We landed on the island with a rather uncomfortable bump. It kind of knocked our interactive brain waves back on. I blinked as if I had just woken up and Victor jumped like you do when you're half asleep and have a dream where it feels like you're falling. The plane taxied into its hangar and the engines shut down. The pilot came out of the cockpit and nodded as he left. I watched him go with slight contempt of unknown origin. The clock on the wall said it was about 5:42 am. Inwardly, I groaned. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into our bed and cry myself to sleep, but we would probably be expected to do something despite the fact that we had been up all night killing people. I was slightly surprised to find myself deplaning without remembering thinking I should do so. Victor followed me out and we made our way back to the main building. I was again surprised when I walked in the door and saw none other than Kayla Silverfox descending the stairs from the lab. Victor gave her the stare he gave everyone he didn't give a shit about, then pushed past her to go report in. She and I stared at each other for another moment. We both ended up trying to talk at the same time. "I guess I should…" "You know, they…" we said simultaneously. She finally swallowed and asked, "Logan?"

"He's fine." She nodded. "You?" I inquired.

"Fine," she answered.

"Good. Better than dead."

"Yeah."

I waited a beat and then added, "I thought it was my fault. I thought you were dead because I wasn't fast enough. I was pretty relieved to find out that you weren't dead."

"I'm sorry you felt that way. I think Victor cheated. I think he flew up there."

I sighed and shook my head at my own stupidity. "Of course he did. Sometimes I can't believe how clueless I am."

"Don't blame yourself. He's good at little tricks like that."

"How long have you known him?"

"About five years now. Worst five years of my life…except for Logan. That's what kept me going."

"So, you really do love him? You didn't…use your powers on him?"

"No, I didn't, and yes, I do. He probably won't believe me though."

"All we can do is try."

"We?"

"I have a lot to explain to him, too. I've been with Victor since the night you 'died'. They have my sister, Nesha. I've only gone along with this because of her…and Victor."

"I understand. They have my sister as well. Emma. Stryker told me if I helped him, they'd let her go."

I looked over at the gates that led to the cages. What was the chance of that? There certainly wasn't a high chance, but I left that out. Victor clambered back down the stairs and shoved past Kayla again. "Get some sleep, Elena. I'll get you up when we're needed."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet." He brushed past me and went out the door. I had a terrible feeling in my gut that he was going to take out his anger and insecurities on an unsuspecting NYC citizen, but I didn't have the strength to stop him. I glanced at Kayla, waved, then dragged myself to my room. I collapsed on the bed fully clothed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

It felt like I had just fallen asleep when Victor came in, making no attempt to be quiet. I squinted at the clock. It was almost 1 in the afternoon. "Get up," he said coldly.

"Make me," I growled in response. I then rolled over and proceeded to fall back asleep. Victor managed to kick the mattress completely off the box spring. I crashed to the floor in a tangled mass of blankets. "Dammit!" I ripped the blankets off and flew across the room at him. I clamped my hand around him throat and slammed him into the wall. I heard bones crack. It might have been his skull, but that didn't keep him from retaliating. He grabbed my shoulders and embedded his claws into them before shoving me backwards, off my feet, and into the opposite wall. He then dove at me. I timed my dodge just right and he ended up face planting into the brick. That only pissed him off even more. As he snarled and leapt up, and as we started throwing punches, it occurred to me that I wasn't absolutely certain what it was we were fighting about. It didn't really matter, of course. It was probably a good idea to get this done now as opposed to when Logan was thrown in the mix. Victor grabbed the front of my shirt and hurled me across the room again. I slammed into the dresser and it broke into a good 10 to 20 pieces. My body felt just about as shattered as the wood beneath me, and the pain was becoming a little unbearable. I tried to lift myself off the ground, but the broken bones in my arms protested, so I groaned and fell back into the heap of dresser. Victor looked ready to kill something. I thought it was going to be me, but then he turned and slammed both fists into the door. He remained like that, panting, for at least 2 minutes. My injuries slowly and painfully began to heal as I lay there, staring at him through sweat-blurred eyes.

"Why do you have to bring out the human in me, Elena? Hm?" he asked quietly. "Why do you have to remind me that I've killed friends and acquaintances in cold blood because of my own selfish, greedy ego? Why can't you just keep your mouth shut?" I realized he was talking about the incident before the fight with Logan. I wasn't sure if he really wanted and answer or not, so I kept quiet. "I am…cold, as you put it…just so I don't have to feel like this. I do my job, then move on. I don't think about it after that. But then there's you. You can't move past it, and because I am so fully mentally, bodily, and soulfully attached to you, neither can I. So now, here we both are. Emotionally traumatized enough to beat the hell out of each other over nothing. And it's all because you're too good…you're too pure and honest and innocent to just move on. Your conscience becomes mine, and it's tearing me apart. As you well know, I'll eventually bottle it all up and your conscience will return to your body for a bit until you say something that opens me up again and it floods back in. Why do I want to say that you make me a better man when all you do is make me feel terrible? Why does a part of me hate that I love you much? Why?"

I was desperate to lighten the mood. I had no answers to his questions. So, I turned to a memory that, in retrospect, was a little funny despite the seriousness of that moment. "Why?" I said with a small chuckle. "You don't call. You don't write. How else am I supposed to get your attention?"

Victor sighed, at the very least, slightly amused, and leaned his head against the door. "You're probably right," he said. "If you didn't force me to be different every now and then, I would probably get sick of you."

"Well, that's encouraging," I muttered.

He chuckled quietly. "See? You make me feel like a piece of shit with one honest statement, and then you make me feel loads better with one sarcastic statement. My life is what you call inside-out and upside-down." My arms had healed by that point, but the pain hadn't completely died away. I could feel a bone in my leg righting itself. It was a very sickening feeling. I groaned and chewed on my shirt as it got back to its correct position and started mending. Victor seemed to remember that he had hurled me across the room and spun around. "Are you ok?"

I glanced up at him through pain-dazed eyes. "Peachy," I grumbled. He came over and picked me up, but then just sat on the ground, holding me in his lap. I snorted when my leg gave another twist. For all its good qualities, our healing ability was not a pleasant experience.

"Ugh, the things we do to each other," Victor said as he rubbed my leg in an attempt to make it hurt less.

"The things you do to me!" I cried. "I don't see you in a useless pile."

"No, you don't, but you have no idea how much pain my head is in right now trying to repair the cracks you made."

"That was your head? I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to crack your skull."

"I know. In all honesty, I did have the intention of breaking some bones. Not yours, but you just happened to piss me off."

"So sue me," I said with a grin.

"Change sue to screw and I just might."

"Oh my god! Men! Gotta hate 'em!"

"It's natural! It's not like we try to think about sex all the time…we just do."

I laughed and cupped his cheek in my hand. "You'd be surprised how often sex comes into a female's mind. We just don't always announce that it did." He grinned, his extra pointy teeth looking extremely attractive for some reason. "So…why was I needing to get up"

"Mostly because I was annoyed that you got sleep and I didn't, but also because we need to be getting prepared for Jimmy's arrival."

"It's not my fault you didn't get any sleep! You ran off and did God knows what!"

"I…"

"Don't tell me! What I don't know, I can't tell the police when they finally come looking for you."

He smiled softly. "Logic, that."

"Exactly. But anyways, don't blame me for your lack of sleep."

"Alright. I'm sorry."

I stared deep into his eyes and marveled, "You really are. Wow."

"Hey, cut me some slack. I'm sorry about a lot of things."

I was surprised at how sad the last part sounded. "I know. You just don't show it. Tough guy," I said affectionately.

"Yeah, I need to focus on the tough guy right now. I'll have to face Jimmy."

"Are you going to kill him, Victor?"

"I don't know," he whispered.

"I won't let him kill you. I won't let him."

"Don't get involved. Once I'm in animal mode, nothings to say I won't accidentally hurt you in my blind rage."

"You just don't get it. You really don't. I'm not leaving your side."

"Yes, you are."

"Ok, jesus. Ok, we'll deal with this when it crops up. I think I'm healed now. You?"

"It's still correcting a few things, but not much longer. You got me good." He reached up and tenderly pressed against the back of his head.

"Don't do that!" I cried. "You'll make it worse." I scrambled out of his arm and knelt behind him. I ran my fingers through the short part of his hair on the back of his head and quietly started humming. I could feel the skull knitting back together under my fingers and it made me feel terrible that I had caused it to break in the first place.

"What's that you're humming?" Victor asked. "I feel like I know it and just can't put words to it."

"It's that song off that stupid Titanic movie. Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on," I sang softly.

"Yes! That's it!" I smiled and kissed the back of his neck, ever so softly grazing him with my tongue. He shuddered and let out a hiss of pleasure. "Not now," he begged. "I can't get distracted."

"Sorry," I murmured into his shoulder. He groaned in defeat and spun around abruptly. I had been leaning on him, so when he spun, I lost my balance and fell forward. He caught me and yanked my lips to his. Even though it had only been about a day since we had last kissed, I treated this one as though it had been forever. For all I knew, it could be our last. I hungrily pressed against him, wanting so badly to progress, but I knew we couldn't. We didn't have the time. In realizing the entire gravity of the situation, tears came out.

Victor pulled back and asked worriedly, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm scared, Victor. I hate that I am, but there's no use denying it. I don't want to lose you," I whispered while placing a hand on the side of his face.

"I really wish you would stop worrying about me and worry about yourself every once in a while."

"I can't."

He sighed and leaned his head against mine. "I know, but a guy can dream."

I chuckled and kissed him again. "I thought that was the girl's job."

"Oh, you'd be surprised how often guys dream…we just don't always announce that we did."

"You're too charming for your own good, Victor Creed. I love you."

"Hey." I met his eyes. "I love you too," he whispered.

I opened my mouth to say something, but both of our ears detected footsteps approaching. We both stared at the door as Stryker let himself in. He took a quick double-take of the dresser and said, "Um, we heard fighting, then silence. Just wanted to check on you."

"And how did you know we weren't 'making up'," I asked. He shrugged, not caring and walked back out. I scowled and muttered, "Oooh, that man grates on my nerves."

"We'll be rid of him soon enough, babe. Patience."

"Like you have any room to talk about patience."

He smiled. "You have a valid point."

I stood and offered him my hands. He took them and I pulled him to his feet. I glanced at the clock which now read 1:45 pm. "How long do you think we have?" I asked.

"Nightfall. He'll come in under the cover of darkness. Maybe really late."

"I need to go talk to Nesha."

"Don't get her hopes up. You don't know what's going to happen any better than I do."

"I just want her prepared."

He put a hand on my neck and pulled my closer she he could kiss my forehead. "Alright. Go." I slid away from him and out the door.

I quietly made my way to the prison as I had come to call it, and inconspicuously went through the gates. Nesha saw me coming and walked to the bars of her cage. "Hi, Elena."

"Hey, sis. How are you?"

"Cabin fever has officially set in."

I leaned close and whispered, "Logan's coming. If things work out, I intend to set everyone in here loose…that is, if Victor isn't getting his ass kicked and is in need of help."

"Why hasn't he gotten the adamantium yet? Surely he's done enough."

"His body won't be able to handle it."

"How do you know?"

"Files in Stryker's lab. He hasn't told Victor."

"He's using him!"

"I know. He forbade me to tell, threatening you. I have a terrible feeling that the truth is going to come out tonight. Victor hasn't really gotten his revenge on Logan for leaving yet and he wants a fight."

Nesha sighed. "This is a very precarious situation."

"Yes, it is, and I am very nervous. I feel like I'm going to lose someone and I don't know who. I feel like I have to defend everybody, and I just can't."

"You don't have to defend me anymore, Elena. You've done enough."

"I wish it was that simple, Nesha." We both glanced at the gates when Kayla walked in.

"Hey, Elena. Is this your sister?"

"Yes. Nesha, this is Kayla. Kayla, Nesha." They waved at each other.

Kayla gestured at a pretty, petite blonde in one of the cages. "That's my sister, Emma." I waved at her. She smiled and tentatively waved back.

"Kayla," I said, "I'm going to tell you that Logan is coming tonight. Also, if I can manage it, I'm getting everyone out of here. I wanted you to know, and you Nesha, just so you ca be prepared should the moment arise." They both nodded. Someone cleared their throat in the gateway. My pulse sped up instantaneously because I thought it was Stryker. My head whipped around. I sighed in relief when I saw it was only Victor. He gave Kayla a slightly distasteful glare, then jerked his head, signaling me closer. "Excuse me, girls," I said. "I'll see you later." I then jogged over to Victor.

"You're conspiring a little loudly," he murmured when I reached him.

"You forget that you have better hearing than everyone else."

"Oh, well, yeah. But just to be safe, shh."

"I've said all that needs to be said. We can go." We went out to the main part of the compound. "So, what do we do until nightfall?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You want to go shopping?"

I froze where I stood. "Do I want to go…shopping?"

"Well, we haven't been over to the city since we've been here. At least not together. I just thought you might want to."

"You didn't, like, OD on painkillers or something after I left, did you?"

"No! I was just wondering! I thought you might like to be a typical girl for once."

"Really? That's actually kinda sweet."

"I wasn't trying to be sweet."

"Which is half the reason why it is. Come on." I grabbed his elbow and we ran out the door.

We didn't have a vehicle, so we walked across the bridge from the island and into the Bronx. I didn't really want to shop. I just wanted time with him. We strolled aimlessly, sometimes talking, sometimes just walking silently, hand in hand. We walked around for nearly two hours. As the shadows began to get longer around the buildings, we found ourselves in Central Park with no real idea of how or why we had ended up there. It was a very pretty evening. There were some families out and about still. I watched two young girls, apparently sisters, fight over and finally share a toy. I thought of Nesha and smiled. Victor followed my gaze and asked, "Elena, what are your thoughts on kids?"

"Like, kids in general, or having kids?"

"More the latter than the former."

"I dunno. I'm not a very tolerant person and babies cry too much. I just don't think I'd be a very good mom. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering."

I waited a moment, trying to read his face out of the corner of my eye, before quietly asking, "Do you want kids, Victor?"

He shrugged, a little flustered-like. "I don't know. Maybe. I'm not sure I'd make a good dad. I'm just a little too unpredictable…as is my temper."

I moved closer to him and wrapped an arm around him. "We have time to think it through."

"I hope so," he whispered. I was starkly aware that both of us were afraid of how the night was going to play out. He slung and arm around my shoulders and we continued on. I abruptly realized how normal we looked…minus Victor's nails. No one was staring at us like we were freaks. We were just an unimportant couple taking a walk through the park…and I liked it. But it couldn't last. "We should head back," Victor sighed. "It's getting dark."

"Yeah," I sighed mournfully.

"Hey, we'll make it through this. Do you hear me? We will get out of this alive and in one piece. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Victor," I said quietly.

We walked all the way back to the island in silence. He opened the door for me and we walked in. Stryker was looking down from the lab. He nodded at us and walked back out of sight. I looked up disparagingly and stuck my tongue out at his retreating back. Victor chuckled. "I know a way up there that Stryker doesn't. It'll be a good vantage point for when this all goes down. Not to mention it'll be hard for Jimmy to smell us."

"Why?"

"We'll be in the rafters," he whispered conspiratorially.

"Ah…I didn't realize that height impeded out ability to smell each other."

"Oh, just run with me in my wishful thinking," he grumbled.

"Oh. Sorry. Right. No smelling." He rolled his eyes and led the way to our room. We both plopped down on the bed, bored and useless feeling. Around about midnight, I fell asleep.

I jerked awake at 3:30 am when Logan's scent was processed by my brain. Victor had smelled it too. He grabbed my hand and put a finger over his lips as he led me out. Logan wasn't in the building yet, but he was close. We ran down the hall that led to the kitchen. I had never noticed it before, but there was a door directly across the hall from the kitchen. Victor inched it open and then led the way in. I followed and shut the door noiselessly behind me. We went through a bunch of what seemed like hidden passages that were behind walls and such. I didn't ask questions. I couldn't bring myself to care enough. We ascended a bunch of stairs as quietly as possible and when we emerged, we were in a sort of attic thing above the lab. A few paces away, only rafters were between our height and the actual lab. We crept over there, and the quiet voices became clearer.

"Logan," Stryker said. "Welcome back to the war."

Victor and I exchanged glances as we settled in to wait for our turn in the conflict. My eyes traveled to Logan. He was clearly agitated, but he was restraining. The skill Victor and I didn't possess. I could feel Victor tensing up beside me in preparation for it all. Animal mode had kicked in. My mind refocused when Logan spoke. "Before I gut you, I want to know why."

"I needed your powers for the pool."

"The what?"

"The mutant killer. Deadpool. Years of researching and finding. Finding the right powers that could coexist in one body without tearing it apart. My son was the first piece of the puzzle. Logan, you were the last. You made Weapon XI possible. I asked you to help, but you said you wanted the quiet life. Well, I've learned that nothing motivates the men in your family like revenge." Everyone in the room, including Victor and I, looked over when Kayla entered.

Logan, startled, asked, "Who are you?"

"Oh, she's real, old friend." Logan took a few shocked, about-to-be-sick sounding breaths and kneeled on the cold stone floor to regain control. "Did you really think we would just let you walk away? You're a dangerous man. We like to keep and eye on dangerous men. Tell him about the day you died," he said to Kayla.

Her hate for him was obvious, but she obeyed anyway. "They gave me a shot of hydrochlorithiazide. It reduces the heart rate so low it appears you've flatlined."

"Don't be angry with her," Stryker told the now panting Logan. "She's a real credit to your species." Logan's head snapped up to stare at her. "Did you know that her sister has diamond-hard skin? Kayla's mutation is tactohypnosis. She can influence people as long as she touches them. Quite a useful tool in a seduction." Kayla took a step forward to protest, but Stryker revealed a gun strapped to his side. Logan missed the whole scene. "It was never real, my friend."

"It was real for me," Logan said, his eyes never leaving Kayla.

"I told you if you came down this road you wouldn't like what you found."

Logan, still only speaking to Kayla, said, "That story you told me, about the man who gets flowers for the moon, I had it backwards. I thought you were the moon and I was you wolverine. (I had to cover my mouth at this point to keep from crying out when the memory of the dream about the wounded wolverine howling at the moon resurfaced). But you're the trickster, aren't you? I'm just the fool who got played. The worst part of it is, I should've known. But I ignored my instincts. I ignored what I really am. But that won't ever happen again." He stood up, looked at Stryker, and promptly walked out. Kayla closed her eyes, tears running down her face, and Stryker simply got back to work on Deadpool.

I was completely and utterly pissed off. Stryker's lies and Logan not detecting them had sent me over the edge. Victor sensed my anger. His had elevated as well. Our moment was coming.

Kayla sniffed and called, "Colonel."

"Not now, Kayla."

She took a few steps forward. "I have done everything you've asked. My sister. You said if I helped you, you'd let her go."

"Kayla, it's not as simple as that. Her mutation is unique. Quite beautiful. We just need a little more time to analyze it, that's all."

Victor stood, and I followed suit. "You let him go?" he snarled. We both dropped with an intimidating thud to the floor.

"Victor, please…" Stryker began.

"You can't let him go." Victor started threateningly towards Stryker.

"You can't beat him, Victor."

"Then give me the adamantium!"

"Your tests came back…"

"We had a deal!!!"

I couldn't take it anymore. "You would never survive the operation!!!!" I cried.

Victor froze, then spun around and faced me. "I can take anything he can," he growled.

Tears had sprung into my eyes for no good reason, and I whispered, "No, you can't." He glared at me, allowing the news that I had known this information before now sink in.

Stryker cam back in. "You're my favorite soldier, Victor. Be patient. Your time will come."

"He's using us!" Kayla declared. She started running towards me in a desperate attempt to safely join our side.

Victor had lost it. I could see it in his eyes. He had never much liked Kayla and I think she had just worn out his last nerve. He whipped around and grabbed Kayla by the throat as she ran by. She screamed. I screamed, "VICTOR!!!!" and ran over, grabbing the front of his coat. "STOP!!" He was completely ignoring me.

He looked up at Kayla who he had suspended in the air. "How about this time, you die for real?" he said.

Kayla latched her hands on his wrist and choked out, "Let me go."

I glanced at him to see if it worked. "Your little mind tricks don't work on me," he snarled as he tightened his grip.

I took a deep breath and prepared to dig my claws into his general chest area when Logan burst in crying, "Victor!!!" I looked over my shoulder at his hulking form and his shiny claws flashing. Victor halfway grinned and threw Kayla aside. He violently shrugged me off as well. I grabbed Kayla and pulled her behind a medical cart as the brothers met in combat. I could tell from the first few blows that Victor was sorely beaten. Before I could count to ten, Logan and Victor had crashed through the glass window and were free falling towards the floor of the warehouse room. I heard them land on one of the random metal army boxes below with a loud thud and an extremely pained groan from Victor. I grabbed Kayla's hand and pulled her to the shattered window so we could see what was happening. Logan had Victor pinned to the box with one triplet of claws and the other triplet was pointed under Victor's chin.

Of all the things you wouldn't expect someone to do when facing death, Victor chuckled and started to taunt his brother. "Feels good, doesn't it? All that rage. Do it."

I felt like I had been slapped. "Logan!" I cried. He looked up at me, and indescribable expression of being torn on his face. "You're not an animal like him," I said quietly.

"Oh, yes, you are," Victor countered.

"Shut the hell up, Victor!!" I snarled.

He continued to ignore me. "Do it. Finish it."

I was close to gasping in fear by this point. "Ok, Logan, this is me begging. You know me. I don't beg. Listen to me, Logan. You're better than him. Don't revert to his methods. This isn't you." Logan let out what almost equivocated to a defeated sigh and retracted his claws. He then proceeded to punch Victor extremely hard across the face. Victor was out like a light. A huge wave of relief washed over me. I grabbed Kayla's hand again and we ran for the stairs.

When we emerged from the stairwell and into the room, Logan was pacing and running his hands through his hair. "Logan?" I called. He slightly turned his head to show that he was listening. "My sister. They have my sister," I said breathlessly. Then I remembered Kayla's predicament and amended, "They have OUR sisters."

Kayla walked forward a bit and said, "Please, I didn't trick you into loving me. It was real for me too."

Logan finally turned to look at us. He met my gaze and I nearly sobbed, "I'm so sorry! They have Nesha!"

His eyes softened a little bit and he asked, "Where is she?" I gestured towards the gate. He took off, Kayla close behind. I faltered for moment and glanced back at Victor's limp form. "Elena, leave him," Logan said.

I glanced at him, then back at Victor. "I'll be back," I whispered, then I followed them into the prison. All of the young mutants looked up at us curiously. Logan caught sight of Nesha and extended his claws. He ran down the aisle, his claws slicing through the locks on both sides. Kayla and I followed him until he had reached our sisters' cages. We then stopped to take care of our family.

Nesha ran out and wrapped her arms around me. "Oh, thank God," I sighed.

She backed up and looked around. "Where's Meow Mix?"

I stared blankly at her. "Meow Mix?"

She rolled her eyes. "Victor."

"Oh…he's unconscious in the other room…Meow Mix?"

"Wade came up with it."

I grinned broadly before taking her hand in mine and running over to Logan. He was staring at me as if trying to decide what to do with me. I gazed back, begging forgiveness with my eyes. The corners of his mouth pulled up just a tiny bit. He held out a hand. I took it and he yanked me into his arms. "Geez, Elena. I've been scared to death…and extremely pissed off about you."

"I know. I'm sorry, but what else could I do? He came back into my life and I wasn't about to let him get away again. And then I found out about Nesha…"

"All is forgiven, Elena. I'm just glad you're ok." My heart exploded in jubilation and I back out of his arms to make way for Kayla. Logan took her hand and we ran off. As we reached the huge doors that led outside from the prison we froze because the doors started opening of their own accord. On the other side was Deadpool. "Kayla, Elena, get these kids out of here."

"Logan…"

"Find another way out."

As we turned and ran, Logan extended his claws. I glanced back in time to see swords extend out from between Deadpool's middle and ring finger knuckles. "Crap," I breathed before following the rest. I pushed my way to the front and led the way. We rounded a corner and was met with a barrage of bullets. Emma transformed into what looked like pure diamond and jumped in front of us as we scrambled for safety behind a wall. The bullets merely ricocheted off her. I managed to catch a few bullets and I was grateful I had been in front of a few kids when I had. I healed quickly.

Scott, who I had forgotten about until now, was next to me and blindfolded. "I can help! Point me at 'em," he said.

I nodded to Emma. "Go."

She helped Scott grab her shoulders, transformed, and then they ran out. She pointed Scott's head in the right direction and cried, "GO! NOW!"

He yanked the blindfold off and that amazing red beam of energy wiped out the soldiers. He pulled the cloth back over his eyes and asked, "Did I get 'em?"

"Yeah," Emma answered breathlessly. They ran back to us.

Nesha jumped up. "Let's go."

I shook my head. "I can't go."

"Elena, come on!"

"I have to stay here." I stood and walked over to her. I leaned in and whispered, "Victor needs me, and Kayla needs help. She's hurt."

"I smelled the blood."

"She's not going to be able to make it out. I have to find Logan and get them back together. He'll take care of her from there. You get these guys out, all right? You take them. Go!"

She kissed my cheek and then called, "Let's go, come on!" Everyone followed except Kayla and me.

I knelt beside her and looked at her wound. She had been shot on the right side of her torso. "Kayla, can you walk? I need to get you to Logan."

"I'll try. Help me up." I gently lifted her to her feet and put her arm around my shoulder. We got back to the prison room. Logan and Deadpool were nowhere in sight.

"They're gone."

"Elena, I can go on alone. You do what you need to do."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go on. I'll be fine."

I made sure she was steady on her feet and backed up a few steps. "I'll see you after this is all over. Thanks."

"See ya."

I spun on my heel and dashed into the warehouse. To my despair, Victor was gone too. I looked around, desperate for any clues to where he'd gone. I caught his scent and immediately took off in pursuit. I ran out the door just in time to see Deadpool teleport to the top of a nuclear hub where Logan was standing. "Damn! This sucks!" I snarled. I dashed over there. I had no way of traversing the side of the hub because my bones weren't coated in indestructible metal and would break if I tried to use them to claw my way up the concrete structure. Victor apparently had no such limitations. I saw a flash of movement to my right. He was scrambling up the wall just as he had that night in Africa…courtesy of his bag lady nails. I couldn't tell yet if he was going up there to aid Deadpool or Logan, but it seemed that only Logan needed help anyway. Deadpool had him pinned to the ground and was about to decapitate him. Victor cleared the top of the wall and dove at Deadpool, taking a huge swipe at him. Deadpool was knocked off the edge into the center of the hub. Logan was almost pulled with him, but Victor grabbed his brother's arm.

Even from my distance, I could hear Victor say, "Nobody kills you but me." He pulled Logan to safety and they just kind of stared at each other for a minute.

I screamed, "LOOK OUT!!" when I saw Deadpool reappear. He reengaged them. I couldn't clearly see anything and it pissed me off. Suddenly, an idea came to me. If I got up enough speed with my super speed, I should be able to run up the side of that thing. I looked up to see Logan blasted off the side by what looked like Scott's energy beam. Victor was en-route to the other side of the hub where Deadpool had retreated to. I took a deep breath and ran back to the building, then I burst into hyper-speed and raced for the hub. Much to my astonishment, it worked. I reached the top and flew into the air for a second because of my velocity, then, I landed, feet-first on the ledge. I located Deadpool. He was blasting a hole in the ledge with Scott's power. My temper flared when I realized that Victor was in the hole. Logan was running from the other side, but I could get there faster. I sped forward, claws extended. As I reached out and tried to slice through Deadpool's neck, I encountered a problem right around the spine area. His adamantium coated skeleton. My claws wouldn't cut it. He blasted me backwards. Logan used the distraction to finish what I had started. His claws cut all the way through. Deadpool faltered and reached up to touch his neck. Logan kicked him in the back, and his now useless body tumbled into the chasm below, his head falling away. The beam of energy was still shooting out of his eyes as his head fell, and it was blasting holes in the hub's sides.

I jumped back to me feet and jogged over. Victor was climbing out of the hole, but stopped when Logan offered him a hand. He sort of smiled and took it. Logan pulled him out and let him go by towards me. We all stood in silence for a moment, then Logan said, "This doesn't change anything between us, Victor. We're done." My heart clenched at those words. I had hoped for at least a slight patching of their relationship, but no luck.

"We can never be done, Jimmy. We're brothers, and brothers look out for each other." The hub was shuddering beneath us , its supports giving out. I had so much I wanted to say to Logan, but I couldn't. Victor grabbed my hand and jumped off. I managed to wave at Logan before being jerked off behind him. What I have never figured out, even now, is how we landed without breaking every bone in our bodies. Victor pulled me to his chest and did some sort of tumble roll thing. I was pretty sure he had broken his collarbone and an arm, while I sustained minimal damage, only cracking a finger. I jumped up and pulled him with me. That hub was coming down. We took off, running as far as we could, as fast as we could.

I stopped when I saw Gambit running towards a building a few yards away. "Remy," I breathed. I pulled loose of Victor's grip and ran towards him.

"Elena!" Victor yelled. It was my turn to ignore him.

"Remy LeBeau!" I cried. He stopped and turned to see who was calling.

He saw me and met me halfway. "Miss Elena! I thought I might find you here. I was somewhat shocked to see you in the alley the other night."

"I know. I'm sorry. Listen, my sister is around her somewhere with a bunch of kids trying to get off the island."

"I'm already on it. Logan told me. I'll make sure they're ok. You want me to tell her anything?"

"Tell her I love her and that I will find her again. I promise."

"Will do. You take care, and the offer I made about if you ever need an ear still stands."

"Thank you." I put a grateful hand on his shoulder before turning and running back to Victor.

"Can we go now?" he asked impatiently.

"Where can we go? We have nowhere."

"Central Park."

"Pardon?"

"That's where we're going." He took my hand again and we ran towards the bridge. We both froze when we heard gunshots and Logan's enraged cry. I made to run back, but Victor held tight. "Don't, Elena!"

"But…!"

"You never listen! He'll find his own way! He always does. We have to get out of here before authorities show up." My shoulders slumped in defeat because I knew he was right.

"Fine, come on."

We managed to cross the bridge before emergency vehicles began to show up. We stood by one of the many buildings in the area, just watching the smoke from the collapsed hub rise up into the early morning sky. The sun had risen during our fight with Deadpool. Considering everything that had happened, the beautiful orange and pink scene before us was quite soothing…no matter how much I hated pink.

THE END

Author's Note: There is a sequel in the making!!! Look for it relatively soon…ish. Ha ha. It follows Elena and Victor and what they do after all of this. Other mutants make appearances. Omega Red for certain and few other possibles like Nightcrawler and Callisto. Nesha and Gambit will be back. I want to say thank you to all those who have read and reviewed this story. You make my writing experience a pleasant one! Also, thanks to my friend Mikayla for allowing me to use Nesha and her story and plug it into mine. I couldn't have pulled this off without you. Again, I own no one except Elena. THANKS!!!