Toad woke up, cold and soggy, his teeth chattering. He opened his eyes in the dark and let them take in what light there was before trying to ascertain his surroundings. Sabretooth was driving. Toad didn't wonder where they'd gotten the car, but he did wonder where they were going.

He started to pull off his jacket and undershirt. Sabretooth glanced in his direction but didn't say anything as he stripped down. When he sat there in his skivvies, Sabretooth reached into the backseat and handed him a blanket he'd found earlier.

Toad nodded his appreciation, wrapping himself up with it and huddling to get warm.

"Where are we?" he finally asked, once the chill left his bones.

"On our way to Canada."

Canada. Great. Could Sabretooth have picked anyplace colder? Why didn't they just go to freaking Antarctica and be done with it. Toad-Popsicle anyone?

"What happened?"

Sabretooth shrugged.

"Mystique called, said we'd been compromised and to get the Hell out."

"How could we be compromised? Only person who knew where we were's Magneto."

"Well, he's in prison, they have ways of extracting information if they want it bad enough, Toad."

Toad winced. He knew quite well what methods of extraction lay at their fingertips, and it must be something truly terrible if Magneto had given up their location. He hated to think about Erik being hurt somewhere and him being unable to pull off a rescue.

"We need to stop and get winter clothes before we get too far north."

Toad made a face.

"What you mean is you want me to bloody well do it."

"You're more…subtle than I am."

"I'm better. And don't you bleeding forget it."

As they drove through a small town, Sabretooth pulled into an alley beside an Outdoor Goods store. Toad could get a few camping supplies while he was getting warm clothes.

Toad swore under his breath as he redressed in his still damp clothes and moved to leave the car. Wouldn't it just be peachy to get caught robbing the place in his boxers?

"Any'thin in particular you want?"

"As much as you can carry."

Toad nodded and disappeared in the shadows, climbing up the side of the wall toward an open window. It was small, but Toad managed to wriggle through it. The supplies he'd bring back with him wouldn't fit through though; he'd have to find another way out.

Toad climbed the wall inside the store carefully looking for any kind of security, but there was no alarm. Just locked doors. Toad smiled. Something about trusting small towns he couldn't help but appreciate.

He'd laden himself with clothing in his size and a big coat that looked like it might fit Sabretooth if he wanted a change, and then moved to the camping equipment. He filled two hiking backpacks with sleeping bags and other necessities: stuff for starting a fire, a bunch of camping food, a few knives, and as many blankets as he could squash in to fill the rest of the space.

He passed in front of the gun case as he was headed toward the door, and moved to take something small and easily concealable, and plenty of ammo with it. Mutant powers were great and all, but it never hurt to have a backup, especially when he didn't know exactly where they were going.

He unlocked the front door and strolled out, arms full of merchandise. Normals could be really daft. He grinned as he approached the SUV and Sabretooth opened the back for him, giving him a glare.

"Way to be discreet, Toad."

"What's the point? Could rob every store on the street and the bumpkins wouldn't know about it until morning."

Sabretooth just growled his reply and started the car, barely waiting until Toad was inside to pull out onto the street. They sat in silence for a long time. Toad finally crawled into the back and changed into his new clothes and opened a package of jerky before offering some to his companion.

Sabretooth took a handful and laughed at Toad's camouflage garb.

"That's nice, it matches your face."

Toad glared at him, but took the ribbing good naturedly enough. He crammed the meat in his mouth chewing thoughtfully. He was going to be stuck with the big guy for a while, until Raven found them…which could be a long time. She was still masquerading at Senator Kelly.

"What we going to do once we reach Canada?"

"Lie low."

"Damn, I was hoping we could get a room at the Hilton."

"I know of some cabins we can use."

"Joy, roughing it, that'll be a nice change from our everyday lives," Toad muttered sarcastically, but he supposed it was better than sleeping on the snow.

---

They had to leave the comforts of the SUV behind a few miles south of the border and try to find a place to cross that wasn't heavily patrolled. Toad was bundled up about three times as thick as Sabretooth, but he still shivered and swore at every available opportunity.

At least Sabretooth seemed to know where he was going. Toad could only grunt and complain and try to keep up with the bigger man as they trudged through thick banks of snow.

The first night in Canada they had yet to reach the cabins and had to set up camp in the snow. Toad wished badly for a bottle of something to keep him company on the cold journey, but there was nothing. He crawled into the little warmth offered by his sleeping bag, as Sabretooth thankfully offered to take first watch.

Toad knew he wouldn't do very well if this was to keep up. He dropped off easily enough, but when it came time for his watch Sabretooth had a bad job rousing him. He finally woke to the big man's face looking surprisingly concerned as he bent over him.

"I've been trying to wake your ass up for the last half hour," he snarled, his way of saying 'I was worried.'

Toad tried to shrug it off, but it scared him, "Heavy sleeper, mate," he explained. But it wasn't true. He was an incredibly light sleeper, his body trained to wake at the first sign of trouble.

He huddled up with a blanket, keeping watch as Sabretooth eyed him warily before dropping down atop his own sleeping bag. He hadn't stopped shivering yet. Toad had never lived in a truly cold climate like this before, and he wondered how long his body would hold out.

Minutes passed like hours, frost gathered on his nose, and he couldn't move enough to brush it away. When Sabretooth woke two hours later the young man was scarcely breathing.

"Shit." He muttered, gathering up their gear and tossing Toad over his shoulder as he made their way further into the woods. He didn't try to make small talk; Hell, the frog was lucky he didn't just leave him there. He was slowing them down, but Mystique had been adamant about it. No leaving Toad behind.

He figured if he kept up a steady pace he could have them to the cabins by nightfall. Toad was having a lousy couple of weeks, that was for sure. He almost felt bad for the diminutive man, or would have if he weren't the one carting the runt around.

Toad didn't stir until they reached a cabin. Sabretooth kicked the door in with a snarl that wasn't necessary. The place was deserted. He stalked around a moment gathering firewood that he lit in the fireplace, setting the runt down in front of it, and settling back in a chair.

After a few minutes in front of the fire some color returned to Toad's cheeks and he yawned, his teeth stopping their incessant chatter. He glanced back at Sabretooth with a haunted apologetic look.

"Just try to keep yourself alive, Runt," He brushed off the look, standing to rummage in their bags for food. He tossed a packet of soup and a cup at Toad who caught them deftly and placed them over the fire to warm.

When it was done and he was drinking steadily of the warm liquid he started looking better.

"You think Rae's aright?"

"She's always alright."

Toad shrugged, wondering if she'd freed Magneto yet and if she had what the plan would be. She'd been pretty sparing with words the last week or so, and he'd gotten the impression she didn't want him privy to the mission. Maybe she really did want him to retire.

"Bullocks," he muttered.

"What the Hell are you going on about?" Sabretooth bit into a piece of jerky, watching him amusedly.

"Just thinking about wot Mystique said, about me retiring," He finished off the soup, and set the cup down on the cold stone floor, stretching out his weary muscles.

"Ready to move to Bermuda?"

"And miss all this?" He waved his hand around sarcastically.

"I could have left your green ass back on the Island," Sabretooth offered.

Toad was silent. He appreciated that Sabretooth hadn't left him behind, though he'd had ample opportunity.

"Getting soft on me, mate?" He teased, but his heart wasn't in it. Sabretooth rolled his eyes and got up, looking around the cabin. One room, two beds. At least there were two beds. He wasn't about to sleep on the floor and he didn't think Toad could live through it.

Who knew how long they'd be here. Sabretooth stood in the doorway, watching Toad huddle near the fire, unaware he was being watched. He coughed, cringed and coughed again. He looked tired.

Sabretooth wasn't about to play nursemaid, but he was all too aware that without looking after, Toad might not survive this trip. He'd just have to deal with it. It wouldn't' be pleasant and he'd probably have to kick the kid's ass more than once, but he could keep him alive.

He stalked across the floor and picked up the younger man, who in turn looked terribly surprised as he was hauled bodily to the bedroom and tossed at a bed. About six blankets were unceremoniously dumped over him as he was still attempting to determine what was going on.

The warmth was nice though. He felt his eyelids drooping, and he let out a soft contented sigh as he drifted off. Sabretooth smirked, watching him a moment to convince himself Toad wouldn't try to get up. When he saw the breathing even out, Sabretooth went back into the living area, and started ripping the plastic covers off of all the furniture and building the fire up bigger. Before long the place was warm and cheerful and Sabretooth left to go find food.