Something about the stale, recycled air of the jet felt like an omen. The scents of worry and fear and anxiety from the entire team were being looped through the Blackbird’s air filters and bombarding his senses, making him feel twitchy. He could smell all of them; everyone who had set foot on the jet in the past month, though Rogue’s was the scent he focused on the most. It was full of anticipation and guilt.
The news of the outbreak of a supposed mystery disease targeting mutants had left him feeling on edge. No. That wasn’t right. Angry. Fuck. No. That wasn’t it either. It was a dark shadow telling him that something bad was about to happen.
No shit. Mutants’r dyin’. And our girl ain’t safe. Not. Safe.
Not safe…Not safe. Logan played the words over and over again in his head, and he clenched his jaw to hold back the roar of frustration that was threatening to escape his chest.
Dread. That was it. It was stone cold dread that he was gonna lose her. And there wasn’t a goddamn thing he could do to stop it.
Shouldn’ta come. Shoulda stayed back. Why’re we helpin’ those dicks anyway? They’re the bad guys. They deserve everything that’s comin’ to ‘em.
Wolverine’s warnings and growls were a constant litany in Logan’s mind as he stared at the clouds rushing by, hands gripped tight on his arm rests, fighting the urge to release his claws. He wasn’t the only one to protest their comin’ to the aid of The Brotherhood. The entire team had argued against the Professor’s decision to send them in and help LeBeau and Creed against the attack that had been launched against them by the FOH. Scott had shut down their arguments though, appealing to the team’s desire to stop the attack on mutantkind, rather than helping The Brotherhood. Logan had growled his dissent, but hadn’t said anything more. He knew where he stood on the matter. And knew that if Rogue was goin’, he was goin’ with her.
Logan glanced over to Rogue’s jump seat and frowned. Her body was laced with tension, muscles held tight in preparation for the coming fight.
“Hey,” he muttered to Rogue, hoping to get her mind off beating herself up for leaving the vial behind. He was just as much at fault, if not more so. “Gonna be okay, kid. I ain’t gonna let anything happen to ya.”
She gave him a ghost of a smile in response, and her shoulders relaxed an infinitesimal amount. “I know, Logan,” she said solemnly and turned back to stare out her own window.
He wanted to charge the cockpit and force Scott and ‘Ro to turn back the jet. Wanted to take Rogue and high-tail it deep into the mountains where nothin’ could reach ‘em. So that he could keep her safe. But he knew she’d never agree. Knew she’d want to right the wrong she’d perceived to be her fault. Knew that even though she despised The Brotherhood just as much, if not more than he did, that she’d still fight to prevent the Friends of Humanity from winning. Knew she’d fight to the end, no matter what the cost.
And that’s what was killin’ him. The knowledge that she was willin’ to put herself into harm’s way to make things right. It was one of the things he most admired about her, even as he feared what could happen because of it. That unwavering need to stand up to threats was just one of the qualities that drew Wolverine to her.
And he and Wolverine had somethin’ else in common right now; they were both cursing themselves for not picking up that fuckin’ vial. If anything happened to Rogue, he’d never forgive himself knowin’ that it was all his fault.
Scott announced they’d be landing in five minutes, and he steeled himself for what was to come. He rolled his neck to pop his joints, feeling the lightning of adrenaline and instincts begin to course through his body readying him for the fight. He tilted his head in Rogue’s direction, needing to know how she was coping. The beating of her heart was quickening, and the bitter scent of adrenaline was filling the cabin, cloying his senses. But beneath it all, was the undeniable sweet scent of Rogue. He could still smell himself on her skin after he’d poured himself into her in the early hours before dawn. She had moaned in her sleep as he’d reached out to cup her breast in his hand, unable to keep himself from her a minute longer. Her hips had unconsciously rocked back and forth as he’d moved his hand down between her legs, gently stroking and rubbing, the slow building of wetness causing him to growl deep in his chest at the intoxicating scent she was putting off. He’d leaned over her and begun to place slow deep kisses against the warmth of her bare stomach, inhaling the sleep-sweetened scent of her skin. A slick finger slowly worked its way inside her, and he felt the tug of her hand on his hair as she came fully awake and moaned his name into his lips as he took her mouth.
His jaw was clenched tight as he relived this morning’s slow and sweet sex. Fuck anyone or anything that threatened Rogue. He felt the burn of his claws between his knuckles as he mentally prepared himself for what might come. He’d gut ‘em before they could draw another breath, no matter the cost.
Logan would do whatever it took to keep her safe.
He wouldn’t lose her again.
___________
Rogue could feel the waves of tension rolling off Logan from across the aisle. His muscles were clenched tight as they descended onto the grounds of the ruined mansion, and Rogue tried to focus on the upcoming fight rather than reliving the moment she’d handed over the vial to Kitty. Tried to ignore the two words playing over and over in her head, pounding through her mind in time with the increased rhythm of her heartbeat.
My fault, my fault, my fault, my fault…
Her body jolted with the impact of the jet’s wheels against solid earth, and she took a deep breath to try and center herself.
“No sign of the fight,” Storm’s calm voice echoed down the fuselage, and Rogue craned her neck for a view of the outside as she removed her seat belt and shoulder harness.
The same charred wood and splintered stones that had been her first glimpse of this new world all those months greeted Rogue as she stepped of the jet’s gangway. A shiver ran through her as an ice-edged breeze blew past, which hinted at a spring not yet arrived. She wrapped her arms around herself as she moved over to stand by Logan who was taking in the scene in front of him, scenting the air, looking for the threat. She could feel the warmth of his skin seeping through the leather of his uniform, and everything inside her was screaming to turn around, climb back onto the jet, and go back to their hideout in Canada. Back to where they were safe.
Back where you wouldn’t be able to help anyone.
She clenched her jaw at the thought. It was her own voice that had said it. None of the others. Not Emmet Knox. Not Creed. And definitely not Wolverine. He was prowling about in her mind; cautious, watchful, wary.
“Where the hell is everyone?” she muttered to Logan.
Logan tilted his head, looked down at the rubble beneath his feet and growled. “The fight’s gone underground.”
Scott nodded as though he had anticipated this. “We’ll enter through the old emergency access tunnels to the east of the mansion. Shadowcat, Iceman, you two stay above ground to provide backup and cover. I don’t want anyone getting away. Everyone else is heading below ground. But be on your guard. We don’t know how many of the FOH are down there, and LeBeau and the others likely won’t be too happy to see us.”
Logan whirled around to snarl at Scott. “Remind me again why we’re helpin’ those fucks.” It wasn’t a question and the entire team paused in their preparations as they watched Scott for his reaction. A telltale twitch of his jaw was all that gave Scott’s temper away.
“Because, Logan, we aren’t going to let the FOH win. An attack on one mutant is an attack on all of us. The war on eradicating mutants ends today.”
Rogue shivered again at his words, but straightened her spine as she turned to Logan. “He’s right, Logan. We can’t let them win. I have as much as a reason as anyone to hate The Brotherhood for what they did, but we can’t let the FOH take us out. If we don’t stand up to them, who will?”
Logan exhaled sharply, but nodded tersely in response. “Fine then, Scooter. Ya got a plan for us when we’re down there?”
Scott gave a dark smile as he responded. “Yeah. Kick their asses and get out.”
Rogue glanced over at Kitty who gave her a wicked wink. “See you on the other side, Rogue!”
And the crack and pop of rolling joints met Rogue’s ears as she smiled back at Logan. “Let’s do it.”
_____
The eerie quiet of the ruined mansion landscape lasted only as long as they remained above ground. As they entered the emergency tunnels, the extent of the ongoing fight became clearer. Distant flickering lights, the sounds of chaos, and the scent of blood and death had Wolverine surging forward in Logan’s mind. He snarled darkly as he flexed his forearms and the sound of singing metal echoed back at him from beneath the tunnels.
He sliced through the same grate they’d charged months ago after they’d realized where Rogue was being held. He’d been nearly uncontrollable in his desperation to reach her. And while he still felt a certain sort of desperation, this time it had a different edge to it. Instead of manic uncertainty, this was focused brutality. Still centered on one thing: keepin’ her safe.
The team followed closely behind him and they fanned out, forming a line of defense. The halls beneath the mansion were still in decent condition, despite the bombing nearly three years ago. Signs of The Brotherhood’s occupation were everywhere. The former pristine case of uniforms had been torn down and used as storage for dry goods, and Logan sniffed as he kicked an empty aluminum can down the hall with his boot, the sound echoing down the corridor.
“Buncha fuckin’ slobs,” he muttered.
“Stay alert,” Cyke muttered into his comm, “We’re not here to give them organized living tips, Wolverine.”
Logan merely raised one lip in a snarl and opened his mouth to respond when a brutal scream rent the air and forced an end to the bickering.
“Mystique,” he growled in recognition. The cries were cut off mid-scream and the pop of bullets and other yells quickly took its place.
Rogue shifted closer to him even as she clenched her fists in preparation for a fight.
Good. Keep ‘er close.
“Fight’s that way,” he said, unnecessarily pointing one hand toward the north part of the tunnels.
Scott nodded as though it was the signal he’d been waiting for, and he gestured them to move forward. “Alright,” he said quietly, “Wolverine, Rogue, and Storm move up from the south. Jean, Ellie, Colossus and I will sneak around behind them from the west. Should be able to surround both sides of the fight that way. Remember,” he said, his tone full of stark warning, “We don’t know if they made any modifications to the weapon or if they finalized the airborne delivery mechanism, so make sure you watch your six.”
Wolverine was watchful, alert as the three of them turned and headed north. He was shoving down the part of him that was screaming for them to get out, determined to focus on keepin’ them all alive. Logan was done with these FOH fucks.
He sniffed the air deeply, trying to fight his way past the stench of LeBeau’s cologne, past the sourness of Creed, to see if he could figure out anything about the weapon deployment. He processed the scents of sweat, adrenaline, stale food, piss, the unmistakable scent of gunpowder and greasepaint. Blood was on the air too, as well as the familiar scents of his team, and the less pleasant scents of the other members of the Brotherhood. But he couldn’t distinguish a match to what he’d smelled at the lab where the weapon had been in production.
Don’t mean nothin’, came the angry growl of warning from Wolverine.
Logan agreed. They didn’t even know if the FOH had brought the weapon with them in their attack on the Brotherhood, but if Chuck’s dire warning as they’d taken off were any indication, it was very likely to be in play. The FOH were done messing around. They’d announced their intentions in the bodies of the dead mutants at the border. And he wouldn’t put it past them to mask the weapon in a way that was different than the plans they’d stolen.
His ears strained for a hint of what might be headed their way. He picked up on the heartbeats of Rogue and Storm, and could make out the sounds of distant fighting that were getting louder with every step they took toward. The flickering lights above made nonexistent shadows dance across the halls and he sniffed the air deeply to try and anticipate what might be coming their way. Logan motioned for them to stop as he heard quickly approaching footsteps and the stink of sulfur met his nostrils.
“Go back,” he growled in a quiet voice. “Trouble,” he said simply at the question in Rogue’s eyes.
Before they could get too far, a tall and lanky form skittered around the corner, sliding on the rubble that was lining the tunnel halls. He was breathing heavily, apparently having just run down the hallway away from some yet unseen threat.
“What are you assholes doing here?” St. John asked as he changed the grimace of fear on his face into a smirk as he straightened himself upright. “Come to save the day?” His hands were turning over the ever present silver lighter in his hands, flicking the lid open and shut as he looked over the three of them, the corner of his mouth upturned in a smug smile.
“Somethin’ like that,” Logan answered, one eyebrow raised at the challenge in Pyro’s voice.
St. John grinned again, seeming to enjoy the circumstances of their meeting. “You three get separated from the rest of your pack or what?”
“We’re tryin’ to help you,” Rogue called out from behind Logan. He could hear the fierce determination in her voice and grinned darkly back at St. John. There’d be hell to pay if he tried ta hurt her.
“Oh hey, it’s the dead girl!” St. John said with mock surprise. “How ya been, Rogue?”
A low menacing growl escaped from Logan’s chest as Wolverine took in the threat in front of them. He didn’t like fire, and really didn’t like the sulfurous prick threatening her.
“Oh, ya know,” Rogue said calmly as she moved up to Logan’s left as Storm moved up to his right. “Can’t complain.”
Pyro snorted as he slowly moved closer to them. “Dunno, Rogue. I’m thinkin’ today sucks pretty bad.”
Another scent began to fill the air, and Logan couldn’t help the snarl that erupted from his chest.
“Cajun,” he growled as he turned to face the stench of the swamp rat to his left. He could smell the scent of Rogue’s fear ramp up several notches and he felt the rage of the Wolverine at seeing the dickweed alive after everything he’d done. The blades between his knuckles were itching to bury themselves inside his chest, forever ridding this world of the plague that was Remy LeBeau. He began to move forward with the intention of removing him from this plane of existence.
“Mes amis,” LeBeau said smugly, giving a single nod in their direction. “Gambit is grateful, truly très reconnaissant, at your predictable heroics.”
But instead of surging forward to plunge his claws into the swamp rat, the sight in front of him had him stopping dead in his tracks before he could act. Fuck. No. Goddammit fucking fuck!
“How else would Remy be able to escape this dying world? If you hadn’t thought to have such impeccable timing, Remy would truly be in merde profunde.”
“Oh, no.” Storm muttered quietly.
“Rift! What are you doing here?” Rogue raised one hand toward the boy as if to and free him from the slender hands that were clamped onto his small shoulders. But she froze as Remy took in her movements and gripped the boy even harder.
Logan snarled as the scent of the kid’s fear clouded the air and stepped forward as he tried to figure out how the fuck he was gonna get ‘em all out of this goddamn mess that Chuck had put them in.
“You keep your distance, Wolverine. Remy is in charge, ne suis-je pas?” Remy’s voice was cold, the intent to hurt the kid if he got too close an unmistakable threat.
Rift sniffled as he looked back at Rogue, tears falling freely from his eyes. “I-I’m sorry!” he said in a shaking voice. “I j-just wanted to h-help.”
“Monsieur sauveur here sneaked aboard your jet to help you defeat the enemy! Isn’t that just charmant?” Remy’s crimson eyes were sparkling with mockery.
“How do we know that’s not Mystique this time?” Rogue asked, a hint of fire back in her voice.
“Ah, chère. Remy be so glad to see you looking so…” he trailed off as his eyes roamed over the curves emphasized by the black uniform she was wearing, “…fit. Especially after our last encounter. I was so worried Remy had seen de last of you.”
“Shut up, Gambit,” Rogue snapped at him. “Just answer the damn question.”
There’s our girl, Wolverine was growling appreciatively. Ain’t gonna show any fear in front of the French fuck.
LeBeau gave a melodramatic sigh and loosened one hand from Rift’s shoulder to clutch at his heart while he plastered a pained look across his face. “Gambit is hurt by your words, chère. Truly. All business you are. As you wish though. Mystique is dead. Ask your Wolverine to see if Remy tells de truth.”
Logan only gave a curt nod in response to the feeling of Rogue’s questioning glance. There was no lie in the Cajun’s stench, and he could taste the bitter adrenaline of her fear on his tongue. His mind was racing through the possibilities as to how he could free the kid and still keep everyone safe.
“I came across the boy as I was on my way out, and after ma chère here did Gambit de honor of confirming what he is capable of at our last meeting, I will be wasting no more time in this trou de merde. Now. It has been such a charming reunion,” and he gave a mock bow in Rogue’s direction. “But now, Gambit must take his leave of you. Pyro,” Remy barked out as he gripped Rift tight to him once again, “Libère ton feu!”
There was no hesitation; St. John roared maniacally as he sent a fireball roaring down the corridor toward the three of them. The whites of his eyes turned orange with the deadly flames that expanded from the lighter in his hand. Logan didn’t need to waste time telling Rogue and Storm to move, they’d already dived for cover around the corner at their backs. Logan didn’t hesitate in following them. Healing from burns hurt like a motherfucker; he’d do whatever it took to avoid that particular brand of pain.
The fire exploded as it raced down the corridors after them, the force of its movements demolishing an already half destroyed wall to the east, the resultant debris kicking ash and hot rubble into their air.
Before the fire could flow around the corner to where they’d taken cover, Storm had thrown back her head and summoned a torrential rain to douse the flames licking at their feet.
“We have to get Rift!” Rogue was coughing from the smoke and steam that had filled the corridor, and her hand gripped his forearm tightly in desperation, fingers slick with Storm’s continuing rain.
He jerked his head in agreement, senses straining to filter through the barrage of movement and scents to hone in on the enemy. There. He was just able to make out the outline of the swamp rat, moving back against the far wall, and at his signal the three of them raced back around the corner. Logan’s claws sang as they extended from his fists, desperate to end the disgrace of the Cajun, who was too much of a threat and far too much alive for Logan’s liking.
But they slowed their approach as Logan took in the details of LeBeau’s figure. Remy had Rift backed into a corner, shaking his small frame and Logan could make out through the noise of the downpour that LeBeau was demanding he open a portal. Logan finally realized what LeBeau wanted. He was nothin’ more than a fuckin’ swamp rat fleeing a goddamn sinkin’ ship. Tryin’ to get out of this world before the FOH forced him out the hard way.
The rage of the animal was surging forward again, and he turned himself over to the beast’s instincts. Instead of the vicious attack he’d envisioned though, Logan was surprised at the stealth approach that Wolverine took. The hallway was clouded with steam and smoke and he motioned Rogue and Storm to stay back as he crouched low in the cover, moving slowly to come up behind Remy. Rift’s eyes widened as he caught sight of Wolverine, and he jerked his head to indicate the kid should remain silent as he crept closer. Remy struck Rift’s cheek with an open palm and the kid began to sob as with shaking hands, a swirl of blue light began to stream from his palms. Wolverine growled with rage as he saw the blooming red on Rift’s cheek and saw the swamp rat smile in triumph as he released the kid from his grip. He couldn’t prevent himself from surging forward to plunge his claws into LeBeau’s boots just as he turned to try and enter the portal.
Gambit screamed with pain even as he reached inside his cloak for a card to charge. He whipped out a stack of three and hurled them at Logan who rolled hard to the right, narrowly avoiding being hit with the charged projectiles. He snarled in satisfaction of the scent of LeBeau’s blood hit the air and he surged forward again, sniffing the air and trying to isolate the stench of the Cajun in the smoky hall. While it had been ideal camouflage for him as he snuck forward, it was now providing the same cover for the Cajun scum.
He heard Rogue charging forward to tackle St. John, who’d been preparing to unleash another fireball as he caught sight of the three of them emerging from the smoke and steam. She swept one leg out from under him and he fell to the floor with a hard crash, the lighter falling from his palm to skitter across the cold floor.
“Our fight isn’t with you, moron,” Rogue said as one steel-plated boot rested itself against Pyro’s throat. Lightning crackled overhead as Storm called forth a swirl of dark clouds, head tilted toward an unseen sky.
“I’ve got him, Rogue,” Storm murmured, the threat in her voice clear. “He’s not going anywhere.”
Logan saw Rogue step back toward where Rift was still huddling in the corner, her arms stretched out to comfort him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the portal fade from Rift’s palms and he tried to move forward into Rogue’s waiting arms.
“Rogue!” Wolverine growled at her just as he saw a slim tan hand slide out of the smoke to grip her shoulder, harsh fingers digging in cruelly. She hissed in pain but her fighting skills had been honed on a knife point since her last meeting with the Cajun. She struck at his face, fists moving viciously quick, and Logan snarled in satisfaction as he saw the contact with LeBeau’s lips that had a sharp spray of blood flying into the air. But Remy blocked the next blow and wrenched her arm behind her back, shoving her face hard into the wall behind her, one hand gripping the back of her skull as he pressed the entire length of his body hard against her, holding her in place. She grimaced in pain and Logan struggled to prevent the manic bloodthirsty animal that was demanding release for the purpose of murder.
“Let ‘er go, swamp rat,” Logan growled menacingly. He couldn’t fuckin’ stand to see LeBeau’s hands on her again after what he’d done to her last time.
“Tsk, Wolverine,” Remy said in a sickly sweet voice. “You watch Gambit’s hand now.”
Logan couldn’t look away from the sickening sight of LeBeau’s hand at Rogue’s head as it began to glow, the dark strands of her hair illuminating with the power of his kinetic charge. He loosened the grip on her skull to slide his hand through her hair, ripping out the elastic band that was holding it in a high braid, until he had wrapped the entire mass of her hair into his fist.
“How, chère? How did you do it? How did you get here?” Remy whispered harshly as he leaned in close to Rogue’s ear. “What do you do to find another world?”
“Argh!” she cried out in pain as the hand in her hair twisted tighter and the one on her arm pulling it higher. “You have to,” she began with a grimace, “Say please.”
Remy bellowed in rage as he ground Rogue’s face harder into the wall. “Tell Remy now, chère, or this wall will be the last thing you ever see.”
Logan was zeroed in on every movement between the two of them, waiting for the right moment to strike. He couldn’t risk Rogue gettin’ hurt, but they needed to get past LeBeau and St. John to face what they’d come here for; to end the threat against mutant-kind.
Suddenly an explosion of sound erupted from the north end of the tunnels, and Remy loosened his grip on Rogue just enough for her to whip around and land a vicious punch to his gut. He folded up onto himself as the air exploded from his lungs, and Rogue darted out of his reach to grab Rift.
A roar of pain followed the explosion and Logan jerked his head toward the debris and smoke in the air, stunned to see Creed staggering forward through the rubble. He was moving slowly. Carefully. Barely standing. Logan sniffed the air quickly, trying to determine what the hell was wrong with the shaggy asshole, but quickly turned his attention back to the Cajun as the sound of him standing upright met his ears.
“Enough!” Remy bellowed as he surged forward toward Rogue and Rift, charged playing card in hand, “You give the boy to Gambit, now!”
Rogue didn’t hesitate as she dragged Rift down from where he’d been huddling against the wall, covering him with her body as the card was released from Remy’s hand. It flew straight into the wall at their backs and exploded in a violent cascade of metal and stone. Logan roared as he surged toward LeBeau, noting the fresh sharp scent of Rogue’s blood as she held her hands over Rift’s head. And still, Remy continued forward, charging another card even as the debris clouded the air and Rogue gripped Rift tighter in her hands, body tensed for another explosion.
The animal’d had enough. Wolverine roared as he plunged his claws through Remy’s back, impaling viscera and guts and bone and snarled in satisfaction as he hoisted him up and over his head and threw his body back toward Creed. His chest was heaving as he took pleasure in the sound of LeBeau’s heart beating for the last time, his blood dripping from the tips of his claws to the ground.
He wasted no time in assessing the next threat and surged over toward Creed, but stopped several feet away as he saw the damp sheen of sweat that dotted Creed’s brow. The glassy look in his eyes. The dozen black tipped darts sticking out of his gut.
“Logan?” Rogue said as she stood up and brushed the rubble from her singed uniform. He heard the sounds of her helping up Rift and murmuring to him reassuringly, and the crunch of debris beneath her boots as she started to move closer to him. He could still scent the sharp scent of ozone from Storm, but lost sight of her in the thick quagmire of smoke, steam, and debris filling the air.
“Stop,” he said motioning her back with a harsh jerk of his hand. His gut was screamin’ at him tellin’ him somethin’ was wrong. Somethin’ was really fuckin’ wrong.
“Gotta…” Creed began to stammer as he tried to focus on Logan. “Go.”
And all at once Logan honed in on the sounds following from behind where Creed was swaying. Focused in on the static of his comm which he’d tuned out in his blood fueled rage to stop Remy.
“Wolverine, get your ass out of here! It’s a goddamn-” Colossus was bellowing into his ear, then his voice cut out. He heard the distant sounds of Cyke yelling with pain. Saw the thick blue-black gas begin to creep through the hallways billowing up around Creed’s legs, where he swayed for a final time before falling backward into the mist.
“Move!” Logan roared. He barely had time to shove Rogue and Rift roughly behind him as the sound of body armor and metal met his ears. He heard them both fall to the floor as he took the full brunt of the bullets that exploded from the onslaught of FOH troops which had just rounded the corner. He hissed in pain as the feeling of several sharp objects piercing his skin registered past the surge of adrenaline, past the plated front of his uniform. The force of the impacts brought him to his knees and he grimaced as he pulled himself upright, still intact, but his blood was racing with something hot and heavy, something that had a small dark pit of fear forming in his gut. He glanced down and saw half a dozen darts, not bullets, sticking out from his chest and side. He ripped them out, ignoring the sting of pain and a dark wave that passed in front of his eyes.
“No!” Rogue cried out harshly, and Logan jerked back and took in the sight of her kneeling over Storm’s prone body. Her eyes were closed and her face contorted in pain as her body began to spasm violently, blood bubbling up and seeping through her clamped lips. Just past where Storm lay, Pyro was in a similar state, his body convulsing vigorously, head banging itself against the concrete floor.
“Fuck!” he growled as he skidded down on his knees next to Rogue, trying to inspect Ororo’s body for the source of the distress even as he knew they needed to move. He saw it then. The tail end of two black darts protruding from her thighs. Fuck. They were out of time. Out of options. He felt a quiet sob of fear from Rift as he crammed himself behind Logan, and he reached out to shake Rogue’s shoulder even as he heard Ororo’s heartbeat slowing. Panic gripped his guts in a cruel vice. She couldn’t be…and then. The beats stopped. Her body stilled.
Rift began to shake in fear at Logan’s back, and he knew they had to move. They didn’t have any time to waste. He could already hear the guns being reloaded. The commands through the smoke to regroup and fire again.
“Rogue, she’s gone. We’ve gotta go!” Her eyes were lightly glassy with shock, and Logan let his instincts take over. “Now!” Wolverine roared as he twisted back and grabbed Rift in one arm, tossing him easily over one shoulder, and with the other hoisting Rogue up from her knees so that she was anchored to his side as he thundered back down the hall, away from the increasing threat.
But something was wrong. Something was off. There was a black flood of heaviness racing through his blood. A sickening feeling of wrong pulsing in his veins. He had to think. Where could they go? The exit at their rear had been cut off from the blast of LeBeau’s final charge. The way north blocked by the troops with the fuckin’ mutant killing weapon.
West. There.
Logan didn’t hesitate as he realized where Wolverine was pointing them. He gripped Rogue and Rift tightly in his hands as he tore down the corridors toward the one place where he could give them some time. Time to say goodbye before the end. Toward the temporary safety of Cerebro. He just hoped the Brotherhood had fixed that fucking door after their last visit. If they hadn’t, this wasn’t gonna work. And he’d lose her. Again. For the last time.
Another wave of black passed over his vision and he gritted his teeth against the growing pain flowing through his body. The door was intact. He heard the quickening steps behind them and dropped Rift roughly to free one of his hands to wrench open the handle. He shoved Rogue inside, and grabbed Rift from the floor throwing him in beside her. He grunted as he shoved the door closed behind them, and roared with the pain of his efforts as he twisted the handle into an all too temporary barrier between them and the soldiers.
He exhaled sharply as he struggled with the finality of his decision, trying to ignore the dark agony that was blooming inside him, a combination of the weapon and the realization of what he had to do. Logan began to pace the length of the metal walkway, desperately trying to ignore the scent of her old blood in this place with the fresh blood from the puncture marks in her forearm. He saw Rogue stand and move over to reassure Rift, and another bolt of pain lanced through him as he saw her try and comfort the kid.
All that was left was to convince her that this was their only option.
The only way out.
The only way to save her.
____
Rogue was trying to still the shaking in her hands, trying to calm herself so that she could help Rift. The poor kid was terrified. And she couldn’t blame him. He’d just seen more violent death than any person should ever have to witness.
“Come here,” Rogue motioned to Rift. “Let me take a look at you.”
He hesitated for a minute but then appeared to steady himself with a deep breath as he walked over to where she was standing. Rogue could feel the trembling of his small frame as she checked him for injuries. She lightly ran her hands over his skull and brushed the metal and debris from his sweater, content that she found nothing more than superficial cuts as she went. “You’re going to be fine,” she said with a kind smile that she hoped came across as confident. “Why don’t you go sit down for a few minutes, hmm? Logan and I will figure out what to do next.”
Rift nodded jerkily, but walked over to sit in the center of the area where Cerebro’s controls had been. The place where she’d been beaten by Remy and Creed. The place where she’d been left for dead. A room with no windows and just one door. The place where she’d started to finally admit that she wanted Logan. The place where he’d saved her life.
“Jesus. Logan,” Rogue said, her voice quavering as she tugged at the burned edges of her uniform. Her forearm was throbbing from the shrapnel that had exploded with Remy’s last card when it struck the metal wall behind her. The door to Cerebro couldn’t keep out the sounds of destruction outside. Shouts of men and mutants, the crackling of raging fire and the smooth sound of automatic gunfire raged on. She didn’t know how they were going to get out and back to the others. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she thought of Kitty up on the surface. She hoped she was ok. “What are we going to do?”
He was strangely quiet as he paced the metal aisle that expanded from the door to the center of the spherical room. His eyes were darting around, looking for something and his behavior was beginning to worry her.
“Logan,” she said frowning. “Stop. Talk to me. We need to get out of here. Is there any other way out of here?”
He stopped in his tracks and stared hard at her. She felt uneasy as she waited for him to answer her. She noticed a sheen of sweat at his brow and his face was slightly flushed.
“Just one,” he ground out finally, moving slowly to stand in front of her.
“One?” she asked confused. “What do you mean?”
“You need to go.” A flash of gold crossed his eyes as they glanced over to where Rift was sitting and Rogue felt the first traces of something dark settle uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach.
“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Logan. We can find a way out together, get back to the others -”
“No,” he interrupted with a snarl. “You have to go.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said as shook her head and took a step back from him. Her heart was pounding its denial, frantic with fear. “Kitty is out there, and Scott and the others -”
He cut her off again. “No, Rogue. ‘Ro is gone. Cyke and the others. I…” he swallowed hard, “I heard ‘em. After Remy.”
She sucked in a painful breath, feeling the world grow colder around her, a faint buzzing in her ears as her vision began to darken at the edges. But then the warmth of Logan’s hand splaying at her back, steadying her as he enveloped her in his arms. Keeping her upright.
“Logan, you’re still here,” she said her throat strained with grief. “I’m staying with you. I’m not leavin’. I won’t. I can’t.” She clenched her jaw, stubbornness showing on every inch of her expression.
“Yeah, you can,” he said quietly as he stepped back from her.
Something in his tone made her take another look at what he was saying. Why would he force her to go? Unless…
“Why?” she asked, suddenly breathless, terror forcing its way through her veins.
He didn’t answer, but just stared at her, chest moving with every breath. A dark thought was beginning to form and she could feel the Wolverine inside her mind growling his denial.
“Logan. Tell me.” Her voice cracked as she pressed him for a reason. Sure that she didn’t want to know the truth, even as she demanded it from him.
He exhaled sharply and met her eyes in resignation.
She couldn’t breathe. She swallowed convulsively past the lump in her throat. Finally, she spoke, her voice hoarse with shock. “No.”
It wasn’t possible. He healed. He’d told her so the first night she met him. Super-healer. She’d seen it. She’d experience it. He’d been able to save her life because of it.
He clenched his jaw and nodded at her denial.
“Show it to me,” she said folding her arms to hide her shaking hands.
Logan stared at her for five long seconds, ground his jaw, and unbelted the plating of his uniform, tossing it uselessly to the side. He unzipped the leather and shrugged out of the top-half of his uniform then slowly raised the black t-shirt he wore underneath. She sucked in her breath at the sight of the black marks radiating from the six holes in his chest and side. With a shaking hand outstretched, she tried to comprehend what was happening. Why wasn’t he healing?
“No,” she whispered, then louder in her denial. “You can’t be - you heal, Logan.”
He jerked the shirt back down so that she couldn’t touch the injuries. “It’s not gettin’ better. I can feel it. Spreading. Don’t know what the fuck is in this shit. But I can’t -” he broke off, a sharp momentary grimace of pain crossing his face. “It’s not workin’. Healin’.”
Rogue felt the floor drop out from under her. She was suddenly freezing, her body shivering with the realization her mind refused to accept.
“How am I supposed to leave you?” she whispered. “How can I go back?”
“Because. There’s nothin’ left for you here. We’ve lost.” He said it simply, but his eyes betrayed the emotions raging inside him. Full gold. He was barely maintaining his control.
“Goddammit! Fuck! I just found you! It’s not enough time,” she cried out at him.
Logan clenched his jaw and she saw a finality in that gesture that had her entire body begin to shake visibly. He’d made up his mind.
“Rift,” Logan said turning toward where the kid was sitting on the metal floor, knees to his chest. Rift looked up, eyes wide. “Open a portal. She’s leavin’.”
Rogue jumped as Rift complied with Logan’s request without protest, the brilliant blue beam forming smoothly, despite the severe trembling apparent in his small hands. The light began to spin until it blossomed into a bright portal of light and the dread in her stomach nearly had her bent over from the pain.
“I’ll leave,” she threatened with a shaking voice, moving toward the entrance of Cerebro. “I’ll go out those doors and face this thing -”
“No you fuckin’ won’t.” The words were barely comprehensible over the growl of pain and rage that accompanied them as he moved lightning quick to grab her shoulders and keep her in place. “Yer right,” he said, eyes blazing into hers, “It’s not enough goddamn time. It never will be with you.”
The silence stretched between them while shouting and the sounds of distant explosions and screaming and gunfire grew louder, and Rogue swallowed hard, trying to prevent the overflow of tears that were clouding her vision. Another cacophonous blast shook the room this time and Rift yelled in alarm as a blue-black gas began to seep slowly between the cracks in the door entryway to Cerebro, pooling in a menacing cloud that pulsed with malicious intentions. He scooted over to the far edge of the metal aisle, but the portal stayed put, swirling at her back.
Rogue could feel panic mingling with her grief now and she frantically met Logan’s eyes, terrified of what she was being forced into. He didn’t look away from her as he slowly released her from his grip, moving his hands to his side, fists balled up tight. He simply stood there, staring at her, jaw clenched in determination and that goddamn stubbornness of his.
Finally, she broke and asked him, “How am I supposed to just…go on?”
His chest expanded as he inhaled sharply, like he was bracing himself for something awful. “Find him,” he said after several tense seconds, his voice low and gruff with anger.
“Who?” She asked, disbelief straining her voice. He couldn’t possible mean -
“Him,” Logan ground out through gritted teeth. “Me. Whatever the fuck you want to call him.”
“Logan. No. I can’t. He’s not you.”
“Well you can’t have me, Rogue. And I can’t have you. I don’t know what the fuck this thing is gonna do to me or to the rest of the goddamn world. The Brotherhood are dead or dying, the FOH is in fuckin’ control with a weapon that kills mutants. We’re finished. And goddammit!” He roared, his anger echoing back across the metal tiles of the room. “It’s killin’ me to think of you being with someone else!” he exploded at her.
“You’re jealous? Of yourself?” She found herself asking while at the same time a small voice reminded her of her own jealousy of this world’s Marie.
“Of course I’m fuckin’ jealous!” Logan snarled. “He’s gonna be the one to hold you, to smell you, to fuck you. I want to rip out his guts and bury my claws in his skull for gettin’ to be with you.”
“What makes you think he’ll believe me? Or want me? Or give two shits about me?” she yelled back, feeling helplessness coursing through her.
He looked at her with sad eyes, the anger seeming to leave him all at once. “’Cause. There’s not a fuckin’ world out there where I wouldn’t want ya or do everythin’ I could to protect you.”
“Then come with me,” she said, desperation clouding her voice. “Logan. You can. Please. I can’t do this to you. Not after everything.” Tears were falling freely now, running down her cheeks to splash off the black leather of her singed uniform.
He was already shaking his head as he moved to rub the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “You know I can’t. Can’t risk the weapon gettin’ through to yer side. And Kitty’s still out there. Bobby too. I might be able to help them before this thing puts me down.”
Rogue heard the screeching and wrenching sound of metal being ripped apart and felt a concussive shudder as the walls of Cerebro struggled to maintain their safety. But she knew they wouldn’t last long and that their time was nearly up. Her heart was being ripped out of her chest with every second that passed as she tried to comprehend leaving Logan behind.
“’Sides,” he said in a dark rough voice as he cupped her jaw softly in one hand. “Ya got it all wrong, kid. I’m not losin’ you this time.” He paused, and stared deep into her eyes before he crushed her lips to his. The intensity of his feelings reaching through to touch her fucking soul and she met his kiss just as savagely, trying to bury herself in him. She tried to memorize the feel, the taste, the scent of him. His hands encircled her and press her tight against him and she swallowed a sob as she realized it would be the last time she felt the heat of his body, the feeling of his hands against hers. She frantically moved her hands to clutch him even more tightly; one hand tugged at his hair while another grabbed at the skin at his back. He broke the kiss without warning, and then leaned down to touch his forehead to hers, his eyes closed. “I’m savin’ ya.”
Before she could react, he roughly shoved her away from him into the blue wall of energy at her back. She screamed in protest, her fingers outstretched back toward the life she’d chosen as she was pulled through the portal. Her scream of anguish intensified as she saw the look on his face as he rapidly began to disappear from view. His face was an impassive mask of cold determination, eyes dark pools of loss, as he slowly and finally turned away with a final glint of metal reflecting off the claws he’d extended roaring to face the end.
Rogue spun through the crushing darkness, feeling her heart viciously cut out and left behind while her body hurtled through the silver-streaked black. The pain was so much worse this time. She was fighting the current that was mercilessly pulling her along in its wake and aching spasms wracked her body as she tried to remember what Rift had said all those weeks ago about choosing the right door. Her head was going to split open from the pressure and her screams of torture from being ripped away from Logan, and the pain in her body were indistinguishable. She was being swept away from the man and the life she wanted, away from the life that wasn’t hers to take.
Toward the life she’d abandoned, without the future she’d chosen.
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Chapter End Notes:
*Actively dodges the empty bottles being thrown at me right now*
All I can say about this chapter, aside from the huge shout-out to @englishmajor226 for her amazing advice and beta on this absolute monster of a chapter, is that this final scene between Logan and Rogue was one of the first things that came to me when the story was forming in my head. It was planned from the beginning, and never an attempt to cheapen their relationship or the story. The FOH in this world were absolutely determined to exterminate all mutants, and I just couldn't change that as painful as this is.
I can't accurately express to you how hard it was to write this scene. Knowing what I was forcing these characters to go through was extremely draining, emotionally speaking.
I'm hopeful in time, if you continue to read, that you'll understand why I did what I did.
Until then, happy holidays! I'm going to be focusing on Keeping up with the Morgans, and maaaaybe some Striking Dissonance over the holiday break with the wonderful @englishmajor226.
Cheers!
All I can say about this chapter, aside from the huge shout-out to @englishmajor226 for her amazing advice and beta on this absolute monster of a chapter, is that this final scene between Logan and Rogue was one of the first things that came to me when the story was forming in my head. It was planned from the beginning, and never an attempt to cheapen their relationship or the story. The FOH in this world were absolutely determined to exterminate all mutants, and I just couldn't change that as painful as this is.
I can't accurately express to you how hard it was to write this scene. Knowing what I was forcing these characters to go through was extremely draining, emotionally speaking.
I'm hopeful in time, if you continue to read, that you'll understand why I did what I did.
Until then, happy holidays! I'm going to be focusing on Keeping up with the Morgans, and maaaaybe some Striking Dissonance over the holiday break with the wonderful @englishmajor226.
Cheers!