'Who's to say who the real heroes are?
Those who struggle with the world,
Or those who continue day after day
Even when they know the world will kill them eventually?'
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The plan was stupidly simple, now unloaded the truck was easily pushed by everyone, Kitty was sat in the driving seat her hands on the wheel. Pieter was waiting on the other side of the fence to stop the truck in it's tracks as soon as she got it through the fence.
Kitty had her hands on her stomach as the rest of them went behind the truck, her mind going back to the face of Bobby as he'd said goodbye yesterday. He was joining Emma's organisation, he could pass as human and his skills wouldn't be out of place in the north. He'd be an asset for her and he'd wished Kitty and Pieter well, but he'd been distant ever since they'd gotten to the camp site. As if he'd been pulling away since he'd killed soliders on the lawn of Xaviers, he couldn't pretend to be human to her anymore. He was Iceman and his eyes had been as cold as his name.
Shuddering Kitty gripped the wheel and nodded into the mirror, as the truck began to move her voice sounded in the space. Her voice saying a Yiddish prayer she'd heard as a child, to keep the young safe and for the Angel of Death to keep flying away. Closing her eyes for a moment as she concentrated on the mass she was trying to shift.
As the truck gained momentum Logan saw Kitty nodding, pulling his hands away was the signal for everyone else to drop their touch. The truck went toward the fence ever faster, Pieter was braced on the other side his feet spread wide and a look of utter betrayal on his face. Logan caught Jubilee's whispered words as she approached the fence, "Come on Kitty, concentrate, concentrate." Logan watched expecting the truck to smash into the solid barrier but the entire thing sailed through the barrier as if it were smoke.
Logan, Jubilee, Hank and Marie set off running through the gaps that were solid to them, Pieter still had to catch her. Hank put on a burst of speed his voice carrying over the trucks bumpy ride, "Catch her! I'll be there in a second!" Hank lept over the truck, his muscles bunching before he sprung out and over the length of the truck to land a few feet ahead of it. Turning his shoulder to the oncoming truck, bracing with Pieter who's face was set soild in stone.
They caught the truck, guiding it to a juddering stop, Marie was with Jubilee as they ran to see if Kitty was okay, Logan stood back. His face locked onto the cab as his senses picked up what the others would soon find out.
Pieter was first, his strained voice crying out as he tried to pull Kitty from the truck. Hank was trying to restrain him but eventually Marie put him down, her face turning to see Logan watching them all. Shadows filling his face as he turned to get the stuff they needed to fill the back of the truck.
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Stable.
It was the word they all clung to, Pieter was in the flat bed at the back, his massive form being looked over by Logan. Kitty was laid in the back with Hank while Marie drove, Hank listened to her heartbeat, tested her blood pressure and checked on the small lump of flesh that was growing inside her. Hank was tight lipped but the forest road they were using was clear of anything that might be considered difficult. They stopped twice, once to refuel, the other to eat and do what they had to. Logan took nothing for himself and Marie had to force him to eat something.
Pieter woke just as night was falling, he woke to see Logan looking at him, eyes dark and body tense. Logan didn't sugar coat it, he just told him how it was.
"She's stable, babies fine, she's exhausted accordin' to Hank. It just took a lot out of her, she should be fine as long as she gets rest."
The dark forest around them was deepening in shadows and Logan caught the scent of anger rising in the air between the two of them. Dropping closer to Pieter Logan let him see who he was talking to, the darkness shining out of his gaze the deeper they went into the forest. Still weak after his encounter with Marie Logan put his hand on the still recumberant Pieter, meeting his anger fuelled gaze and showing him what he'd be dealing with. Low and hardly moving his lips Logan hissed through his teeth to the man under him.
"You wanna see your kid alive, get over it. I'm the last person ya wanna piss off right now, understand?"
Pieter looked deep into the gaze that was burning into his own, the darkness that had been there when he'd killed Xavier was there in Logan's face. When Pieter looked through the window he saw Hanks face smile thinly at him as well as Marie's concerned gaze. Shuffling up Pieter let his strength return to him slowly after being knocked unconcious.
As the light faded out of the world Logan took on a more animal appearance, his face darkened, his movements became more fluid. His breathing deeper as if he were taking in the whole forest with each breath. He stood quickly just before they went round the bend to the lake, hands spread out on the roof. A slight smile on his lips as it lay out before them, what was left of the light being reflected from the mirror surface of the water.
Marie felt Logan's movement, she could hear his blood pounding in her ears. She slowed the truck on the road and Logan dived off the back, his boots being tossed onto the road as well as his clothing. In the headlights Jubilee, Hank and Marie watched as he ran headlong into the forest naked, the eyeshine that had caught the headlights telling them all that Logan was no longer the man they thought he was. Jubilee turned to Marie who's eyes hadn't left the patch of woodland he'd run into, she could hear his progress still over the ticking engine. Popping the door she went out and picked up his stuff, shaking the dirt from them she climbed back in and drove them to the waters edge. Jubilee's face filled with questions she just said, "Not now Jubes, please, not now." There were unanswered questions, unwanted thoughts and several strange ideas that needed clarification. They'd get them but Marie knew she'd have to go into the forest later, Wolverine needed space, there was only so much he could take before he snapped and now he was free of Xavier.....
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Freedom.....
Cool air on heated skin....
Tracking deer, their scent only a few hours old, several young, females and two bucks, one not yet old enough to challenge for mating. Racing into the dark Wolverine kept silent, his nose picking up the information all around him. Even the scent of distant lake water where a fire was burning in the darkness, turning his back on the wind Wolverine went after fresh meat.
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"Why did he do that?" Hank was the first to broach the questions when Pieter was finally with a sluggish but aware Kitty. Marie looked up at the huge doctor, his face showing curiosity not scorn, sighing Marie kept her emotions in check as she looked past the small fire and out to the wilderness all around them.
"Because we took him too far, we pushed him where he didn't want to go."
It was Jubes turn to interrogate her now, "What?"
Marie turned her gaze to look at her friend, seeing her as she was, a woman out of her element, needing answers to keep her sanity.
"Logan didn't want Kitty to do it but there was no other way, did you think he wanted her to risk everything? To lose the baby? We're not on Dept of Agriculuture land Jubes, we're on a military place here, who would you prefer him to be right now? Logan or Wolverine?"
It sank into her mind what he was doing, Wolverine was hunting for signs of other humans, living humans who smelled of gun oil and metal. Eyes a little wider she huddled closer to Hank who put his large arm around her giving her the comfort she sought.
"Will he be alright?" Marie looked at Jubilee her face showing concern for Logan, Marie for her own mind kept silent. It wasn't Logan she was worried about, it was them, if he ran across someone he'd handle it but they found them all here....
She made herself take first watch as Hank and Jubilee clambered back inside the truck, keeping the fire small Marie kept her back to the water. If an attack came it'd come from the treeline or the road they'd used to get down here. Marie waited for Logan to return, when he did she'd be talking to him before anyone else even approached him. Her own arms feeling heavy she crossed them over he chest and waited for him to return.
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There were several feeding stations out here, grain had been poured in a circular area, deer were feeding here settled and calm. There were scents of humans, men mainly, trucks and grease, but his eye was locked onto a young deer. She was this years young, just enough to feed the group he had waiting back at the lake, moving slowly he crept around the herd. Breathing steady, his feet silent on the ground, finding their way by touch and it was that that alerted him to the strangeness. Risking a glance down his foot was feeling metal under the leaf litter. Moving his foot side to side he uncovered the base plate of something, turning slow his eyes looked for the anamoly. Finding it ten feet away, a mast with a very odd looking top to it, wracking his brain to figure out what it was when the deer froze. Everything was still, the night held it's breath as something passed overhead. Heat, sudden and unwanted flashed through the air, the trees around him groaning as moisture was forced out of the fibres. There were several thuds as the deer hit the ground, his own skin blistered for a moment before healing again. As soon as the sensation had come it passed again, as soon as it was safe to move he did so, going over to the place where the deer had been feeding.
Two of them were still alive, being caught glancing blows by whatever had been flying overhead. The rest were dried out, as if they'd been put into a freeze dryer, perfect except for their coats. Stuck up and brittle, his fingers touch on their once glossy coats shattering the now brittle fibres. The bleating of the young drew his attention to them, turning his back on the carnage Logan gave them the peace they deserved. Stripped and ready to leave he set off back to the water, the sooner they were out of here the better.
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Marie was dozing, feeding the small fire enough to keep it going but not overly visable if you didn't come round the truck. Logan's appearance made her sit up quickly, throwing the meat at her feet he went direct to the water. Blood covered his skin but there was something else that was making him move so quickly. As she jointed the meat using her claws, taking the meat from the small carcasses Logan walked back his skin glistening with lake water.
"Any meat that looks dried out burn it." Marie looked up from her work to see Logan's face, there was a hurried hunted look to his face as he dressed again. Quick Marie looked through the meat, there were only a few pieces that looked 'odd' and she did as she was told and burnt them. Taking the rest of the red meat she emptied it into a container that had held food earlier. They'd cook it later that day and stew the rest, Logan took her arm and pulled her up.
His voice was quick and quiet, body tense and almost frightened, "Get behind the wheel, get us out of here, go along the lake shore for a mile then go right onto the road we came off. Hopefully we'll reach the other side soon enough." Before he let her go Marie reached up to touch his skin, brushing her fingers over the darkened skin she saw the things he'd encountered. The feel of heat, the blowback of engines and the death of the deer. It was enough to get her moving, Logan took the back while she squeezed in to drive. Kicking the fire out before they left the only sign they'd been there were a few half cooked pieces of meat that by morning would be gone.
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Hank woke to see Marie driving them through open tundra, water and sedge were all around, she was avoiding the water by going in a zig-zag pattern. Small lakes dotted the area by the looks of things and Hank looked over at Marie. Her eyes were red raw and her hands were stuck at ten to two, feet movig by themselves as she navigated through the waterworld around them. Picking up the map from the dashboard Hank saw their course and began helping. When his bladder began to ache he asked if they could stop, Marie only shook her head and passed him an empty water bottle. Taking it in hand he quickly used it by turning his back to her, the sound waking Jubilee who was resting against the other door.
"EWWWWWW!!! HANK!" Shocked she woke up to see Marie driving, Logan stood in the back of the truck and Kitty curled around a still sleeping Pieter. Hank quickly sealed the water bottle and put it on the floor of the cab. Jubilee stretched and unkinked her spine, seeing the vast open spaces filled with water all around made her own bladder remember that it was full and her hand reached for the door handle. She was about to open it when Hank dragged it shut again.
"Not now Jubilee." Hank looked serious and she felt a little hard done to, last night it had been Rogue who'd told her to shut up and now it was Hank as well.
"Why not, I *need* to pee!" Marie spoke as they covered the ground around the water filled area.
"Because we're not safe here Jubes, Logan found something bad and we need to keep goin'. Trust me ya don't wanna know what he found, just be glad you're not a prune."
It shut her up but when Pieter and Kitty woke up they both needed to stop soon, Marie waved out of the window and Logan crawled over the roof to poke his head through the window.
"We need ta stop for a few minutes, toilet break." Logan grunted in approval and Marie just slowed the engine to a gentle stop. Doors opened and Logan got down off the back, pulling Marie out from the driving seat he held her. Letting her feel that he was with her again, that last night had been needed but he was back with her again. Soon everyone was back, Hank was given driving duty with Jubes and Pieter. Marie and Logan curled up next to Kitty, Logan's head resting in Kitty's lap. Marie's head resting on Logan's shoulder, they slept while they drove through the morning. By the afternoon they were out of the fenced area and by evening they had left Saskatchewan.
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Fort McMurray was a bustling town, a huge oil refinery was dominating the skyline as they drove into town, Hank was hiding under a blanket as they passed through. The place was filled with a mixture of humans and mutants, yet they still didn't feel safe enough to even think about stopping.
Only when they were outside the city limits did they stop and then it was only for a quickly cooked meal of deer meat and bread. The journey was taking its toll on Kitty as well as Jubilee, they were beginning to look more than a little dishevelled. And it was Marie who spoke what everyone had been wishing for, "Logan do ya think it'd be safe if we took a night's rest at a cabin on the highway?" Logan let them finish eating before answering, his eyes taking in their tired forms and bodies. They all needed a decent sleep in a bed, only Marie seemed to be coping but then she'd spent an entire winter getting used to roughing it. Weighing up the risks Logan let his eyes travel over their faces, seeing Kitty's worn face did it though. Not that he'd admit it to anyone but she'd scared him, the way she'd just flopped in the cab after she'd gotten them through the fence. He owed her a night in a bed for that.
"Okay but I'll pick the place and you do as I say okay?" Everyone nodded suddenly spirits that had been flagging were raised again, Logan let Pieter drive again this time with Kitty and Jubes up front. Hank, Logan and Marie were in the back making plans and sorting through the maps. Logan had an idea about making their journey easier but it'd be a risk for those who took the journey he was proposing but it'd get them to the goal faster.
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High Level lay five miles away and the roadside motel was pretty comfortable by the looks of it, the small cabins looked homely and Kitty went with Marie to get one. Giving over false driving licenses and addresses, they quickly grabbed the key and drove the truck over to where the rest were waiting in the darkness. Quickly getting on board they drove to the largish cabin and let themselves in.
Bare stripped floors, a decent fireplace already stacked with wood waited for a match. Two sofa's with plump cushions, two bedrooms, a small kitchen diner and a wooden vaulted roof. One door in and out, back windows were double glazed and looked out onto forest. Logan looked satisfied and just went back outside for a moment, everyone else was busy doing something. Hank was making coffee, Pieter was lighting the fire while Kitty turned down the beds and Jubes went straight for the bathroom. Marie on the other hand went to see what was wrong with Logan.
Wrapping her hands around his middle she felt him relax as she held him from behind, a cigar from his stash clutched in his fingers. Unlit he chewed on the end of it, his breathing telling Marie how much he needed a break too. At least for a couple of hours they could feel 'normal' again, after everything they'd been through they needed this time off the road.
"Ah know ya think ya don't need this Logan but ya do, we both do." He turned her in his grip so she was now facing him, his hand taking the cigar out of his mouth and dropping to kiss her lips.
She melted into his arms, her fingers losing themselves in the tight muscle she found under her pads. When he backed her against the door it just slammed open almost taking them to the floor. Logan didn't care, he just picked her up with both hands while Marie kept her grip on his mouth. They took a bedroom leaving Hank and Pieter looking at each other, knowing that sleep would be hard in coming if Logan and Rogue were taking a bed. Although that in itself wasn't such a bad thing, it meant that they too had a chance with their loved ones. The noises that would be coming from Logan and Rogue were often enough to make the rest of them a little 'frisky'.
It was Pieter who moved first, getting up from the fireplace he just walked casually toward the bedroom Kitty was in and closed the door. Leaving Hank with the large room and two soft sofas, when Jubilee finally made it out of the bathroom Hank had the main lights down and the sofa's pushed together to make a sort of sleigh bed. He was waiting for her, resting naked in the firelight, turning to see her he smiled as she blushed stood in a towel. Holding out a paw he let her walk over to him before scooping her into the bed he'd made for them both.
The comfort wouldn't last forever but while they had it they'd enjoy it all. And if the noises coming from Logan and Rogue were anything to go by they wouldn't be the only ones.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
The journey to home gets harder, and Kitty risks everything.