"Morning Logan." Several of the students greeted him as they passed him in the lower corridors of the institute. They were heading to the Danger Room for a session and he had just left the hanger where he had been assisting Scott with installing some new programs that Forge had written, for the blackbird. He grumbled a greeting in return around the unlit cigar he was gnawing on, and his scowl deepened as he glimpsed at the passing teenagers. But then his noses and eyes perked up as a familiar scent hit him, vanilla and sandalwood perfume. He looked up just as Ororo and Hank rounded the corner, both suited up.
"Logan," Hank spoke out as he walked by him. Ororo simply tossed Logan a sweet smile as she attempted to walk by as well, but Logan's hand shot out and grasped her about the waist, stilling her and turning her slightly towards him.
"Tell everyone I'll be right there." Ororo said to Hank who has paused but then with a nod continued on to the Danger Room.
"Where ya headed?" Logan asked the obvious as he removed the cigar from his mouth.
"To the Danger Room I have been asked to help run through some new programs." She answered.
"New programs?"
"Yes, Forge, has designed some new programs for the Danger Room which is his baby. He with Hank's help, built it from the ground up."
"Huhm," Logan gave an almost primal grunt as he released Ororo and began to walk off. "Wait for me, I'm gonna go suit up." Ororo stared after him for a second before she shrugged her shoulders and continued on her way.
They had been in the Danger Room for nearly an hour and they all had had the same thoughts; these simulations seemed harder and more real then the old ones. Rogue, Iceman, and Colossus made up one team. Shadowkat, Jubilee, and Jean made up another team. With Beast, Storm, and Wolverine making the final team. All teams played hide and seek with the sentinel program all teams except the one Wolverine was on. Storm rolled her eyes as another head from one of the Sentinels went tumbling by, just as Wolverine strutted back to where Beast and Storm had taken cover.
"Wolverine, I explained to you that the purpose of this session is to avoid, it is a very simple game of hide and seek." Storm said, as she looked up at the man before them who was lighting the cigar in his mouth. He took a couple of puffs before he finally replied.
"What's the fun in that darlin?"
"It is not meant to be fun," Storm spoke again through gritted teeth. "Forge wants to test out the tracking systems, hone them, and make it more difficult for us to hide from our Danger Room opponents."
"Well, sorry but I am one for hiding." Wolverine tossed out casually as he stood out in the open as if to prove his point, all while Beast and Storm cowered behind a nearby mangled car.
"You are only doing this to try and piss off Forge," Storm stated and before Wolverine could reply, Forge's voice came over the intercom system.
"It's not working," Forge declared. "In fact I should thank you Logan you're actually helping me with another program I have installed, it a defense program of sort. It will allow your opponents to study your moves and then they will adjust their moves accordingly. It will make them more difficult to beat the longer you continue a session. I think it's a great way to challenge the students."
"See Storm, he doesn't want me ta hide." Wolverine replied and then went on the defensive as he turned sharply and sniff the air a bit. "Stay down." He barked at Storm as his blades shot out. Wolverine moved to the approaching Sentinel on his left but he didn't notice the one at his back, because it had turned off his beams. Before Wolverine could move the hidden Sentinel shot it's lasers and struck Logan on his back.
"Logan!" Ororo screamed and she watched in horror, as Logan's leather uniform as well as his flesh seemed to melt away.
"Ahhhhhhhhrrrgg!" Logan howled out as the cigar was spat from his lips and he crumbled to his knees.
"Oh Goddess!" Ororo cried out as she rushed to her husband's side, getting one of her arms and her legs beneath him before he fell completely to the ground.
"Forge, end the simulation!" Hank roared out as he stood from his hiding spot. He paused and looked up at the observation room when the program didn't instantly stop, and the two Sentinels continued moving in. "Forge!" Up in the observation room Forge, who had been accompanied by Scott and the Professor, worked fast to shut down the system but there was a system overload that was causing a system wide failure.
"I can't shut it off!" Forge announced in a panic.
"Shit, well can you at least open the exit so they can get out?" Scott asked and in reply two of the exits opened. Scott then moved the mic. "Everyone get out, NOW! There's been a malfunction, everyone move!" Scott commanded and then hurried from the booth to make his way down to the Danger Room to help the others. Jean's team and Rogue's team all got out through the two exits but Hank, Ororo, and Logan were too far in, and still trying to deal with a damaged Logan. His wounds were healing fast but now that the others were gone they had all the Sentinels honing in on them.
"We have to get out of here now!" Hank barked out as He hurled himself at one of the closest Sentinels. He clawed his way up to its midsection and then gouged out it's wiring, which cause it to topple over.
"Logan," Ororo cried as she held him in her arms with his chest resting across her arms and lap. With her free hand stroked the back of his hair lovingly, too afraid to touch the raw, scorched mess that was his back. She watched in amazement as the hole in his back closed up and muscles and tissue reformed.
"I'm alright darlin, almost good as new, just need a moment." Logan's raspy voice spoke out.
"Sorry my boy but we do not have a moment. It seems that the program has run amuck. Forge cannot seem to shut it down. The others have already gotten out, which means that we have become the prime target." Hank stated. "We will no doubt have to fight our way out."
"Aw Hank yer turning me on," Logan joked as he stood with Ororo's help, which he didn't really need but he knew that she needed to help him. Once he was fully upright, his back completely healed he took a step towards the lead Sentinel.
SNIKT!
"Let's do this." Wolverine barked out the order and then charged headlong at the Sentinel in front of him. Beast ran towards the three to their right while Storm took to the air and conjured Lightning to take down 3 Sentinels that were coming in from the left. It was a hard battle, Forge had done a good job in getting the Sentinels to memorizes their moves and then make adjustments to counteract them. They all found that the first Sentinel went down rather easily, where with the second one it took a bit more effort. Now when Beast, Storm, and Wolverine were all down to just one Sentinel each they found bringing them down to be an exhausting task. Not surprisingly Wolverine's Sentinel fell first, followed swiftly by Beast's. Wolverine moved with the intention of helping Storm, but all the dust and smoke made it impossible for him to see where she was and a panic filled his gut. "STORM!" He bellowed out and in response an electrical storm filled the sky and then Storm landing a few feet away.
"I am here." She declared as she brushed at her suit and began to step to where Wolverine stood. She instantly paused as she took in the horror on his face and then the way he charged at her. She quickly turned to see what was causing his reaction and was horrorstruck herself as she watched the Sentinel she had dispatch fall atop the building right behind her, which was about to fall on top of her. She stood frozen and the only thing she could recall before the darkness consumed her was the feel of being thrown to the ground and covered by some unseen force.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Her voice filled the small dark space and was soon joined by curses.
"Fuck, darlin yer killin my ears." Logan's deep voice consumed the space.
"Logan," Ororo sobbed desperately and she reached out for him and found that he was right there, surrounding her. She clutched at him, clawed at him. "Get me out, I have to get out…Logan GET ME OUT!" She screamed and again he winced as her pitch pierced his ears.
"'Ro, darlin we're pinned, and even though there aint much room in here I tried to claw us out but the more I cut the denser this shit gets. Guess Forge wasn't too specific about what adjusts to and counteracts our moves. But it's ok the others know we're in here I hear them out there now working ta get us out."
"No, no, no…." Ororo babbled and she tossed her head from side to side and began to struggle and convulse. Logan stared down into her wild eyes in concerned, he could see clearly and saw that she was terrified to the point of delirium and it unnerved him. Before he could ask her what was wrong the Professor sent him images, the images were of Ororo at the age of five when she lay buried for days in the rumble of her home with the bodies of her dead parents.
"Shit," Logan cursed under his breath as he clamped his eyes shut to shake off the residue of Ororo's memories that the professor had shared with him. He wanted to lash out in anger to her agony, but he knew that all he could really do was try an calm her so he reached up and pushed a small button on the collar of his suit and the thick seams lit up and illuminated the tiny space, he then reached down and did the same to Ororo's suit. He had originally thought it was a stupid idea when Hank had told them that he had installed the lighting system on all of their suits. But now he was thankful.
Logan focused onto Ororo and knew just from the look of her that the situation was dire. She was panting, almost gasping for air even though there was plenty even in the confined space. Her body was drenched in sweat and her hair wet with it. Logan gently moved his right hand to the back of her head and lifted her head, turning her face to his and could see that her eyes had rolled into the back of her head.
"'Ro darlin don't do this to me. Come on baby look at me." He calmly spoke hoping to coax her out of the trance she had fallen in. "'Ro," He spoke in a near whisper and then enraged, he yelled. "You motherfuckers out there better hurry the fuck up!"
:::We are doing our best Logan, but the more we dig the quicker it regenerates. Hank and Forge are trying to shut the system down.:::
Jean's voice filled Logan's head, any other time her intrusion would have pissed him off but now he found it comforting.
"Thanks Red." He replied.
:::How is she?:::
"Bad," He stated as he looked into the ashen face of his wife.
:::Just talk to her, let her know that you're there with her, and know that we are trying our best to get you both out.:::
Logan nodded and then focused back onto Ororo, "'Ro, ya can't do this to me." He shifted their bodies as best he could. He settled his weight more onto his right side and then cradled her closer, so her face rested against his chest. He brushed a soft kiss against her temple and then continued to talk to her. "It aint fair ta make me feel things for you and then…" He found that even though he was positive that she was too far gone to hear him, he still struggled to express his feelings to her. He took a deep breath and then held her closer still, until his face was semi buried in her thick white hair where he used his right hand to massage her scalp. "You can't make me fall in love with you and then leave me like this…not me." He spoke lowly. "I don't handle rejection well darlin. If you don't wake up, I'm gonna be bad and I'm gonna hurt someone; startin with Forge." His lips curled up in anger as he thought about the man who he blamed for all of this. "Please wake up 'Ro, don't leave me. I love ya, do you hear me…do you understand what that means for me? I can't ever remember loving…being in love with anyone, but I. Love. You. So, ya have ta wake up." He jumped slightly when he felt a touch just under his chin and he pulled back a bit and peered down into the blue eyes of his beloved. He noted that the colors of her eyes weren't as vibrant and they usually were but at least they were open and alert and staring right at him.
"I…I love you too, Logan." Ororo spoke in a hushed tone as she reached up further and placed her fingers against his lips. He in turned grasped her hand and kissed the digits as he smiled.
"Yeah, then don't you ever scare me like that again?" He said and she smile weakly at him just as the darkness melted away and they were surrounded by their teammates. Jean was the first to reach for Ororo, she attempted to roll Ororo onto her back but found resistance from Logan, who gripped his wife tighter to him. Hank moved up just behind Logan and placed a furry hand upon his shoulder.
"We just want to take a quick look Logan, make sure Ororo is ok." Logan simply nodded and reluctantly relinquished his hold; he then stood to allow Jean and Hank more room. At that moment Scott, the Professor, and Forge all rushed in.
"Is Rory ok?" Forge spoke out and the sound of his voice instant enraged Logan and with wild, wide eyes, Logan let out a battle cry as he turned, popped his blades and ran at the startled man full speed. Scott knew he didn't have time to get in between the two men not that he fancied doing so anyway. So he set his visors to a light blast and hit Logan knocking him back, but only for a second. Logan leaped back to his feet and charged again. This time it was the Professor who held Logan still, which he found to be a difficult task as Logan struggled to break loose.
"I think it would be best if you left," The Professor said to Forge as he fought with Logan's rebellious mind. "The house." The Professor added.
"But Rory…" Forge began to protest.
"She is fine my friend," Hank spoke out from his spot still at Ororo's side. "However, I fear that you will not be if you are here when Logan get loose. I think it wise to follow the Professor's suggestion." With a nod Forge turned and exited the Danger Room.
"Scott, Hank." The Professor spoke out to them, and both men understood and moved to where Logan hovered just above the ground. With a slight gasp the Professor released Logan right into the awaiting arms of Hank and Scott.
"Get the Fuck off'a me." Logan spat out at them as his body quaked with rage and his chest heaved up and down.
"Not until you calm yourself." Scott said.
"I'll calm myself while I'm guttin that son-of-a-bitch, and unless you want me ta start with you two, ya better let me go."
"Logan," A soft voice filled his ears and he quickly snapped his eyes onto Ororo who now stood with the help of Jean. "Stop acting like the bid bad wolf and come carry me upstairs." Ororo commanded and as if he had no other recourse but to follow her orders Logan shrugged off Scott and Hank and moved to his wife. He scooped her up into his strong arms and she rested her head upon his shoulders.
"Ya sure she don't need to go to the medlab, run some tests?" Logan asked Jean, who shook her head no.
"I am not sick Logan, simply claustrophobic." Ororo stated. "Before today I did not think it possible for me to be in such a place for so long, but thankfully you were there with me." She reached up and stroked his cheek. "You saved me," She whispered to him as she nuzzled her nose against his neck and then placed a gentle kiss there. Logan smiled a bit, relishing the intimate contact until he noticed the other's eyes on them as well as the smirk on Scott's face and he snarled a bit at them and then stalked to the exist with his wife in tow.
"You should escort them, I fear that Logan might still do Forge harm if he sees him." The Professor told the others and they all nodded and then headed out as well.
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