Storm looked up at her husband next to her. Sunshine was coming through the windows, lighting up their room. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," he replied. "Made ya breakfast."

"Thanks," she said sitting up. She looked at her clock and saw that she had half an hour to get to the school she was teaching at. About six months ago, the government had shut down the Xavier institute. Most of the students were forced to go home; some went back to playing thief on the streets, and others played hitchhiker to survive. Storm and Logan, already being married, went up to Canada to live in Logan's cabin. Storm was able to get a job back at the school nearby, and Logan found out just before their wedding that he used to be a lumberjack, so he managed to get one as a lumberjack again.

After breakfast, Storm took a quick shower and saw that she had fifteen minutes left before school started. Logan stopped her by the door and kissed her. "Logan," Storm said giggling. "I'm running late."

"It only takes you ten minutes to get there," Logan said. "You can give me five minutes."

"And then five minutes will turn into ten minutes," Storm countered, "and ten minutes will turn into all day. And I still need to set up for my lesson." She broke it off, then gave him one more kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"You bet you will."

Storm laughed as she sneaked her keys out of his pocket.

When Logan checked it for the keys, he groaned. Storm was halfway to the garage when he did and jangled the keys in front of him. "You really need to work on your pick pocketing skills. It takes a thief to fool a thief."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Storm laughed.

CW

As Storm arrived at the school, she had five minutes to spare and set up her class room. Plus the extra seven it took for kids to get to class. As she got out though, she looked over her shoulder. She had the sneaky feeling that she was being watched. When no one was there, she shook it off. Paranoia. When she reached her classroom, she just barely managed to finish setting up before the first bell.

CW

Out in the forest behind the school, someone watched the goddess. Her scent to him was so intoxicating, he couldn't resist it. She should have been his right from the beginning. She should have screamed when he asked her. Of course, had she done that three years ago, she would be dead. It took him over six months to track them down again. When he saw her, he smiled. He was finally going to get what he wanted.

When the bell rang for lunch, Storm gathered her papers and placed them in a folder to grade later. Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand. She gasped as she turned, only to see it was Logan there. "Where's my beautiful Goddess?"

Storm thought about hitting him, but then he kissed her, and she forgave him. For now.

"What are you doing here?"

"Thought I would take you out to lunch," Logan said.

"Thought it was my week to take you out?"

"Changed my mind. You look a little stressed, and I wanted to see you relax a little."

Storm laughed. "Okay. Where are we going?"

"I was thinking-"

"Isis, get back here!"

There was a bark, and a bang as something hit the glass window. Storm looked at Logan. "Isis? You don't think..."

"Can't be. She was supposed to go back to Florida where she said she would live on the streets again."

"Remind me again why I agreed to that."

"Because we weren't her legal guardians. Hey, Rogue's gone back to hitchhiking. You know how I feel about that."

They looked at each other than raced outside to see a blond girl with green eyes by a white wolf. "That was too close," the girl was saying behind a bush. "Do you know how much trouble you almost got me in? ... Well I don't care if there was a Frisbee or not. You're not supposed to do that. She doesn't know that I followed her to Canada."

"Oh really?" Storm asked.

Vestara whirled around on them. "Kriffing Stang!"

"I should've known," Storm said. "Your isolation preference should've tipped me off, but I didn't realize."

Vestara Khai changed from a light brown haired girl with dark brown eyes, to a dark-dirty blond haired- that could pass for brown or even black- with hazel eyes. "Yeah, and when I went from blond hair green eyes, I used the contacts and hair dye excuse."

"Who were you just now?"

"At first I was Tahiri Veila. Anakin Solo's girlfriend until he died, and then a lover of the sorts with his older brother after he became Darth Caedus. Then I swapped to Vestara Khai."

"TMI, Hawk."

"I better go to lunch..." Hawk said.

"We'll talk later kid," Logan said.

"Okay," Hawk said. "Just to let you know, skunk stripes is just ahead."

"What?"

"She talkin' about me, genius," the two turned to see Rogue standing behind them.

"What are you doin' here, Rogue?"

"Heard that Hawk gave up the streets for Canada, and that she met a boy..." they turned to see Hawk rush up to someone, in her normal form, and hug him.

"Logan," Storm whispered in his ear. "If we're going to make it to lunch, we better hurry."

"Okay," he said, turning back to Rogue, "see ya 'round, Rogue."

"Bye, Logan."

X

Sabretooth growled. One of the brats was the girl's sister he killed last year. And then there was that girl he failed to kidnap three years ago. It was going to be harder than he thought to get that witch.

After Logan dropped Storm off at the school, she finished her last class of the day.

"Tomorrow be prepared for a quiz," she said as the final bell rang. The students groaned as they gathered their things and prepared to leave as the final bell rang. "Ves, can I see you."

"Sure," Hawk replied. She turned to the boy she had been sitting with since the first day of school. "I'll just be a moment."

"Okay," he whispered.

Hawk walked to her desk. "Where are you staying?"

"Rogue, Kai, and I are staying together at an abandoned shack. Rogue works as a florist- I think she misses your garden- and makes enough money for the groceries. I work at a stables, which gives me enough for the phone bills. Kai is an entertainer on the streets and pays for the extras. We're doin' fine."

"Kai is living with you?" Storm asked with particular interest.

Hawk gave her a shocked look, and blushed. "Kai is someone I met in Orlando. He rescued me from some thugs, and said that he would like to meet you guys. I uh... sort of read your mind of where you were going... so I managed to manipulate the registration and put down my false name."

"Hawk," Storm growled.

"I better go, bye." As soon as she reached Kai, she grabbed his arm. "Let's go."

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking back at Storm.

"I'm in trouble."

"Why?"

"Can we not get into this now?"

"Sure. But you're going to tell me later."

"Okay."

After that they were gone. Storm shook her head.

X

After all the kids were gone from the school, the beast stalked forward. That witch was all his.

X

Storm walked into the parking lot on the phone. "Yeah, I'm on my way home now. Do you want me to stop by the store for anything?"

"No. I'm just need to finish something over here, and I'll be making dinner."

"Oooh, that sounds nice. What are you making?"

"I was thinking your favorite."

"Logan, you are such a romantic."

"And a good one at that."

Storm laughed as she put her things in the trunk. "I'll see you at dinner."

"Bye, darlin'."

"Bye, Logan." Storm hung up the phone and walked over to the driver's side of the truck, humming 'Ever Ever After' by Carrie Underwood. As soon as she closed the door, she adjusted the rear view mirror, and gasped. A hand clamped her mouth shut, and a claw went across her throat. Storm froze, breathing heavily.

"Surprised to see me?"

Storm didn't dare move.

"If you don't want to leave a school full of children without a teacher and your husband without a wife, I'd do as you were told."

X

Logan had the dinner table set and dinner ready by six-thirty. He waited by the door the way he usually did when he wanted to ambush Storm. After about an hour, Logan stored dinner into the leftovers. Storm would've called if she was working late. But, when he last talked to her, she said she was on her way home. So what on earth was taking so long.

There was movement in the kitchen. Logan slowly crept up to the doorway. "What do you want?... Well, there's eggs, and the usual but we need something they won't notice or miss... Uh... looks like... ooohh, spaghetti and tomato sauce. Want me to take it? It certainly looks fresh... Hey, it wasn't me who got fired... look we just need enough until you get a job..."

Logan had heard enough. He jumped into the room, claws out. The kid screamed. Turns out it was Hawk. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Uh...I-uh... nothing."

"Then what's that behind your back?"

"Nothing."

"Smells like spaghetti."

Hawk put the container back into the fridge. "Rogue, I'm gonna kill ya."

"She told you to do this?"

"It was either me or Kai, and Kai's out trying to make extra."

"Uh-huh. You wouldn't know where 'Ro was, would ya?"

"On her way home."

"That was over an hour ago. We live fifteen minutes from the school."

"I know, Logan, the shack I live in with Rogue and Kai is a five minute walk."

"Then where the heck is she?"

X

Sabretooth watched the sleeping goddess. She would be up soon, and then, she would be his.

Storm woke up in a shack of sorts. She was on a mattress that didn't have anything on it except a blanket. Her hands weren't restrained, but her ankles were. Where on earth was she... and why was she here? Where was Logan? Let alone, what happened? She couldn't remember.

"What's wrong, princess?" a deep malicious voice interrupted her thoughts. "Memory a little fuzzy?"

Her memory wasn't that fuzzy to know who that was. It was starting to come back to her. The kids- Hawk and Rogue revealing themselves- her talking on the phone, putting her stuff into the car, Sabretooth... Sabretooth! Sabretooth was in her car and... and she couldn't remember. Her head was starting to throb a little. Either he drugged her, or he knocked her out. Sabretooth stalked closer to her- she scooted back until her restraints wouldn't let her anymore- until he was practically breathing in her face. "What is it you want?"

"I want what I wanted three years ago." He whispered, inhaling her scent. "You owe me a scream. And I want it..." he purposefully let his voice trail off as he grabbed her wrists and cuffed them to the bed. The cuffs were intertwined with rope, probably to make this all the more painful.

Storm, tried to struggle against him, but he was far too powerful for her. Her powers weren't even responding to her. She wanted to know what he had done to her, but at the same time, she didn't want to know.

"Don't worry, princess, you'll get your powers back soon enough. You just better hope that I don't kill you before then..."

He stripped himself of his clothes and pounced painfully on top of her. She gasped. Why was he doing this to her? Why now? That was all she could think about as he got on top of her stomach. His weight on her was as bad as his grip around her neck.

"Please. Please, don't do this. I-I'm married-"

Sabretooth growled at her words, and she whimpered pathetically. He wasn't going to listen to her. Why would he? He just saw her as an object. Nothing more.

She started to writh under him, trying to get out. Not happening. She cried out as he struck her. "Stop moving," he growled.

Storm obeyed. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna get that scream. Right... now!" He forced his way into her, as she smothered her scream by biting her tongue.

CW

Logan searched for Storm at the school. No one was there. Even Storm's car was gone. But, there was a stench there that even Logan would recognize. So familiar, it was like he grew up with that person. He extended his claws, and released a feral growl. He took a quick whiff and followed the scent trail.

CW

Storm struggled against her attacker. She couldn't let him do this to her. But it was too late, he already was. She closed her eyes for about the third time. She was not going to grant him this victory over her and let him see her shed her tears. She kept biting her tongue to keep her screams silent as he continued his deed.

Her wrists were already chafed and heavily bruised from her struggling. She was starting to get weaker and weaker. Sabretooth knew this and smiled. He almost has her under his control.

Storm saw the smile, and her fear spiked. This was not going to end well.

Rogue and Kai were eating McDonald's when Hawk got home. "Oh, and I had to go out and play bait?"

Rogue looked up. "I had no idea he was going to do it."

"I got you two," Kai said enticingly.

Hawk looked at him for a moment. "Okay, I forgive you."

There was a loud roar from somewhere. Rogue and Hawk looked at each other, then went to the near by window. There was a crash, and then... nothing.

Hawk didn't bother to reach out with her telepathy. She and Rogue both knew who it was.

CW

Storm heard a door burst open in the house. Sabretooth dressed in a flash, but then jumped on her again, and clamped his hand over her mouth; shushing her quietly.

The door to the room was kicked open a moment later. Logan walked in, looking at Storm in shock and anger. Storm looked away from him in shame.

Sabretooth laughed. "Too afraid to even look at your own husband now."

Now that Logan was in the room, she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

CW

When he saw Storm, Logan was infuriated. Sabretooth had just crossed the line, and there was no way he was going to get away with it.

In a flash, he bowled Sabretooth over, crashing into a nearby dresser. Then Logan stood up, claws extended. He was only going to give Sabretooth one chance to leave.

For once, Sabretooth actually did the smart thing left- even if he did leave with a smirk. If Storm had not been the way she was, Logan would have gone further. But, she needed him now.

He approached her slowly, but it looked like Sabretooth sucked the fight out of her. Slowly, he freed her from her restraints.

When she was free, she cried, and then passed out from exhaustion. Logan picked her up, and carried her out. Their truck was right in front of the shack. He laid her down in the back, and drove back to their cabin. Then he carried her to their room, laying her down gently on the bed.

He got a bowl of water and gently washed her wrists, which were rubbed raw.

Slowly, he went up her arms to get all of her scratches. When he was done, he could do nothing more, but wait.

After about an hour, she stirred. "'Ro?" he asked, leaning over to her.

"Logan," she said weakly. Then her eyes became wide with fear, and her breathing increased rapidly.

As if knowing what she was thinking, Logan reached for her and stroked her cheek; wiping the tears from her eyes. She tensed, which was understandable. "It's okay, Storm, he's gone."

Storm started to cry again. Logan's heart broke at seeing her in so much pain. He slowly brought her close, and placed his chin on her head.

Storm's muscles bunched up in protest, but they relaxed a moment later. Logan savored the moment. This was probably the last time he was going to be able to do this for awhile.

Over the next several days, Storm was on sick leave. She would stay curled up in their room for hours; leaving Logan to find her pillow sodden with tears when he got home. During those times where she was actually out of the room, she was extremely tense and jumpy- nearly frying Logan once or twice. Rogue, Hawk, and Kai, would come by and visit once in awhile, all three curious to know what was going on and why Storm wasn't at school with them. Logan would just tell them that Storm wasn't feeling well, although he could tell that neither Rogue or Hawk believed him. After their fourth visit that week, Logan decided to have a little talk with Storm.

When he reached their room that night, Storm, once again, had her back turned toward him, and he could hear stifled sobs. He thought about leaving her alone, but then dropped the thought. They were going to have to talk about this, and it was better to talk about it sooner than later- he had a feeling that he was going to regret not talking to her.

As he slipped under the sheets, Storm hardly moved a muscle. "Hey," he said softly, trying to wrap an arm around her. She tensed at his touch.

"Please, don't...touch me."

He sighed and reluctantly removed his arm around her. "You know, you can't hide out here forever," he said softly, stroking some of her long silver hair that was away from her body.

"You don't think I know that?" she demanded apprehensively.

"No, I know you do." Logan thought carefully about his next words. "It's just that Rogue and Hawk are real concerned about you. And if Hawk has her way, one of these days she'll dig into my mind and pull out what happened."

Storm sighed. "It's none of her business what happened. What's done is done, and that's all there is to it." Logan could clearly see the bite marks on her shoulder, and some of the scratches that hadn't quite healed yet. This was far worse than anything she had ever experienced in her life. It was like she had a wound on her soul that refused to heal; a scar that wouldn't leave. These past several nights, she's had nothing but nightmares about what had happened. Logan would have to wake her gently, and risk being fried to keep the weather under control.

She shifted slightly, keeping herself from looking at him. He sighed. It was going to be a long time before she was over this.

CW

Storm had sensed him come in. She could tell that he wanted to talk, but she didn't want to talk. She thought he was going to interrogate her about the incident between her and Sabretooth, and that was something she certainly was not willing to do right now. Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up in a corner and die. She could still feel Sabretooth on her; inside her. The feeling was numbed, but it was there all the same.

When Logan wrapped his arm around her, she wanted so much as to give in to it, but it brought back memories that she didn't want then. When he mentioned the kids, tears started to swell up in her eyes. She knew that she was letting them down by not showing up to class, but what else could she do? She didn't want to have an emotional breakdown in front of the class.

She sighed when he brought up Hawk's telepathy. "It's none of her business what happened. What's done is done, and that's all there is to it." She could feel Logan's eyes over her; sense the sadness in him. A tear fell. It wasn't like she was trying to shun him. It was just... too soon for her to be opening up to anyone. She didn't like losing control, and especially hated it when she did and others saw. She could tell that it broke his heart to see her like this, but there was nothing she could do about that now. She didn't want him to see her as weak; nor did she want to show weakness. She also wanted to keep the shame she felt away from him. She just had to deal with it her own way.

CW

Logan sighed. Things had become so much harder for them. He saw her wrists, which were rubbed raw and still had signs of chafing, despite all the lotion Storm put on them. He turn to the bedside table and turned out the light. He still faced Storm's back though. She had told him at least once before that when she was close to him, he was like a security blanket. He waited for that moment again, when she wanted nothing more than a blanket of security...

A couple of months later, Storm looked at the test, and nearly broke down in tears...

CW

"Oh, no!" Logan heard someone sob. He walked into their bedroom, to find Storm in the bathroom. He walked toward to the door, only to find it locked. "'Ro? Come on, darlin', open the door." Silence. "I'm not leaving until you do. I have all the time in the world." Click, the door was unlocked. Logan entered to find Storm huddled in the corner. She was sobbing. "'Ro?" he asked, kneeling down next to her. "'Ro, what's wrong?" He grasped her by the shoulders, and she tensed.

"Don't. Please, don't touch me."

"Come on, 'Ro, just talk to me, please."

Storm looked at him with tear filled eyes. "I...I'm-" she choked on her words, and looked away; it was clear to Logan that she was ashamed of something. Seeing the question in his eyes, she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. He felt the slightest shift, and he looked up in shock. Storm was pregnant. Question was, who's child was it?

Storm looked at him. "I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's possible that it's my child."

"And it's possible that it's Sabretooth's," Storm countered bitterly.

"Storm," Logan said, forcing her to look at him. "Even if the child is Sabretooth's, I wouldn't care. I would love it no matter what. Now... if you had consented, that would be different."

Storm punched him, and he chuckled. "Don't even joke about that," Storm warned. She sighed.

Logan cupped her jaw- not missing the look of wariness she gave him- and looked deeply into her haunted eyes. "'Ro, I'll always love you no matter what. 'Til death do us part, remember?"

"Easy for you to say, you're practically immortal."

Logan gave her a mock-scowl. "Goddess sarcasm, I'm wounded." Suddenly, he felt an electric shock. "Ow!" he gasped.

"Now, your wounded."

CW

Storm shifted uncomfortably as Logan looked at her. Suddenly, he leaned forward and kissed her. At first her body wanted to reject it, but after a second, Storm gave in fully. She felt the love that Logan wanted to give her; was giving her. Logan reluctantly broke it. Noticing she didn't respond, she could see that he felt guilty. "I'm sorry," he said.

Suddenly, Storm returned the kiss. "Don't be," she said. "I missed it." They started kissing again, and then Logan helped her up, and forced her to retreat into the bedroom. It wasn't until she was on her back again, that she broke everything off. "Stop," she gasped, when he was on top of her, his hands going down her body. "Stop."

"What's wrong?" Logan asked, concerned.

"It's too soon," she said. She looked into Logan's eyes. "I'm sorry-"

"No," Logan cut her off. "It's alright. But it's a start. You haven't let me kiss you in forever."

Storm laughed a little, and then kissed him again.

After putting Christina to bed, Logan and Storm did some moonlighting activities. That night as Christina started crying, Logan got up to get her. While he was gone Sabretooth grabbed Storm, and clamped her mouth shut.

When Logan returned, he saw Sabretooth and automatically brought out a set of claws, holding Christina in the other arm.

Sabretooth smiled. "Now this is a pretty sight. Caring for kids that don't even belong to you is one thing,Wolverine. Caring for a kid that belongs to your wife and not you is something different."

"Hate to tell you this, Creed, but it's possible this child's mine."

CW

Hawk was out on a midnight stroll when she saw the beast enter the Howlett's home.

She called Rogue and Kai over, and quickly located Storm's room. Kai waited outside to make sure no one saw- his ability with manipulating shadows worked best at night- as the girls sneaked in.

CW

Storm sensed someone- no, not someone, two people- come in through the open window. Her back was against Sabretooth though, making it impossible for her to turn. Sabretooth inhaled deeply.

CW

Sabretooth laughed at Logan. "Really? I'd like to see you prove that."

Logan looked up when he saw three people at the window. Only two came in, the first holding a finger to her lips; telling him to be quiet. Suddenly, Sabretooth growled as he inhaled deeply.

"Shoot!" one of them exclaimed in a barely audible whisper. The other placed her hand on Sabretooth, and he growled in shock as his life force was sucked out of him, and he tightened his grip on Storm- causing her to wince and gasp in pain. Then, Sabretooth dropped dead. Not really, just unconscious.

Logan turned on the lights and saw Rogue and Hawk standing there. Storm gasped for her breath.

Rogue shuddered. "I did not need that."

Hawk turned to her friend. "I'll do a memory wipe later."

A blond boy about sixteen came into the room. Logan realized that it was the same boy that Hawk was hanging out with.

"Thanks for the rescue, guys," Logan said, handing Christina to Storm. "But I had everything under control."

The girls looked at each other. "Right," they both said. "So Sabretooth having Storm in a choke-hold, and you holding your daughter away from them was you having everything under control?" Hawk asked.

Logan glowered at her. Hawk giggled, while the boy backed off a little. "Admit it Logan," Rogue said. " You needed our help."

Logan didn't see any other way around it. "Fine," he grumbled, "I needed your help." The girls had satisfied smiles and high-fived.

"Well, we better go," Kai said, grabbing both girls as he led them back to the window. "Good night Mr. Howlett."

"'Night, Logan." Both girls said.

When they were gone, Logan went back to his wife. "You alright, 'Ro?"

Storm nodded, but Logan could tell that she was scared out of her mind. He wrapped an arm around her, and she gratefully gave in to his embrace. "Don't ever let me go," she whispered.

"I won't," he promised. "I won't let anyone harm you again."

Tears came to Storm's eyes, and he gently wiped them away.