seat as she curled into a ball and struggled to get the cuffs off to no avail.
After that day he’d learned his lesson - sorta. He hadn’t tried to get into her pants again but it hadn’t stopped him from buying condoms and forcing her to give him blow-jobs - a rather disgusting past time of his until she’d gathered her courage and put a stop to that as well. Damn fool hadn’t figured out that she had teeth until it was too late and she’d jerked the condom off enough to get bare skin. Thus had begun her routine of abuse.
That action had opened the floodgates of his rage, regular beatings, being chained in the back of the truck, forced to wear nothing but scraps of fabric under her cloak were all indications that her freedom, her worth had evaporated. Even in that she knew she was lucky, the bastard hadn’t thought up some way to use an object to rape her - even though she knew he wouldn’t do it, he had too much self-appreciation for his rather pathetic dick if his thoughts were any indication, not to mention the number of times he played with it in a day.
When they’d pulled into Laughlin City she’d swallowed but made no sound. She didn’t want him to know she’d even had him in her head, didn’t want him to know she knew what he would eventually do with her. Instead she’d followed clumsily when he dragged her inside and huddled on the floor.
The last two fights they’d been to had proven less than profitable for Grizz, he’d lost both fights and hadn’t even been able to con someone into paying for her for a night - without tellin’ them she was a mutant. The last bar the owner had threatened him with a double barreled shotgun - resulting in a wide assortment of bruises and cuts now covering her body. Shifting she hid the wince at the slight burn of agony through her body and settled back into the shadows a little further.
She wished suddenly that he’d forget about her, or just hurry the fuck up and kill her like he wanted to because she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hang on. She’d rather be dead than the object of some guy’s rage - but she knew Grizz had big plans for this place and as long as he got something he wouldn’t care what happened to her.
Catching the hazel gaze of a man sitting at the bar Rogue felt her heart begin to pound. The knowing look in those eyes made her uncomfortable and warm, her skin felt too tight all of a sudden and she itched to get away from that appraising look. Dropping her gaze she stared at her gloves even as she felt the man’s gaze shift away from her, peaking at him she saw the muted hatred and banked rage in his gaze as it landed on Grizz and silently cheered.
With agonizing maladroitness the night passed for her as she sat huddled under the edge of shelf. Watching the fights she silently cheered the hazel eyed stranger when he stepped into the cage and easily, mercilessly beat Grizz to a pulp. Indeed she cheered for him vocally despite knowing the price she’d have to pay.
The clanging of the old bell indicated the fights were over and Rogue hid her unease behind a wall of stoic indifference. Flinching when a battered Grizz appeared next to her she barely contained her grunt as his boot connected with her ribs. Instead she stumbled as he dragged her to the center of the room by the cage and pushed her against it.
“Don’t move your worthless mutant ass bitch,” he hissed close to her ear. “Or you’re gonna get it twice as bad.”
Rolling her eyes as he walked away she leaned against the cage and stared at the floor. She had no interest in seeing who he was trying to con out of the price of a lay that would never happen, all she knew was that it meant he was going to be desperate - and desperation was not a good thing for her.
“You here to pay up your bet?” the bartender glared at Grizz who looked beyond pissed, he looked almost desperate.
“Got something better then cash,” Grizz said slowly, his words slightly slurred from the swelling on his face.
“If it ain’t cash I don’t want it,” Wolverine hissed at him.
“Look I’ll have the cash for you shortly, just uh got to sell something..” Grizz started eying the little fucker who’d pounded him so badly. Nodding his head he indicated the girl now leaning weakly on the cage, her body hunched in pain and tiredness soaking throughout her posture. “She’s worth twice I owe ya..”
With a low snarl Wolverine stared at Grizz, “I ain’t interested in a kid...”
“She ain’t no kid - young yes but she ain’t no kid. Sides there’s got to be someone here who wouldn’t mind buying a night with her..”
Shaking his head Wolverine looked at the man he’d beaten and swore, “Listen bub, I don’t care ‘bout your problems. You owe me money man, pay up.”
The stifled shriek had both men turning to see a drunkard pulling on the cloak around the girl and Wolverine glanced at the other man who snarled and stalked over to grab the man, “Don’t touch it unless you’re gonna pay for it asshole.”
Raising an eyebrow at the low snarled comment, Wolverine caught the girl’s eyes. Fear yes, desperation, in spades, but underneath it was something else. Something entirely too familiar to him for him to walk away from it. Under everything there was suspicion, hatred, banked rage, emotions that he was only too familiar with.
“I told you not to move you stupid little bitch. Can’t you do anything right?” Grizz’s anger filled tone had the girl shuddering slightly before she caught herself even as the occupants of the bar watched the growing confrontation.
“Well? I’m talkin’ to you. Typical ain’t got nothing to say. Stupid bitch.”
“Yeah I can see you’re a real man,” Wolverine snarled as he walked up and shoved the girl out of the way, “Can’t beat a man so you beat on kids?”
“She’s mine. I can do whatever I want with her. You don’t want her..”
“Keys,” Wolverine snarled holding out his hand, his claws itching to come out and gut this fucker.
“Keys?” Grizz stared at the man noting the growing rage in his eyes, and something that gave him pause. Handing over the keys to his truck with a hand that trembled he watched the man turn and head for the door.
With a low snarl of rage he grabbed the girl’s arm and all but carried her out of the building. Stopping in the growing light he glanced around but didn’t see the Wolverine or any indication that he’d been there.
Shoving the girl roughly he headed around the edge of the building, anger in every line of his body. When the girl stumbled and fell he turned and glared at her as she struggled to get up, struggled into an upright position despite the chains on her ankles and the deep snow.
“Get up you useless..”
“I am!” the sharp retort only inflamed his temper and he whirled on her, his fist raised. The crunch of bones under his blow as she hit the ground didn’t slow him. Instead he knelt over her and hit her again and again, ignoring her raised hands and the muted screams of pain coming from her.
Gasping at the sudden, burning pain that pierced his chest he glanced down to stare in shocked horror at the tip of a blade that was clearly evident even with his heavy clothes on. Coughing roughly he barely noticed the red spittle that hit the snow, or the almost desperate way his lungs were trying to pull in oxygen.
The shock of hitting his knees tore through him with blinding agony as the blade cut upwards with his motion. The hard pressure in the middle of his back only made him gasp as the knife was pulled out and he wavered, unsteady as a wave of darkness began creeping over him, advancing steadily with each breath.
Curled into a fetal position Rogue shook at the pain of the beating as well as wondering what had happened, why he wasn’t hitting her again. Feeling the hard, warm touch of someone’s hands she tensed and struggled futilely, she needed to get away.
“Shh,” the soft snarl stilled her as she was carried away. The sound of a creaking door open jarred her slightly but even then she didn’t move, didn’t protest. What was the point? Grizz would merely find her and beat her some more. Knowing him this was all part of the deal - one she had no intention of falling into.
Slamming the door Wolverine glared through the light as snow began to fall at the figure kneeling in the snow. Watching him dispassionately he growled in approval as he toppled forward to land face down in the quickly growing pool of red snow.
“Serves you right bub,” he drawled before stalking around and climbing into the driver’s side of the truck. As battered as it was it was in better shape than his old truck and came complete with a trailer and a bike so he was happy. Glancing to his right he stared at the girl who huddled against the door, her knees pulled up to her chest and a fine tremble in every line of her body.
With a strong line of curses he reached over and grabbed the chains around her ankles ignoring her shriek and the way she pulled back with her feet before extending his claws and making short work of the chain links.
“We’ll get ‘em off later,” he growled as he pulled out of the parking lot. He hated it when things didn’t go the way he wanted them to and he sure as hell didn’t want a kid hangin’ round.
Driving steadily for two days, Wolverine pulled into a roadside motel and headed inside to get a room. Taking the keys kept the girl from stealin’ it and he shook his head, battered, abused, she was terrified and trying not to show it. The beating she’d gotten from Grizz in Laughlin had ended up with her having a busted nose, broken jaw, and her wrist looked busted if the swelling and bruising was any indication. Of course he couldn’t tell really because she hadn’t taken off the cloak instead she’d clung to it with an uncanny desperation - one he’d become familiar with a very long time ago.
Getting her into the motel room was easier than he’d anticipated - until he saw the way she scurried into the bathroom, closed and locked the door, and hid. He had no doubt that this wasn’t the first time Grizz had tried to sell her body, but it would be the last time.
While he didn’t have a whole lotta scruples Wolverine didn’t beat little girls, and he wouldn’t tolerate others doing it either. Had been the only point of contention within his remembered life.
“You hungry?” he called through the bathroom door.
“No,” the weak reply sounded like it came from the floor.
“When was the last time ya ate kid?”
Silence, shaking his head, Wolverine grinned slightly at the girl’s spunk even as he sat down on the bed and picked up the phone. The diner that was attached to the hotel would probably be willing to bring something over - and if not he’d pay ‘em to do it.
Ordering a couple of sandwiches and a beer he turned to watch the game, content to let the girl be even if she was takin’ up the entire bathroom. The pounding on the door along with the smell of greasy food had him rising and padding over to the door. After paying for the meal he slammed the door and moved to the bathroom door.
“Hey kid, dinner’s here. You coming out?”
“No,” the reply was soft, weak, and Wolverine frowned before shrugging and setting the plates down. A moment later his claws at full extension he severed the door’s latch and pushed the door open to see her hunched under the counter, her wide eyes staring at him in horror.
“Get your ass in the other room and eat,” he growled softly recognizing the fear in her eyes and hating it. “I ain’t gonna do nothing to you.”
Half crawling half scrambling Rogue hurried to exit the bathroom at the snarled order. Sinking to the floor nearest the window she huddled there as she watched the man move around the room. A moment later a plate with a sandwich and fries lay on the floor next to her along with a glass of water. Moving slowly, hesitantly she picked up a fry and started eating it. Swallowing harshly she watched her new ‘owner’ as he ate his meal in silence his gaze fixed on the television.
Glancing around the room she noted his wallet, keys, and jacket on the night stand and wondered how long before he went to sleep. She needed to escape..
“Don’t even think it kid,” the low growl had her tensing in fear. “You won’t get three feet.”
“Please just let me go,” Rogue pleaded. “Please. I don’t have anything..”
“Ain’t interested in anything you’ve got,” Logan replied seriously his gaze steady. “But you step out that door and you’ll be right back where you were when I gotcha. I ain’t gonna hurt you, just gonna take you somewhere safe.”
“Where would that be?” Rogue whispered painfully.
Logan shrugged, “We’ll know when we get there. Now then, get some sleep kid. We’ve got a lot of road to cover.”
Slipping into the unoccupied bed Rogue curled up and stared at him in the darkness even as she felt her exhaustion pulling at her. Something deep inside told her to trust him, told her to give him a chance and as sleep claimed her she decided that was exactly what she would do. After all, he was the same as her she could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice, and the metal that he’d used more than once only reinforced the notion.
The end
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