"I'll come back for these," he had whispered before walking out of her life. She had believed him, had wanted to believe that it wouldn't be too long before he did, had hoped that, when he did return, he would see her in a different way.

She smiled as she let her fingers wrap around the cooling metal in her hands. She would wear them until he kept his promise, until he returned for them. And maybe he would keep his other promise, too. Maybe he would take care of her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was supposed to be a simple mission. Just a quick pick up of a child. The girl didn't trust easily, especially not anyone who showed any kind of authority. It was deemed better if the junior team went alone, without the supervision of the others. Why not? The majority of them were eighteen. So they set off happily, looking forward to have some time away from the ever watchful eyes of the adults. The six of them looked forward to the ride.

Xavier had been hesitant at first, but Rogue was able to persuade him into chalking it up as a bonding experiment. He chuckled at that, but gave his ok. Letting him know that he understood that they just wanted some time away.

They took a school van with them, the drive only lasting eight hours. They never made it.

About half way there, Kitty spotted a young man in his early twenties standing by the side of the road, examining a car that seemed to be smoking from under the hood. "Can we stop and help him?"

"Kitty!" Bobby groaned from the back seat he shared with Jubilee and Pyro. "We have somewhere we have to be."

"But we're supposed to be superheroes, remember?" She argued back with a playful smirk. "If we don't help him, who will?"

"You just like his ass!" Jubilee giggled, earning a glare from Bobby.

"That's just a perk," Kitty replied with her own laugh. "So can we stop?"

"Why not?" Rogue replied with a sigh, turning around to help the man.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It all happened suddenly. Kitty got out with Piotr close behind to see if the man needed any help. The next thing anyone knew, Piotr was unconscious. Kitty was growing exhausted from phasing through the tranquilizers being shot at her. Jubilee, Bobby, and John were taken out of the game early. And Rogue was doing everything she could to hold her own.

She had removed her gloves, ready to grab hold of any one of the soldiers that were surrounding them. She relied on every skill that she had learned since becoming a member of the team. She also brought forward things she hadn't realized she knew. Things that she had picked up from Logan and who ever else was lodged inside her head, but she wasn't as fast, and, in the end, she succumbed to the darkness as she was hit with a tranquilizer.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Good morning, child." She didn't know whose voice that was calling to her. Had never heard it before, but there was no mistaking the ice in it. Who ever it was had no conscious. "And what is it that they call you?"

She kept her mouth closed as she opened her eyes. She was staring into bright lights, the ceiling around it also white, hospital issue, of course. She moved her head to her left, away from the voice, trying to lift her arms. She found that she could, but it was a struggle.

"Side effect of the drugs, I am afraid," her captor whispered, sounding a little put off. "Your muscles will tighten again soon, though. No need to worry. I wouldn't want to hurt such a precious… gem like you. You will be very useful to me soon. Now if you will just answer my questions, this will be rather easy. Again, what is it you go by?"

She kept her mouth shut, not wanting to give this man anything. She turned her head again, this time meeting his eyes. His air alone screamed leadership, and she was certain that he was the one in charge.

"That's fine. I'll learn your name soon enough. There are plenty of people here who can provide that information." He smiled at her, and she felt her heart tighten with fear. She could see the madness in his eyes, the darkness which had swallowed his sanity a long time ago. He held up a closed hand, bringing it close to her face, but not to close. She could see the surgical gloves he wore, and the white lab coat he kept long. Even if she could move her arms, it was obvious that she wouldn't be able to touch him without effort. The only skin was the visible was his face. "Now, what I would like to know from you is where you got these?"

Her eyes grew wide as he slowly opened his hand, a chain falling from his closed fingers. It hung there, gleaming in the light. She could clearly see the engraving of the tag closest to her. 'WOLVERINE'. She wanted to cry, not sure how this was going to end.

"Where did you get these?" The man asked, his face soft and comforting, like a grandfather. She may have spoken, may have opened up to him. If not for his eyes. There was nothing comforting about his eyes.

"I found them. In a bar a long time ago," she replied back slowly, her throat sore, her voice weak.

He slapped her. She felt the sting of his palm in her right eye. She wasn't even sure how he was able to smack her like that while she was on her back. She knew she was going to have a bruise, already feeling the blood rush to that spot.

"Now, again. Where did you get these? He wouldn't have left them anywhere. He gave him to you."

She wouldn't reply, deciding that he would come to his own conclusions. Instead, she continued to stare into the bright lights above her, retreating into her own mind while he did everything he could do to her body in order to get her to talk. She knew she would be feeling it later, but, for now, she could at least escape mentally.

~*~*~*~*~*~

She heard the sirens and the screams. They were under attack. She felt her heart leap into her throat as she heard a familiar voice sound out, barking orders to who ever was with him. She wondered if he had gotten the other's out yet. If she was the last. She knew they were alive, knew they were in the same condition she was in. Perfectly healthy physically, but, mentally, well, she doubted that any of them could regain the bits of sanity this place too from them.

And then he was there, in front of her cell. She could see him through the bars, and wanted to through herself into his arms.

"Stand back," he shouted over the noise of the chaos that ensued around them. She did as she was told as he touched the side of his visor, hitting the lock. She watched it break with ease, and she couldn't take it any longer. She collapsed and began to cry. She barely felt his arms scoop her up and carry her out of the hell that she had called home for the last four years.