She was only suppose to grab some drinks for their movie marathon, she didn’t think there would be any more surprises today, but in hindsight, anywhere Magneto is Marie should have expected her also. Walking down the busy hallways towards the school cafeteria, she caught sight of the familiar figure, the shoulder length blond hair, a model’s hourglass figure and graceful step. She knows this woman, and despite herself she follows her down, below the school, by the time she realizes where she is, she is already peaking around the corner of a deserted metal passageway.

Her breath catches in her throat when she sees the change, the blue skin, red hair, that flutter of scales across the body, Mystique is in the school. Perhaps even worse is the fact that she is talking with Logan, and he seems completely fine with her presence.

She leans in just a bit closer trying to listen in on their conversation, managing to catch only bits and pieces of it, nothing enlightening at all. While she can’t hear what they are saying, she can easily read their body language, at least Mystique’s. Logan, like he has been for much of the time since they first arrived at the school, holds himself to a solid and icy facade, in this state the only thing she is sure of is that she has no idea what his is going to do.

Mystique was completely different she is relaxed, almost languid, despite the reasonable distance between Mystique and Logan, her hands seem to find excuses to touch him. She expects it, the rational part of her mind explains, Mystique has often used her sex appeal to her advantage, but seeing it up close and have it directed towards Logan, triggers something inside her.

Completely focusing on Logan and Mystique as they turn into a side room, she doesn’t sense the presence behind her till it is upon her, with a quick pivot she slams her elbow into whoever just snuck up behind her. Her blow strikes into the palms one Erik Lehnsherr, whose cold eyes glimmer in amusement. She quickly pulls away trying to open up some distance between them, only to slam into the metal wall behind her. She silently curses herself for this amateur mistake, but her fear of him is threatening to overwhelm her control. She automatically presses herself against the wall when he steps in closer, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Young, Miss. Adler.” The disturbing cadence of his voice amplifies her apprehension. “It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Charles and I have spoken at length regarding your situation.” His lips twist into a smile, one that does not reach his eyes. The mention of the Professor sends a jolt of betrayal though her, even though she now knows that the Professor is actually working with this man. She forces herself to stop from flinching when a gloved hand reaches out and grabs hold a lock of her hair. Ally of the Professor or not he is currently acting very much like the Magneto of her ever more detailed memories “You are much more than I expected, such unique ability, in such a... pleasing package.”

The way his eyes are roaming over her is making her nauseous, she would actually prefer the clinical and detach cruelty from her memory rather than this disturbing fascination. Thoughts race through her mind, working out various tactical scenarios, pushing all other matters aside except the considerations of escaping. But surrounded by metal she knows the possibility of success is a slim one. Marie steels herself when his other hand is placed next to her head, trapping her between him and the wall. Briefly she considers kicking him in the groin, recalling his quick reaction to her initial attack, she realizes that she will need a distraction first, and grits her teeth and forces herself to endure this situation.

“Your reaction to me is quite exquisite, intoxicating even. I wonder, do you react to any man like this? Or just me?” His gloved hand is now dangerously close to her cheek, almost ghosting over her lips. At the absolute limit of her control she shudders in fear. “Yes, very interesting, I would be delighted to explore this reaction in depth with you.”

Just then, Logan walks around the corner, and his eyes narrow at the sight of her predicament. It is with a supreme sense of delight to see Magneto tense in response to the look in Logan’s eyes. Seizing this opportunity, she execute a shin kick right to the inside of Magneto’s left leg sending him stumbling. She spins away from him while he regains his footing. Focusing her fear and anger, she lashes out with a left cross. Delight courses through her at the feeling of her fist impacting his arrogant face. The punch spins him around, crashing him right into the wall she was just up against. And then she is sprinting down the hallway, her hands tingling with satisfaction and a bit of pain, her lips curling into a grin as she rounds a corner, the grin widens into a smile when she hears the familiar rough growl that only comes from an angry Logan.




Her lungs burning, she finally reaches her room, rushing inside she quickly locks the solid wooden door behind her, a rather futile act, as it would be no obstacle to an angry Magneto. Logan is there though, given the look on Magneto’s face when he first saw Logan, she is completely confident in Logan’s ability to deal with him. Letting out a deep breath she finds three pairs of eyes staring at her in confusion.

Flushed and out of breath, she smiles at them sheepishly, offering up her back pack filled with drinks. “Sorry I’m late, I got caught up with something.”

“Hmm flushed cheeks, short of breath, Oh! Was it a passionate make out session?” Jubes sit sup on her knees, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, “Let me guess, it was Bobby?”

“What?!” Kitty’s looks between her two friends in dismay. Her face blooming with color.

“No! I would never do that to Kitty!” Marie denies emphatically, the attention was flattering, but Bobby was a mistake she does not intend on repeating, especially the way he is right now. Marie takes in the emotions displayed on Kitty’s face; she silently hopes that Kitty will grow out of the crush soon, she deserves so much better.

“I-” Now beet red, Kitty struggles for words. With the amount of blood rushing to her skin, Marie hopes the poor girl won’t pass out from embarrassment. Luckily, before that can happen Ava unwittingly comes to Kitty’s rescue.

“How do you make a out?” She asks completely serious.

The trio stare at one another briefly, then Marie sees the twinkle in Jubes' eyes. “Well, you see Ava, when a bo-MMPH!”

Marie tackles Jubes quickly and covers her mouth. “Don’t listen to her Ava! It’s nothing you have to worry about right now!”

Jubes struggles momentarily underneath her before breaking into giggles, soon the rest of the girls join her in a fit of laughter, while Ava looks on completely perplexed. When the laughter dies down, the girls arrange themselves on Marie’s bed, as the opening credits of the second movie in the marathon start rolling up the screen.




Erik glare grimly at Logan, a hand rising to his face blooming with pain. He considers stopping the girl, to teach her a lesson, the hallway is made of metal after all. And her fear at the sight of him, it was delicious, empowering even, he delights in the control he knows could exercise over her. But as satisfying as that maybe, the look in Logan’s eyes make even someone like him pause. He had heard Logan brought her to the mansion, and though Logan can get very territorial when it come to the strays he’s picked up, this is obviously on another level.

Erik’s finger probes his injury, he managed to snap his head in time, it will still swell a bit but it will not bruise. Nevertheless that little girl succeeded in humiliating him, it is not something he can let stand.

“Erik.” Logan growls out his name, fists flexing. He is definitely looking to start a fight, so Erik forces himself to relax. Despite the personal dislike between them, Logan is supremely competent, eminently practical and extremely dangerous, those are traits he normally reserved only for himself. The two of them orchestrated many devastating blows against the humans. After nearly thirty years of grudging and temporary partnerships there is a degree of respect between them, however slight. He grins slightly at the thought, he's competed with many people over various things; power, influence, money, this girl will just be another contest of many.

“Logan, it has been quite sometime.” Still rubbing his face, he notices his own voice is off, and grimaces at this apparent display of weakness.

Logan answers in another growl, eyes fixed on him. Walking past Logan, Erik hears him falling in step a few feet behind, Logan is only heard when he wants to be, it is a message and his anger surges at the nervous tick that plagues in his arm, it's been more than a quarter century yet an angry Wolverine still makes him uneasy.




“Well, well, this is a rare sight.” Erik walks into the conference room, letting his arrogance slip to the forefront. Smiling at the stony gazes he receives from the other X-Men already in the room. Charles and Raven are seated around the large modern conference table, conversing quietly with each other.

“Erik, old friend, it's good to see you again.” Charles rising to his feet, his hand outstretched a smile on his face. He grasps Charles’ hand firmly, and takes a good look, Charles is older but giving his reception ever still the optimist.

“You too old friend,” he thought he would just be polite, but finds the words ringing true in his ears.

His eyes flicker between Charles and Raven. Seeing his old friend and his former lover so close together, sparks a bit of jealousy deep within him. He and Charles once battled for Raven’s affections just as intensely as their battles over the true path of mutant and human coexistence. He won that first battle, however temporarily, Raven was far too independent to have stayed within either of their shadows. He saw that first, and used it to his advantage, allowing him to achieve a rare victory over Charles.

He must admit Charles is winning where it counts however, in influence and resources. Charles' institute receives far more donations and support than his fledgling political party. Erik is seeing his preeminence among the mutant cause slowly slip away. Just over a decade ago he was the strongest force in mutant resistance, then it all started to fray. First Raven left to lead her own organization, complaining of his inaction to rescue actual mutants locked in the labs, and with her departure she took many of his more idealistic followers with her.

“Erik.” He suppresses a shudder at Raven’s smooth tone, even when she is being icy, she still exudes an alarming degree of sensuality. He supposes that it is only natural for a woman who can literally be any man’s wet dream. They had some good times together, and he misses her in a fashion. If only she wasn't so stuck on her damned ideals, he would still have her.

Raven and her optimistic fools don’t realize that rescuing individual mutants rarely contributes to the cause of mutant supremacy as a whole. As much as he espouses the preeminence of mutant kind, he still must admit that most of them possesses fairly useless powers. With his organization weakened by the schism he was woefully unprepared for Logan. Who in a short decade went from a highly effective but solo actor, to the linchpin of a massive network of mercenaries, insurgents, and independent contractors.

He finds himself outmaneuvered again, this time by the lack of ideals. Logan was willing to work with anyone and everyone, so long as their goals aligned even if briefly. And he had the skills to make himself an asset in any operation. Using these fostered connections Logan more or less monopolized the top end market on covert violence. Leaving him in the middle with no clear place in the cause, that sham of political party fighting against the MRA notwithstanding

“What could possibly have happened that would require all of us to be here, Charles” Erik takes his customary place at the table, even though it's been nearly twenty-five years since he last sat here. Logan sits down as well, his previously angry glare, settles into a scowl. Raven moves away from Charles to her usual seat, while pointedly ignoring him. But seeing them separate brings him an odd sense of satisfaction. Once everyone else but the four of them cleared the room, Charles pushes a button, and the entire room locks down, steel shutters covers the window and the doors bolts shut.

“Logan has uncovered some disturbing information during his most recent excursion.” Charles hands him a packet of papers, and the projector lights up, beaming the most important part for everyone to see. “It has taken us sometime to glean this bit out of it, but it is enough for us to be sure.”

“This is… a grave threat to us all.” Erik finally speaks after glancing through the papers. A engineered ‘cure’, he can only smile at the euphemism, it takes a certain kind of person to call genocide a cure, luckily it's the kind of people he has plenty of experience dealing with. He smiles inwardly, this is what he has been waiting for if the news of this cure got out, he is positioned to benefit the most, well him and Logan he admits begrudgingly, with the world’s slow spiral into violence there isn’t much happening that Logan doesn’t benefit from. “Do you still believe the humans are planning to co-exist with us?”

“Of course I do, Erik,” Charles replies without a hint of doubt. “The actions of a few deranged men should not reflect on humanity as a whole.”

“Few deranged men? I’ve seen what a few deranged men can do,” Erik spat out, enjoying the role that is his to play. “This is a systematic attempt at our annihilation!”

“While this is dire news, Erik, but we must respond with restraint.” Charles continues in his usual pleasant tone, “It’s just one lab, not sanctioned by the government.”

“Open your eyes, Charles. They are making a cure. They are planning to eradicated us. Even One lab is far too many!” Considering how old these arguments are, there is a soothing familiarity to them. But perhaps more importantly, standing here arguing, with these three, who arguably are among the most influential mutants in the world, means he also mattered, still matters.

“Look you two had this argument hundreds of time before, doesn’t matter who is right, we should always prioritize rescuing the captive mutants first!” Raven interrupts this well worn argument with her own worn out retort. Erik can’t help but smirk, something similar happened in 1973, when they debated about Trask and the sentinel program. They were all so young then, so full of hope, well all except one, Logan, who looks exactly the same then as he does now, just as silent, just as mercenary.

“Let’s take care of the problem and bullshit after,” Logan finally speaks, his tone callous and cold. Erik can feel Raven bristles when he refers to the captured mutants as a problem, and Charles frowns
as Logan casually dismiss their cherished ideals.

“While lacking tact, Logan is right, let’s rescue the mutants and secure the data, everything else can wait.” Charles ever the peacemaker, tries to sooth the tension in the room. Everyone looks around and Erik can feel the room reaching consensus.

“Finally, get your teams together. I’ll go get my contact.” Logan releases the lockdown with a few presses of a button, and is already on his way out before anyone could processes what is happening.

Raven is first to respond, yelling after him in disbelief, “You have a contact within the labs and you’ve just kept it to yourself?!”

“Ex-employee, just met him recently.” Logan doesn’t even bother to turn around to reply.
Chapter End Notes:
Up next: catching up with Sabretooth.
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