Chapter
11.
I should have seen it coming when roses died
Should have seen the end of summer in your eyes
I should have listened when you said good night
You really meant good bye
Baby, ain't it funny, how you never ever learn to fall
You're really on your knees, when you think you're standing tall
But only fools are know it alls and I played that fool for you
I cried and I cried
There were nights that died for you baby
I tried and I tried to deny that your love drove me crazy, baby
If the love that I got for you is gone
If the river I cried ain't that long
Then I'm wrong, yeah I'm wrong, this ain't a love song
Baby, I thought you and me would stand the test of time
Like we got away with the perfect crime
But we were just a legend in my mind
I guess that I was blind
Remember those nights dancing at the masquerade
The clowns wore smiles that wouldn't fade
You and I were the renegades, some things never change
It made me so mad 'cause I wanted it bad for us baby
Now it's so sad that whatever we had, ain't worth saving
If the love that I got for you is gone
If the river I've cried ain't that long
Then I'm wrong, yes I'm wrong, this ain't a love song
If the pain that I'm feeling so strong
Is the reason that I'm holding on
Then I'm wrong, yeah I'm wrong, this ain't a love song
I
cried and I cried
There were nights that I died for you baby
I tried and I tried to deny that your love drove me crazy
If the love that I got for you is gone
If the river I cried ain't that long
Then I'm wrong, yeah I'm wrong, this ain't no love song
If the pain that I'm feeling so strong
Is the reason that I'm holding on
Then I'm wrong, yeah I'm wrong, this ain't a love song
If the pain that I'm feeling so strong
Is the reason that I'm holding on
Then I'm wrong, yeah I'm wrong, this ain't a love song
Yes, I'm wrong, yeah, I'm wrong, this ain't a love song
One
more day and her house arrest/baby-sitting stint would be over.
He'd
taken to fighting in nothing but a pair of worn, tight jeans, and
"Hey frail, wanna come down here and give me a real work out?" Victor leered up at her.
"Aw, come on, darlin'. It just ain't the same fightin' with anyone else but you."
"I'm
not your darlin',"
Victor blew her a kiss.
She flipped him off.
"Is that an offer?"
"You afraid to come down and fight me? Afraid I might get the better of you?"
"Fine, stay up there. It would just be a waste of my time anyway. You'd never beat me just sparrin', frail. You have ta use those ginsu knives of yers to get anywhere with me."
Victor looked up and down her body as she walked into the room, grinning at her painted-on jeans and white tank top. "Nice outfit, frail. I always like something that shows yer rack."
Victor grinned psychotically, crooking a finger at her. "Bring it on, darlin'."
"What have I told you about calling me that?"
Victor's grin grew longer. "Maybe I just need to make ya my darlin'."
"In your dreams, Creed."
He licked his lips. "And what sweet dreams they are."
"Stop
that!"
Victor grabbed her hand, twisting it hard. She cried out and he flipped her, so their positions were reversed.
"Well
look at what the big, bad kitty cat caught," he said, looking down at her.
She tried to break free, wriggling under him. Victor's eyes fogged over, and he growled low in his throat, the sound almost a purr. "Keep doin' that, frail. I like it."
Victor looked down with disappointment. "Aw, is that it?"
"Sorry, Creed, that's all the tease you're getting tonight."
Victor licked his lips. "Then maybe you should give me something other than a tease."
"Hell no."
Victor smirked. "I can smell yer heat, frail. You want me, too."
Victor looked up from the floor, watching her through hooded eyes. He licked the blood from his hands and grinned. "Don't ya wanna play, frail?"
"No."
"Liar."
Victor lunged at her, grabbing her and pinning her to the wall, using one of his massive hands to hold her arms above her head. She looked back at him defiantly.
"I want you, Logan," he said, his voice suddenly more full of need than sarcasm.
"I know ya want me, too."
"Don't, Victor…"
"Don't what?"
He
didn't let her answer. He kissed her, his fangs piercing her lip so he could
taste her blood.
Victor smiled against her lips as he realized she wasn't going to fight back. He reached out with his talons, bringing them down across her chest.
The tatters of her shirt fell to the ground.
This time it was Logan who kissed him, her teeth that bit through his lip. She kissed up his jaw, trailing his blood with her lips. "Let my hands go, Victor."
He
did, and they went down, expertly undoing the clasp of his jeans. Victor sighed
with relief.
"Like what you see, darlin'?"
"You look even better than I imagined."
"Just shut up and do it, Victor."
Victor grinned. He liked his women feisty.
"I'm not your darlin'."
Victor pulled his hand back, as if he'd been burnt. "Oh."
"It's time for you to go back to your cell again, Creed."
"Logan, I…"
"Save it."
Victor picked up the sweatshirt he'd worn into the Danger Room. "Here."
They
said nothing on the walk back to his cell. Victor stood outside the door,
shifting uncomfortably in the awkward silence. "
"Just get back in the cell where you belong, Creed."
Victor reared back, shock in his eyes. Even he wasn't that cold… "Yeah."
"Don't expect to see me tomorrow. I'm done playing nurse maid to you."
Victor
nodded and walked back into the cell, sitting on the bed and waiting for
When she did, it echoed in his cell long after she was gone.
Remy
opened his door to see a sad-eyed
"Can I come in?"
"Me casa et su casa, chère."
"Oh
merde, y'slept with Cyclops, didn' you?"
"What?! No!" Remy sighed with relief.
"Oh. Good.
Well den, it can't be dat bad.
Why don' ya tell Remy all about it?" He could have sworn
"I
can't, Rem. I…I just need someone to
tell me it's okay." She took in a
shuddering breath. Remy went to her and
wrapped her up in a hug. The last thing
he wanted was his best friend crying. He
knew
"It'll be okay, chère. Whatever it is, I'll still love ya." He smiled.
"I
dunno about that," said
"Don'
say dat. Don' you ever say dat,
"He's a person too, Remy. We're alike."
"Creed don' have a heart. You do. Whatever you did, y'could never be as bad as dat."
"I'm not as far removed from that part of me as I want to be. It's always just a few steps behind, like a bloody shadow."
"Shhh,"
said Remy, holding her against him.
"It'll be okay,
Victor
lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. In all his fantasies where he finally
got
For
some reason, Victor had always held the idea that if he could just have
He had to laugh at his own naïveté. He, Victor Creed—Sabretooth—believed that some woman could make a real difference in his life.
He sat up, hitting the wall of his cell with a growl. The hard metal shattered his hand, but he didn't care. He relished the pain as long as it lasted. He could deal with physical pain over mental pain any day.
"Victor."
Sabretooth cursed under his breath. "I ain't in the mood fer a shrink right now, Chuck."
"I
haven't come here to discuss your psychological issues, Victor. I have noticed
that you have changed considerably since your…incident with
Victor's eyes grew wide, until he realized that Xavier meant the deal with the claw in his brain. He relaxed again.
"I believe that it wouldn't be inadvisable to allow you more freedom to roam about the mansion. I have prepared a room for you that will be unlocked during most hours of the day. However, should you attempt to escape, you will be at the mercy of the security system of the mansion."
Victor
nodded. "Don't worry, doc, I don't have any intentions of leavin' this
popsicle stand." Creed decided not to add that leaving would bring him too
far away from
"Very well. Come with me and I will show you to your room."
Victor followed the professor, realizing that it was all really quite absurd. An hour ago he'd been screwing Wolverine on the floor of the Danger Room. Now he was following Xavier around like one of his X-wearing lackeys.
Xavier took him up the elevator and through the upper levels of the mansion. Victor noticed it was deserted. "Kinda dead around here."
"I arranged for the X-Men to be elsewhere while you are transferred. Too many mixed emotions come into play where you are involved, Victor."
"Ain't that a shame," said Victor. Xavier rolled to a stop in front of a plain-looking wooden door.
"These
will be your quarters. Your door will
lock at
"Gee pop, can I have the car keys too?" Xavier pursed his lips like a bald prune.
"Do not take advantage of my hospitality, Victor. You will be unpleasantly surprised." Victor opened his door.
"Whatever, Chuck," he said before shutting it in the Professor's face.
"
"Just shut up and keep 'em comin'," she growled to the bartender.
He frowned. "Rough night?"
"No, it's been all moonlight and roses. Now let me get drunk, dammit."
As
many years as he'd been serving liquor to
The bottle of Jack slammed down in front of her. She took a swig. The bartender walked off to deal with some of his more talkative patrons.
"Hey there, sexy."
"What's your name pretty lady?"
"Mine's Vic."
The man stood up, deciding that maybe pursuing an intimate relationship with this woman was not the best of ideas.
The
jukebox played some sappy country love song, and
Even the bar was too much for her that night. She felt surrounded. She left, all but running to her bike. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care.
The sun was already rising before she made it back to the mansion. She slumped up to her room. She froze when she noticed Victor's sweatshirt was still in a wad on her bed. She picked it up, his scent surrounding her. She clung to it as she curled up in a ball and fell asleep.
Chapter 12.
Early
one mornin' the sun was shinin',
I was layin' in bed
Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red.
Her folks they said our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like Mama's homemade dress
Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough
And I was standin' on the side of the road
Rain fallin' on my shoes
Heading out for the East Coast
Lord knows I've paid some dues gettin' through,
Tangled up in blue
She was married when we first met
Soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam, I guess,
But I used a little too much force
We drove that car as far as we could
Abandoned it out West
Split up on a dark sad night
Both agreeing it was best.
She turned around to look at me
As I was walkin' away
I heard her say over my shoulder,
"We'll meet again someday on the avenue,"
Tangled up in blue
I had a job in the great north woods
Working as a cook for a spell
But I never did like it all that much
And one day the ax just fell.
So I drifted down to New Orleans
Where I happened to be employed
Workin' for a while on a fishin' boat
Right outside of Delacroix
But all the while I was alone
The past was close behind,
I seen a lot of women
But she never escaped my mind, and I just grew
Tangled up in blue
She was workin' in a topless place
And I stopped in for a beer,
I just kept lookin' at the side of her face
In the spotlight so clear
And later on as the crowd thinned out
I's just about to do the same,
She was standing there in back of my chair
Said to me, "Don't I know your name?"
I muttered somethin' underneath my breath,
She studied the lines on my face
I must admit I felt a little uneasy
When she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe,
Tangled up in blue
She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe
"I thought you'd never say hello," she said
"You look like the silent type"
Then she opened up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the thirteenth century.
And every one of them words rang true
And glowed like burnin' coal
Pourin' off of every page
Like it was written in my soul from me to you,
Tangled up in blue
I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs,
There was music in the cafes at night
And revolution in the air
Then he started into dealing with slaves
And something inside of him died
She had to sell everything she owned
And froze up inside
And when finally the bottom fell out
I became withdrawn,
The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keepin' on like a bird that flew,
Tangled up in blue
She'd had to pawn her engagement ring to get out of Japan. She'd made
her way back home, taking a flight to
She
hitchhiked as far as
She
had nowhere to go, no money and nothing to cling too.
She
drifted from one bar to another, until they began to blur together. She didn't know how much time had passed, but
eventually the sharp edge of Makoto's death blunted against an endless stream
of mostly nameless men. She wasn't
Wolverine any more, she wasn't even
I met a
gin-soaked, bar-room queen in Memphis
She tried to take me upstairs for a ride
She had to heave me right across shoulder
'Cause I just can't seem to drink you off my mind
Normally, Victor Creed would've been perfectly content to
spend the night hanging out in a strip club, but as it was, he was stuck
focusing on his latest hit—not the woman currently straddling a pole.
Still, he allowed himself a glance. He couldn't see her too
well, through the distance and the smoke, but at least he could tell she was
all but naked.
She flipped back, and Victor caught a quick look at her
face. He started. It couldn't be… But her features were all too familiar. They
were the ones that had haunted his dreams for years.
Victor shook his head. He was just seeing her face on
another woman—again.
It's the Honky
Tonk Women
Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues
Still, he had to admit, the resemblance was
remarkable. He tapped a local-looking
customer on the shoulder. "Who's
the babe?" The man looked back at
him and grinned, the missing-a-few-teeth variety.
"That's Patch.
Ain't she somethin'?" Victor
agreed that she was. He was about to
make his way to the stage and see if "Patch" wanted to get a little
more personal with him, but he saw his target moving towards the door. Duty called.
Victor followed him out into the cold Canadian night.
He sat at a table, averting his eyes from the stage.
She watched with morbid interest as he approached one of
the guys in the bar. Just as she had suspected, it didn't take the narc long to
piss someone off. Soon, he was surrounded by three of her worst-paying
spectators. She sighed, slamming back the last of her drink. She better go save
the guy. After all, he was sort of cute in a geeky way.
"You boys startin' trouble?"
The biggest of the three grinned down at her, showing off
his lack of teeth. "Of course not, Miss Patch. Don't you worry your pretty
little head about it."
"I'm sorry, but this 'pretty little head' can't help but
worry. Why don't you walk away now and leave this boy alone."
Another of the guys frowned. "This is a man's
business, babe. Run along now."
He fell to the ground, unconscious.
"That wasn't too nice, Ma'am," said one of the
others.
"Yeah, whatcha gonna do about it, punk?"
The third man came up behind her, a knife in hand.
"Look out!" yelled the narc.
"Holy shit!" the man said, dropping the knife to
the ground. He and his friend back up, heading out of the bar as quickly as
possible.
"Get outta my bar, freak."
"Wait!"
"Flamin' hell,"
"You're a mutant aren't you?"
"Wow, it's Mr. Observant,"
"I'm a mutant, too."
The man stuck out his hand. "Scott Summers."
"Where's home?" he asked.
"Looks…cozy."
"Um, look, I belong to a group of mutants in Upstate
New York. It's like…a team. Are you interested in checking it out?"
"Scott, you comin' back to de car anytime soon?"
Scott sighed. "Just a minute, Remy!"
"Who's that?"
"Another…teammate."
"Names
"
"Remy!"
Remy sighed. "What, chère?"
"Why'd you get out of the dang car?"
"To see if Scott needed help."
"I'm sure Scott's fine! Get away from the strip
club!"
"We're a team of mutants who are fighting to prevent a
war between humans and mutants."
"Dere's free food."
"Hi!."
"I'm Katherine Pryde—but everyone calls me
Kitty."
"I'm
Kitty frowned. "A bit sarcastic I see."
"Just a tad."
"Well I'm glad you're here anyway. We X-Women need to
stick together."
"I haven't signed up for your little outfit as
anything but a temporary member yet, so don't be getting any big ideas,"
"I think you'll like it here," Kitty said.
"We're like one big happy family."
"Great. Just what I need,"
"I was attempting sarcasm," Kitty said.
"Hey, you wanna come down and eat lunch with me?"
"Yeah, okay."
"Great!" Kitty bounced out into the hallway with
"I tol' you, chère, I jus' fell asleep in the rec
room!"
"I don't believe you, you lyin' swamp rat!"
"But it's de trut'! I was watchin' de Star Trek
marat'on on de Sci-Fi Channel!"
"You don't expect me to actually believe that crap about
you bein' a Trekkie, do ya?"
"But I am, chère! Cap'n Kirk changed my life!"
Kitty just walked right between Rogue and Gambit, not even
giving them a glance.
"Oh this happens all the time," Kitty said.
"It's their substitute for sex."
"Oh no. This is much too calm for a normal
X-Day."
"
"This won't hurt a bit," she said.
"No offense, but I'm not crazy about someone I barely
know poking around in my head."
Xavier wheeled to her side.
"Jean is my most skilled telepath,
"Close your eyes, breath deeply," Jean
instructed. Her own green eyes
closed.
"Jean?" said Xavier. Jean looked at him with wide, panicky
eyes. "Jean," he said. "Come back to me." Jean blinked and took a deep breath.
"What did you see?" Jean pushed her hands through her hair and
sat up straighter.
"Professor, we need to talk." Xavier nodded.
"Thank you,
"You have no memories," said Jean softly.
"Oh really? I
forgot." She left.
"Professor, I've never seen anything like her mind
before," Jeans said. "It frightened me."
Xavier frowned. "What did you see?"
"It was dark. Pieces of it were missing—as if they
were slashed away. What memories are left were shrouded in pain." Jean
shuddered. "She's so angry, Professor."
Xavier stroked his chin. "Do you believe her to be
dangerous to the rest of the team?"
Jean thought about the question. "Not at the moment,
but I sensed a level of instability. She could snap, Professor—and then she
would be a liability to the rest of the team."
"Then we'll have to see that that doesn't
happen."
"Professor, I don't think it's wise to allow her to
remain at the mansion. We don't know what she's capable of." She lowered
her voice. "Scott said when he found her she was in…well, a less than
savory place."
"It is not our policy to turn our backs on our fellow
mutants," Xavier said. "Should
"But what if she's beyond help?"
"Do you believe she is?"
Jean sighed. "No."
Outside the mansion,
There was a rumble and
"Oh, hello."
"Hi," said
"I don't believe we've met. Are you Xavier's new recruit?"
"Not sure I'm staying, but yes." The woman shook her hand.
"I'm Ororo, but most people call me Storm."
"I'm
"You look upset,
"I just had to go through this mind-scanner thing with
the redhead and the professor. It was
kinda weird." Storm smiled.
"Jean's beside manner is a little lacking. And one's first experience with a telepath is
always unsettling. But Xavier insists
all potential X-Men be scanned to make sure they are not a threat."
"Well I guess it beats peeing in a cup." Storm laughed.
"Are you going to stay?"
"You people seem sort of disorganized. And there's a whole bunch of kids running
around."
"Xavier also runs a school for mutant children,"
said Storm. "A place where they can
be accepted and learn to use their gifts for the benefit of
humanity."
"You guys all have the same line, don't
you?"
"I believe it," said Storm. "For what it is worth, many troubled
mutants have found a home here,
"I'm really not a team player, Storm." Storm smiled widely.
"Neither was I.
But I adjusted. You will
too."
"We'll see," said
Xavier gave her a stern look. "My name is Professor
Xavier—or if you must, Charles."
"Fine, Charlie. You wanted to see me?"
Xavier sighed. "Yes, come in."
"I have reviewed what information we were able to
gather on you, and I have decided to extend you an offer to become an official
member of the X-Men."
"I'll do it—but under one condition."
"What's that,
"You let me live my own life. I know you got your
rules, and I'll try to follow the ones I think are important, but as far as my
own time goes, it's mine. I can leave when I want, and I don't have to play any
stupid little games."
"Fair enough. You're an adult. I can't impose the same
sort of rules on you that I do on my younger students. As long as your behavior
does not put the team in immediate danger, then I can allow you your freedom while
you remain a member of the X-Men."
"Thanks, Chuck."
Xavier stuck his hand across the desk. "Welcome to the
X-Men, Logan."
Chapter 13.
You said you'd meet me now it's quarter to two
I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you
Hey
Jack it's a fact they're talkin' in town
I turn my back and you're messin' around
I'm not really jealous don't like lookin' like a clown
I
think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart then you took my pride away
I
hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why
I hate myself for loving you
Daylight
spent the night without you
But I've been dreamin' 'bout the lovin' you do
I won't be as angry 'bout the hell you put me through
Hey
man bet you can treat me right
You just don't know what you was missin' last night
I wanna see your face and say forget it just from spite
I
hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you, that's why
I hate myself for loving you
I
hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why
I hate myself for loving you
I
think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart then you took my pride away
I
hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why
I hate myself for loving you
Remy strolled past the rec room, whistling to himself. He
stooped, his eyes growing wide. Was he hallucinating? He backed up slowly, his
breath stopping as he looked in the door.
Victor Creed was sitting on the X-Men's couch, watching
television in nothing but a pair of sleep pants, and eating a big bowl of Sugar
Bombs. He looked up at Remy. "Hey, Cajun."
"What de hell are you doin' here?"
"Chuckie let me out. You wanna watch Universal Soldier?"
Remy backed up slowly. "Non."
"Why not? I figured you fer a Van Damme fan."
Victor cocked his head to the side. "Y'know, if they ever made a movie
outta this freak-show you people call I team, I can see Van Damme playin'
you."
Remy backed up a little more, then ran down the hall. He
banged on
"What the hell do you want, gumbo?"
"Creed!"
"Worse! De professor let him out! He's eatin' my Sugar
Bombs!"
For a moment,
"Would I joke about somet'in' like dis?"
"Why…? Doesn't
Xavier know what he is?"
"I t'ink Xavier's flipped his bald lid,
chère." Remy expected
"I can't deal with this right now, Remy." Remy looked worried.
"You gonna be okay, chère?"
"Are you?"
"I dunno."
"Me either," said
Victor opened the fridge, his eyes gleaming at a big
package of roast beef. He wasn't much of a cook, but he made a mean sandwich.
He stopped. He knew that scent. It was one of his
favorites… He closed the refrigerator door and went after her. "Hey,
runt!"
"
She walked faster.
Victor bounded up to her, grabbing her by the shoulder and
spinning her around to face him. "I said I wanna talk to you."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because I hate you, Creed,"
Victor narrowed his eyes at her. "Come on, baby, you
can't mean that now. Remember how I made you scream?" He winked at her.
"Don't what?" he asked, grabbing her by the
shoulders. "Remind you of the best damn fuck you ever had."
"What are you afraid of, runt? Afraid you might like it
too much? Afraid you might not be able to stop yourself from doin' it
again?"
"I will never
screw you again, Victor."
Victor grinned viciously at her, then descended on her
mouth, kissing her with a mixture of lust and anger.
Victor pulled back and dropped her down to the ground.
"Never, huh?" He walked off, chuckling to himself.
"Fuck you, Creed!"
"A little late fer that, runt!" he called back,
leaving her alone in the hallway.
Alone in his room, Victor stopped smiling. He had been almost sure
If he was honest with himself, Victor had never wanted to
hurt
In fact, it made him feel shitty. Victor growled to himself, pacing the small
bedroom like it was a steel cage. He
didn't do this—he didn't form attachments to anyone. He didn't have a heart, as the runt had
pointed out to him on numerous occasions.
Let the little weaklings deal with the lovey-dovey crap. Sabretooth didn't need anyone.
But Victor needed
He couldn't make her want him.
The scenario ended and
Kitty watched from the control room. She leaned forward
into the microphone. "Uh,
Kitty sighed, closing her abnormal psychology text book and
going after her. "Hey, wait a sec!" she called. "Logan, you all
right?"
"I'm fine, Kit."
"I guess Sabretooth being here is really messin' with
you, huh?"
"Yeah."
"You know, sometimes I wonder how much between you and
Victor is really hate, and how much it's something else."
"Come on,
"Fuck Freud,"
"Just making an observation…"
"I have to go take a shower,"
"All right, talk to you later."
"Yeah."
Victor watched the clock's second hands tick slowly past
"Hey, Creed."
"Hey." She
shut the door without taking anything out.
"Can't sleep?"
"Nah.
You?" She shook her
head. "
"I don't wanna talk about it, Victor. As far as I'm concerned, it never
happened." His blond brows drew
together.
"You and I both know that's bullshit,
"It would never work out, Creed."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do."
Victor fought the urge to reach out and take her. She was so beautiful, even with messy hair
and pajamas—she'd been beautiful since he first laid eyes on her. But she couldn't stand him.
"You keep thinkin' that then, runt," was all he
said. "Denial seems to be a good
way of copin' for ya. Hope it works
out." He turned on his heel and
went to bed.
Chapter 14.
We
both lie silently still
In
the dead of the night
Although
we both lie close together
We
feel miles apart inside
Was
it something I said or something I did
Did
my words not come out right
Though
I tried not to hurt you
Though
I tried
But I
guess that’s why they say
Every rose has it’s thorn
Just
like every night has it’s dawn
Just
like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every
rose has it’s thorn
Yeah
it does
I
listen to our favorite song
Playing
on the radio
Hear
the DJ say loves a game of easy come and easy go
But I
wonder does he know
Has
he ever felt like this
And I
know that you’d be here right now
If I
could have let you know somehow
I
guess
Every
rose has it’s thorn
Just
like every night has it’s dawn
Just
like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every
rose has it’s thorn
Though
it’s been a while now
I can
still feel so much pain
Like
a knife that cuts you the wound heals
But
the scar, that scar remains
I know
I could have saved a love that night
If
I’d known what to say
Instead
of makin’ love
We
both made our separate ways
But
now I hear you found somebody new
And
that I never meant that much to you
To
hear that tears me up inside
And
to see you cuts me like a knife
I
guess
Every
rose has it’s thorn
Just
like every night has it’s dawn
Just
like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every
rose has it’s thorn
"BIRDY!!!"
Victor waited a moment. No answer. He growled. "BIRDY,
get yer skinny ass in here!"
Birdy's blonde head poked in through the door. "Yes,
boss?"
"Get me somethin' ta drink, woman. Somethin'
strong."
"Make your own damn drink," Birdy snapped.
Victor stood to his full height. "I said get me a
drink!"
Birdy scurried from the room.
Victor slammed his hand down on his desk. He felt like he
was stuck in a rut. The damn bloodlust had gotten too much for him, and now he
had his little "assistant" make them go away.
She was an asset when he needed the Glow. Beyond that…
Victor growled. He needed to go out. He needed fresh air
and bloodshed.
"Here's your drink, boss."
Victor knocked it out of Birdy's hand. "I don't want
it." He started for the door.
"Where ya goin', boss?"
"Out. Just be ready to give me the Glow when I get
back."
"Yes, boss," Birdy said, her voice holding a
tinge of sarcasm.
She sat down on the couch and began reading the latest
issue of Vogue.
"Whatcha got, Rogue?" Rogue grinned at
"Read 'em and weep, gals." She set down a straight. Kitty and Storm grumbled and threw their
cards down.
"Now now, there's no call for that kind of
language," said Kitty in a smarmy tone that eerily mimicked Jean's. The other three women at the card table burst
out laughing.
"Who's deal is it?"
"Hey," said Kitty, who had the smallest
pile. "Have you guys every played
truth or dare poker?"
"We're not seventeen, Kitty," said Rogue. Kitty shot her a look.
"Fine then, you can go join the AARP while we
play."
"I think maybe you've had enough beer, Kit."
"What is truth or dare poker?" said Storm,
dealing.
"Losers tell the truth or take a dare from the
winner," said Kitty. She picked up
her cards. "So are you in?"
"Sure, what the hell," said
Kitty grinned. "Deal us in, 'Ro."
She turned to
"Truth."
Kitty's grin made her look like the Cheshire Cat. "If
you could do any man in the mansion, who would it be?"
"Nope. You took the truth. Or do you want me to tell
Remy who really put those extra miles on his precious baby?"
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me."
"I'm not answerin' the question, Pryde."
"You are such a wuss," said Kitty. "Fine…I'll just go down the list, and
you say yes or no."
"This should be interesting…" said Storm.
"I'm gonna get you for this, Shadowcat."
"Whatever,
"Uh…he's a little immature for me, Kitty."
"Beast?"
"God, no.
You're a freak, Pryde."
Kitty rolled her eyes.
"You should talk.
Remy?"
"Nope."
Kitty's mouth dropped open.
"Ohmigod.
Scott?!"
"I didn't say yes!"
"You didn't have to, sugah," said Rogue,
giggling. "You're turnin' reddern'
a maple leaf." Even Storm was
struggling not to laugh.
"Well…I suppose there are worse choices,
"Shut up, Ororo!"
"D'you know what Jean would do to you if she
knew?" said Rogue.
"Never mind
"If you guys tell anyone I'll kill you." Storm patted her hand.
"Your secret is safe with us, Logan."
"Yeah, we won't tell on ya," Rogue assured
her. "Scott needs t'cut
loose." She grinned wickedly. "Maybe you can help him."
Unaware of the secrets being divulged a floor above their
heads, the males of the X-Men gathered in the rec room, watching a football
game. The Saints were playing. Remy was happy, albeit a bit in denial,
believing being behind 21 points in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter
wasn't the kiss of death.
"I'm surprised Jean hasn't come to fetch you yet,
Scott," Bobby said, leaning back on the couch. "Usually by now she'll
come down and tell you it's passed your bedtime."
Even with his glasses, it was apparent Scott was glaring at
Bobby. "Just because she wants me with her when she goes to sleep doesn't
make her some sort of shrew, Drake."
"Whatever, man." Bobby smirked. "You know
who I'd like with me when I sleep?
Remy looked over at him. "I t'ought you loved Kitty.
Five minutes ago she was de woman of your dreams."
"Yeah, but
"You shouldn't talk about Wolverine that way,"
Scott scolded. "She's your teammate and deserves respect."
"Like you aren't thinking it, too," Bobby said.
"I've seen you try to look down her shirt in training sims."
Scott's face began to match his glasses. "I do
not!"
The game over, Remy focused on the conversation.
"Y'know, mon ami, it's pretty obvious. You t'ink we believe it's
'accidental' all dose time you brush up against her?"
"I wouldn't do that to
Beast looked up from his newspaper. "You did with Jean
back in the early days of the team. Maybe it is a behavior pattern with you,
Scott."
"You're not against me, too, Hank?!"
Hank shrugged. "I'm just stating the obvious, my
friend."
"C'mon, Scottie, admit it," Bobby said, a gleam
in his eye. "You think
"You are so immature, Drake."
"LOGAN AND SCOTTIE SITTING IN A TREE…"
"Knock it off, Drake!" Scott said in his Fearless
Leader Voice.
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G! FIRST COMES…"
"All right, fine! I think she's cute! Just be quiet
about it already."
The four men in the rec room turned when someone in the
hallway cleared her throat. Scott felt his stomach drop. "Uh, hey,
Jean."
"Scott, can I talk to you in our room?" she asked
crisply.
"Yeah." Scott stood up. "Night, guys."
"Night," the others replied in unison.
"Man, I wouldn't want to be him tonight," Bobby
said when Scott and Jean were gone.
"I wouldn't want to be you," Hank said.
"Why not?"
"Because," Remy replied, "What would you do
to de guy who made you get in trouble wit your fiancée if you were Scott?"
Bobby sighed and put his chin in his hands.
"Well, I guess I better get ready for some
Birdy glared at Victor as she picked up his bloody clothes
from the floor of his bedroom, where he had dropped them. He grinned back at her. "Waitin' on ya, Birdy," he
drawled. Birdy shoved his suit into the
closet and padded to the foot of the bed, preparing to give him the Glow.
"Not there," he said. Birdy sighed.
"I need to be able to work, Mr. Creed." He growled.
"You do what I tell ya, Birdy—or did you forget that
already?" He patted a spot on the
bed next to his naked body.
"C'mere, frail." Birdy
sniffed and sat primly on the spot. If
she hadn't been sure he'd break her jaw if she said 'no', she would have told
him to fuck off and find his own damn Glow.
She took a deep breath, and hit him with it.
Inside Victor's mind, she bypassed the usual bloody images
from his latest hit and went to the pulsating source of his rage and lust to
kill. She had to soothe it, like an
angry wound, or Victor wouldn't rest until he'd killed again. Birdy looked at what was in front of her. A cabin, surrounded by tall, forbidding
evergreen trees. Birdy stepped forward,
making herself a part of the scene.
Immediately, she found herself indoors, poised over a
handsome man with dark skin and long black hair. Bloody claw marks ran down his face, and
Birdy was nearly overcome by the sense of hatred that raged around this
particular part of Creed's mind. It
wasn't his usual base bloodlust—Victor had well and truly despised this
man.
Using all her telepathic strength, Birdy forced the image
back into the recesses of Victor's subconscious. It was harder than ever before, and she felt
her own skull nearly splitting with the effort.
Dimly, she heard Victor moan and knew she was making progress. She pushed again, using the last of her
strength, and the image faded almost wholly.
She hadn't gotten all of it, but it would hold him. She'd just have to book a new hit ASAP.
Birdy came back to reality, shuddering in a ball on the
floor of Creed's room. She'd fallen off
the bed. He could have cared less.
"Get outta here," he said. "You did good." Birdy made her way out of the room on shaky
legs and collapsed on her own bed, wondering in spite of herself who the man in
Victor's head had been, and why he had merited such hatred.
Birdy looked behind her to see if Victor was in the
hallway, then put down her feather duster. She hated doing Creed's housework,
but at least it gave her the occasional chance to snoop. She was hopelessly
curious.
She opened a drawer in his desk and found it filled with
old pictures, papers, and small trinkets. Most of it looked older than Birdy's
parents. She picked up the picture on the top. It was an old, dog-eared, black
and white photo, set in jungle scenery that Birdy figured was
"Didn't ya ever hear what curiosity did to the cat—or
rather what the cat did to the curious…"
Birdy jumped in the air, dropping the picture to the
ground. Victor snatched it off the ground. "Boss!"
Victor hit her, knocking her to the ground. "That's
private, Birdy."
Birdy rubbed her jaw, shakily pulling herself to her feet.
"Who is she, boss?"
"None of yer goddam business."
"You two look really happy…"
Victor's eyes grew dark, and he lunged at Birdy, picking
her up and throwing her in the hallway. "You don't know nothin' about
that!" he yelled at her, slamming and locking the door.
Birdy got up, dusted herself off, and went down the hall.
Birdy knew as soon as Victor came in the room, he was mad.
She looked up, trying to smile. "You need something, boss."
"Just strip and shut up."
Birdy decided not to argue. She wasn't even sure she wanted
to.
"Turn around. I don't want to look at yer face."
"You're such a romantic, Mr. Creed."
Victor growled low in his throat. "Don't make me wanna
gut yer sarcastic little ass."
"Yes, boss," Birdy said with a sigh.
Victor undid his fly as he watched her undress. He wished
her hair wasn't so damn blonde. The woman he wanted now had black hair. But he
didn't have the energy to find a suitable replacement for the woman of his
fantasies. Besides, Birdy was the one who'd gotten him in this state anyway,
pulling out that old picture from his Team X days.
She'd help him push back a different kind of urge now,
something that couldn't be driven away by the Glow.
"Drop this?"
She gave Scott a half smile and took the wrench.
"Thanks, Cyke."
"Working on your bike again?"
"Yeah. Here to work on your car?"
"Yeah."
"You know, you were in here working on it yesterday,
and it was running just fine."
Scott sighed. "I know. It just calms me, you know. You
put the parts in a car, and it works. No complications, no shades of
gray."
"You and Jean having problems?"
"No. Well, not really. I'm sorta in the doghouse, but
it's no big deal."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"All right."
Birdy noticed something different in Creed that night. It
was like he was in another world. She was in his arms physically, but not
mentally.
"Are you all right, boss."
Victor growled as he re-zipped his pants. He wasn't in the
mood for Birdy to be mouthy.
"I'm just asking 'cause you weren't acting like you
usually do tonight. Is it because of that girl in the picture?"
"You don't know when to shut yer yap, do ya,
girlie?"
"You didn't act like you were with me tonight, Mr.
Creed. It was like you were with someone else. Was it her?"
Victor didn't even have the energy to take his anger out on
her. "Yer stupid, frail. One of these days, it's gonna get ya in
trouble."
"Mr. Creed…"
"Shut it if ya wanna keep it, Birdy!" Victor
yelled as he left the room.
Birdy slumped in a chair and pouted.
"Boss, after this job is over, can we go
shopping?"
"No, Birdy."
"But you promised!"
"Well, I fuckin' lied to ya then."
Birdy wondered why she bothered with Victor Creed. He took
her to
She looked over at him, taking in his rippling muscles.
Suddenly, she remembered why she stuck around.
"Why you so nervous, Cajun?"
Remy's eyes shifted from shadow to shadow. "I don'
like sewers, Wolverine chère. Bad mem'ries."
"Everyone quiet," hissed Scott. "We don't want to be detected by the
enemy."
"And who is that, exactly?" asked Kitty.
"We don't know that, Katherine," said Jean
imperiously. "The Professor didn't
relay that information."
"Someone in this tunnel here. Two of them, actually." Scott pointed at Shadowcat.
"Go check it out, Kitty." Kitty nodded and phased silently through the
tunnel wall. Jean put a hand to her
forehead.
"I sense a strong mental signal from one of them,
Scott—one with blocks in place."
Scott frowned.
"Everyone be ready." He turned up the setting on his visor and
Remy gave his staff a twirl.
"Ohmigod," said Kitty, phasing back through the
wall. "It's Sabretooth!" Scott glowered from under his visor.
"Great."
"What's he doing here?" Jean demanded. Kitty spread her hands.
"Don't ask me,
"Who's Sabretooth?" It was a little hard to tell in the dim
light, but she thought Remy had gone paler than usual.
"Uh…I dunno, chère.
Ain't been wit' de team long enough to memorize de rogue's
gallery." Cyclops motioned his team
into various shadows.
"Be ready at my signal," he whispered.
Voices approached from down the tunnel, a male's and a
female's. The woman seemed to be
complaining about something, and he was telling her to shut the hell up.
As soon as the tall, blond man stepped into view,
"Smells like X-geek in here, Birdy." The blonde clung closer to him.
"Whaddaya mean, Mr. Creed?"
Creed.
"Creed!" said Scott sharply, stepping out in
front of the man. "I should have
guessed we'd find you down here."
The other X-Men also showed themselves, surrounding their two foes. Creed heaved a mock-frustrated sigh.
"Well shit, ya got me." He turned slowly, regarding the other
mutants. "Looks like the gang's all
here, huh Cyclops?" He leered at
Jean. "Howya doin', red?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Why did you come back to the tunnels, Creed?"
"That's fer me ta know and you to find out, gorgeous."
"Bite me," snapped Kitty.
"Leave her alone, homme, or I'm gonna burn off
dat ugly face," said Remy, stepping in front of Kitty. Creed grinned wider.
"Hell, Remy.
Haven't seen you in a dog's age."
He frowned. "Since when are you
playin' fer the angel's team?"
"You better shut de hell up, Creed." Jean and Scott were watching the exchanged
with puzzled expressions.
"You won't get the drop on me this time, bayou
boy," Creed snarled at Remy, making a move towards him.
"Touch him and pull back a stump,"
"I'll be damned.
Not one but two of my dear old friends." He smiled at her, in what
Suddenly, like she'd been hit by a city bus,
They call me Sabretooth.
They call me Wolverine.
Aren't those little snarly things that run around the
Canadian wilderness?
They can rip a man apart.
So can I, frail.
Sabretooth…blood…blood on his claws, blood from Silver Fox
staining the floor and the walls. Silver
Fox was dead. Creed had killed him. All because…
"Creed,"
"Merde!" Remy shouted, jumping out of the
way.
"Wolverine, stand down!" Scott ordered her.
And now she was going to kill Creed.
"Guess you're still a little ticked with me, huh
runt?" he chuckled as he advanced on her.
"Boss!" the blonde screamed, whipping out an
oversized gun. Jean grabbed it with her
telekinesis while Remy pinned the woman's arms behind her back. "Boss!" she shrieked again. Sabretooth had already shaken off the blast
and now he turned on Remy, fangs beared.
"Let her go, Gumbo." Remy charged a card and held it to Birdy's
throat.
"I ain't doin' not'in' like dat, Creed." Creed growled, and then suddenly spun, a
massive hand reaching out and snagging Jean by her neck.
"Then I'll gut yer frail while you singe mine. Fair?"
"Jean!" Scott shouted. "Don't hurt her," he said to
Sabretooth.
"Well, frankly I'd like that, Scottie, but you give me
back what's mine and I'll let yer woman go." Scott turned to Remy.
"Let her go!"
"No way, homme," said Remy tightly, his
eyes still on Victor.
"DO IT!" Scott bellowed, his visor flaring. Remy's eyes also flashed red, but then he
dropped the card to the damp tunnel floor, where it sizzled out. The blonde backed quickly away from him.
"Dickhead."
Sabretooth tossed Jean aside and grabbed her by the arm.
"Yer an idiot, Birdy!
Come on!" The two of them
moved quickly into the shadows before any of the X-Men could react.
"
Remy sunk lower in his seat, hoping he wasn't asked the
same question.
"You seemed to know him back there in the Morlock
tunnels."
"Well it all came flooding back!"
"What did, exactly?"
Scott looked over at his wife from the pilot's seat.
"Jean,
Jean gave Scott a less than pleasant look, but stopped the
line of questions.
When the Blackbird landed at the mansion,
A few minutes later,
"Uh, sorry, I didn't know you were still on the Blackbird."
"I was going to run a few checks on the plane, make
sure it's last flight didn't cause any damage, but it can wait."
"No, I'll just go. I have my own room to mope around
in."
Scott put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you like to
be somewhat of a loner, but the X-Men are your family now. We're here if you
need us."
"Thanks, Scott."
Scott patted her shoulder, almost nervously. He was stiff
and uncertain, like a teenaged boy.
She wasn't sure why she did what she did next, although
later she'd explain it by saying that Creed's reemergence in her life had
clouded her judgment. She raised herself up on her toes, gently kissing Scott
on the lips.
Scott looked at her, his expression conveying his shock.
"
Scott silenced her, kissing her with a passion that
surprised
After a moment, Scott put her back down. He struggled to
catch his breath. "
Scott tucked a stray piece of hair behind
"I know. Thank you."
Scott kissed her chastely on the forehead, then left the Blackbird.
"Hey, boss, that girl back in
Victor glared down at his blonde companion. "Yeah, she
was."
"She seemed like she didn't like you too much,
boss."
Victor didn't say anything.
"Did you do something to make her mad, boss?"
Victor tried to tune her out. Otherwise, he was afraid he
might hurt her, and he didn't want to lose the Glow.
"Were you in love with her?"
Victor had enough then. He pushed Birdy out of the way and
stormed into his office, locking the door behind him.
"BIRDY!"
Birdy rolled over in her bed. She wasn't in the mood for
this now. She was too tired.
"BIRDY!"
She groaned. Didn't the man ever sleep?
"BIRDY, NOW! BEFORE I GUT YA!"
Birdy sighed and pushed herself off the bed, shuffling into
Victor's room. She opened his door. "Yes, boss?"
"Give me the Glow, Birdy. I need it now."
Birdy caught the look in Victor's eyes, and decided this
wouldn't be the best time to voice her resentment—that he was all caught up in
his old flame, and didn't even care that some psycho had threatened to kill
her. Instead, she just did what he asked. She did what assured her that he'd
never let her go like his other women.
She gave him the Glow.
Chapter 15.
Come ’ere baby
You know you drive me up the wall
The way you make good for all the nasty tricks you pull
Seems like we’re makin’ up more than we’re makin’ love
And it always seems you’ve got something on your mind
Other than me
Girl, you gotta change your crazy ways, you hear me
Say you’re leavin’ on the
And that you’re heading out to Hollywood
Girl, you’ve been givin’ me that line so many times
It kinda gets that feelin’ bad looks good
That kinda lovin’ turns a man to a slave
That kinda lovin’ sends a man right to his grave
I go crazy, crazy, baby, I go crazy
You turn it on - then you’re gone
Yeah you drive me crazy, crazy, crazy for you baby
What can I do, honey
I feel like the color blue
You’re packin’ up your stuff
And and talkin’ like it’s tough
And tryin’ to tell me
That it’s time to go
But I know you ain’t wearin’ nothin’ underneath that
Overcoat and that it’s all a show
That kinda lovin’ makes me wanna pull down the shade,
That kinda lovin’ yeah, now I’m never gonna be the same
I’m losing my mind
Girl, ’cause I’m goin’ crazy
I need your love, honey, yeah
I need your love
"Hey, Gumbo, can I talk to
ya?"
Remy's eyes grew wide. "Non!
You just stay 'way from me, Creed."
"I don't wanna fight, Remy,
okay? I need to ask you something."
Remy sighed, but made sure he was
as far from Sabretooth as possible. "Make it quick."
"What does
Remy looked at him like he'd
grown a second head. "She t'inks de same t'ing about you dat de rest of de
world does, homme. She hates your
guts."
"You know why?"
"Gee, let me t'ink. You make
de femme's life hell from de day she
met you, Victor. And you kill dat boy of hers."
"She still mad about
that?"
"Non. Dat's one of dose t'ings you get over. And I heard you had
some brains in dat big blond head of yours."
Victor glared. "Thanks,
Cajun."
"Yeah, whatever."
"So, are you holding up okay
with Creed being here,
"I guess."
"I haven't heard you having
any homicidal rage sessions in the Danger Room lately, so you must be
okay." Scott saw
"What?!" Scott raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing. How's the ordnance inventory
coming?"
"Fine. How's your end?"
Scott looked at his
clipboard. "Boring. Jean is obsessive-compulsive about keeping
Cerebro's archives in order."
"Isn't that Kitty's
job?"
"
"Good point. Guess that's what happens when you're the
Fearless Leader, huh Cyke?" She put
the last of the weapons the X-Men had confiscated from various foes over the
years back into their lockers.
"Done."
"Wish I was," Scott
sighed.
"I'll keep you
company."
"You don't have to,"
Scott said. "I'm sure you have
something you'd rather be doing than hanging out with a dork like
me."
"Aw, is our self-esteem a
little low today, Scooter?" Scott
glared at her.
"I am not
Scooter."
"Yeah, fine."
"I don't believe you,"
said Scott simply.
"Maybe…maybe I did something
I shouldn't have," she said after a long pause. Scott put his clipboard down and took her
shoulders gently.
"What is it? You can tell me."
"Trust me, Scott, you don't
wanna hear this." He nodded.
"Yes, I do. I'm your teammate
"I already had this
conversation with Remy, okay Scott?"
He looked down and dropped his hands.
"Yeah, sorry. I guess I'm not as easy to talk to as he
is."
"You're a good guy,
Scott."
"Sometimes I think I'm too
good."
"Well, there's always room
for improvement."
"Not when you're married to Jean
Grey," Scott muttered.
In her room, she sank onto her
bed, curling on her side. She reached
for Victor's sweatshirt almost automatically, even though his scent was almost
gone. What she had done was eating her
up inside—she'd betrayed the X-Men on the most basic level. She knew she couldn't deal with it anymore,
that she had to get away and clear her head.
She wanted him so much.
They were the same.
The knock on her door was
unmistakable. No one else would knock so heavy, so sure. She stared at the door, her eyes wide like a
deer.
"I know yer in there,
runt."
"Open the damn door or I'll
bust it open!"
Victor smirked. "You,
darlin'."
"You are such a fucking
bastard."
"Damn skippy."
"No. I have something I have
to say."
"Then say it,"
"Oh, sorry. When you do that
it pushes up your boobs."
"I'm sorry."
"The…the thing with Silver
Fox."
"Because…because I loved
you."
Victor reached out a hand.
"I didn't mean it,
"Victor…"
He looked at her, his eyes wild
like a frightened animal. "What can I do,
Victor came into the room,
shutting the door behind him. He walked slowly to her, touching her tentatively
at first, barely running his fingers through her hair.
Maybe she was. With Victor, it
was something different…
He kissed her, but it wasn't like
what he'd shown her in the Danger Room. It was gentle, as if he were tasting
her. He cupped the back of her head, kissing her slowly and thoroughly.
"Havin' trouble standin',
darlin'?"
Victor smiled, picking her up and
holding her against his chest.
Victor set her so softly on the
bed, as if she was something delicate, not a woman with a healing factor and
adamantium bones. He sat beside her, looking down at her. "Damn, yer
hot."
He winked at her. "Damn
skippy."
"I can't believe you just
said that two times in a ten minute time span."
Victor smirked. "I'm full of
surprises, darlin'."
"Oh yeah."
Victor descended on her, kissing
down her neck.
"Don't get used to it,
frail."
She laughed, feeling suddenly
free. Nothing mattered, not the X-Men, not her shrouded past—just Victor, and
what he made her feel.
Victor lay naked in
Victor looked at her with hooded
eyes. "I'm the best, babe."
"Well you're certainly the
best I've ever had."
"That cinches it then, since
I have quite a few to compete with."
Victor pouted. "What, you
don't like me anymore?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're
horrible."
"Wanna punish me?" He
wagged his eyebrows up and down.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Logan and Victor both jumped off
the bed, their eyes wide. "The closet,"
Victor nodded, running to hide.
She took it and kissed his hand.
She wrapped the kimono around her, kicked Victor's clothes under the bed, and
flung open the door. "What?"
"Geez, growly much,
"Uh, nobody can find
Creed."
"Shit,"
"No. He can still sense his
presence somewhere on the grounds, he just can't pin-point where. Victor's mind
is hard for him to center on, or something like that."
"Well he probably just went
for a walk. Go away."
Bobby frowned. "Did I
interrupt something?"
"I was meditating, now get
out!" She slammed the door.
Bobby thought she seemed a little
tense for meditation, but he just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.
Creed walked out of the closet,
looking down at his toes. "I guess I should make an appearance before
someone smarter than Drake comes lookin' fer me."
"Yeah."
He walked to her, cupping her cheek
in his hand. "So where does this leave us,
"Let's take it slow, all
right?"
"Yeah."
"See ya around, Vic."
Victor got his clothes from under
her bed and started dressing. He kissed her one more time, softly on the lips.
"Don't stay mad at me, okay?"
"I'll do my best."
He opened the door and looked
down the hall, making sure the coast was clear before sneaking away.
Victor lay awake in his bed,
finding it impossible to sleep. He hated his stupid curfew. Xavier didn't even
leave him with a television. Cruel and unusual punishment.
The door opened, and Victor sat
up. Who the hell was bothering him at this hour? He sniffed and smiled.
"Hey, darlin'."
"Couldn't sleep?" he
asked, laying down and pulling her up against his bare chest.
"No," she said softly.
Victor kissed the top of her
head. "Me either."
"Victor, what is this?"
she asked.
"I don't know." He
paused. "I like it though. And not just because of the sex."
"Me, too. That scares me a
little."
"It scares me, too,
Logan."
"I'm just a man,
Logan."
He kissed her. "Good
night."
"Good night."
It had been an odd night for
Kitty and Bobby. They, along with
"Is this weirding you out,
Kitty?" he whispered. Kitty nodded.
"Majorly," she
whispered back.
"Creed," she
snarled. "Get your feet off the
table." He looked over at her with
an almost amused expression.
"What are you, my
mommy?"
"I'll make you want your
mommy if you don't get your feet off!" she blurted. He smiled slowly, revealing his teeth.
"Ooo, ya gonna spank me,
runt?" Kitty and Bobby were
watching them like a tennis match.
"I don't have to put up with
this—I'm going to my room!" she huffed.
"Don't let the door hit yer
cute ass!" Creed called after her.
"You make such a cute
couple," said Kitty sarcastically.
Creed grinned at her.
"Yeah, I know. I'm too cute fer words." Kitty rolled her eyes and looked back at the
TV.
Creed got up and followed
"Look. Chuck, no disrespect
to yer beautiful home an' all, but I've had about my fill of this place."
Xavier scrutinized Victor.
"Well, you have been cured of your blood lust."
"Yep. No more of that blood
lust crap. I'm a better man."
"Still, I worry that if I
release you back into the world, you may kill again."
Victor shifted uncomfortably.
"I don't want to kill anymore, Professor. I look back on that part of my
life, and I feel so dark and guilty. I want to make a better life for
myself."
Xavier frowned, not sure if he
could take Victor's words as the truth. Still, he had shown significant
improvement since he'd recovered from
"I will allow you to return
to wherever it is you call home, but I will be keeping an eye on you. Should
you continue to show a propensity towards violence, I will send my people after
you."
Victor forced himself not to
laugh at that threat. "You won't have to do that, professor. I'll be a
model citizen—you'll see."
Xavier frowned. "We'll see,
Creed."
"You're just letting him
go!"
"I'm sorry, Scott, but
there's nothing I can really do. Sabretooth is cured; there's no reason that he
shouldn't be released back into society."
"What, other than the fact
that he's a sociopathic killer?"
"Cyclops, it's not your
place to question my decision like this."
Scott stood up straight.
"Yes, professor."
Xavier wheeled from the room.
"Uh, babe, can I talk to ya
for a moment?"
"Watchin' hockey,
Victor."
"I know how much you like ta
watch grown men beat up on each other with sticks, but this is important."
"Xavier said I can go. I
booked a flight back to
"That's where I live,
darlin'."
"Don't you darlin' me!"
Victor held out his hands in
defense. "Whoa, whoa, I never said anything about leavin' you, frail. I
just need to get back home. I have a life out there."
"
"They're my life."
"Then I guess we're in two
different places now."
Victor sighed. "I don't want
this to be it for us, Logan. I do like you, and I like being with you. I just
can't be here, and you apparently can't always be there. But you leave the team
enough. Come up and visit me sometimes."
"I want more than that,
Victor."
"
"If you leave, Victor Creed,
it is. You walk out that door, and I never want to see you again."
"I'm sorry you feel that
way, but I have to go. I'll go crazy here."
"You already are crazy, you
messed up fuck."
Victor sighed. "There ya go
again, striking out at me when you don't want to admit yer hurtin'. You've been
doin' it fer thirty fuckin' years,
"Get out, Victor,"
"If that's the way you
feel…"
"It is."
"Yeah. See ya around,
runt."
Chapter 16.
I’m down a one way street
With a one night stand
With a one track mind
Out in no man’s land
(the punishment sometimes don’t seem to fit the crime)
Yeah there’s a hole in my soul
But one thing I’ve learned
For every love letter written
There’s another one burned
(so tell me how it’s gonna be this time)
Is it over
Is it over
Is it over
’cause I’m blowin’ out the flame
Take a walk outside your mind
Tell me how it feels to be
The one who turns the knife inside of me
Take a look and you will find there’s nothing there girl
Yeah I swear, I’m telling you girl yeah ’cause
There’s a hole in my soul that’s been killing me forever
It’s a place where a garden never grows
There’s a hole in my soul, yeah I should have known
better
’cause your love’s like a thorn without a rose
I’m as dry as a seven year drought
I got dust for tears
Yeah I’m all tapped out
(sometimes I feel broken and can’t get fixed)
I know there’s been all kinds of shoes underneath your
bed
Now I sleep with my boots on but you’re still in my head
(and something tells me this time I’m down to my last
licks)
’cause if it’s over
Then it’s over
And it’s driving me insane
Is it over
Yeah it’s over
And I’m blowin’ out the flame
Take a walk outside your mind
Tell me how it feels to be
The one who turns the knife inside of me
Take a look and you will find
There’s nothing there girl, yeah, I swear
I’m telling you girl yeah ’cause there’s a hole in my
soul
That’s been killing me forever
It’s a place where a garden never grows there’s a hole in
my soul,
Yeah I should have known better
’cause
your love’s like a thorn
Without a rose
Kitty sighed as she sat at
Cerebro's console, scrolling slowly through a backlog of security tapes that
had accumulated over the last month. She
hated this job with a passion, but Cyclops had threatened to cut off her
computer access if she didn't clean out the files. She looked to her right—on the console next
to her was a six-pack of Coke and a bag of cheese puffs. Geek food was essential to a boring night
like the one ahead.
Bobby was also in the room,
killing zombies on another console while he kept her company. "Oh fuck!" he exclaimed as the game
loaded the next level. "Skeletons! I hate skeletons!"
"Kill the skeleton lord and
they'll go away," Kitty told him.
She opened the Danger Room log files and began to fast forward through
the tapes. She stopped when she saw
Victor enter the Danger Room and turn on her "Lots O' Ninjas"
scenario. She wondered how he would
handle it. And he was shirtless. Kitty didn't like Victor, but she was
breathing.
Victor tore through the session
and then stopped, speaking to someone in the control room, whom Kitty assumed
was
She was totally unprepared for
the actual outcome. She blinked, making
sure her eyes weren't playing tricks and the fact she was seeing Wolverine and
Sabretooth tear each other's clothes off wasn't just a caffeine-induced
hallucination.
"Bobby," she
breathed. "Get over
here!" He leaned over her
shoulder. Kitty heard him take in a
sharp breath.
"Holy shit!" he
exclaimed. He cocked his head. "Could a person actually live through
that?"
"They both have healing
factors, Bobby."
"Damn."
"Kitty, how are things
coming with Cere…" Jean stopped mid-sentence. "Oh my dear Lord."
Bobby and Kitty both turned
around. "We didn't mean to find it, honest!" Bobby exclaimed.
Jean couldn't tear her eyes away
from the screen. "That isn't natural…" she said.
"Yeah…Damn Creed. And I
thought I hated him before," Bobby muttered.
Jean turned on her heel and
started out of the room.
"Where are you going?"
Kitty asked.
"To inform the
professor."
"You can't do that!"
Kitty exclaimed.
"This is
"
"She was in that bad Julia
Roberts movie?" Bobby asked.
Jean gave him the Look. "The
professor needs to know.
"But
"You saw the tape,
Katherine," Jean said sternly. "She already has."
Kitty sighed, glancing back at
the scene playing on the monitor.
"
"Sure, Charles." He looked at her with a frown.
"Professor,
Logan."
"What'd I do now?"
"As if you didn't
know," said Jean. Xavier held up a
hand.
"Jean, please let me handle
this." He regarded
"Obviously," said
Xavier. "This is the most serious
breach of protocol imaginable, something that cannot be
countenanced." Jean frowned at her
prissily.
"We're very disappointed in
you, Logan. You had every chance to be a
part of the X-Men, but you've become a liability, just as I always thought."
"You better shut the fuck
up, red, while you still got a mouth to do it with." Jean smiled, as if she'd been proven right in
the face of great adversity.
"I'm afraid," Xavier
interjected, "that this behavior is something that I cannot tolerate in a
member of the X-Men." He wheeled in
front of
"You know this isn't right,
Scott…" she started. He frowned at
her.
"I'm sorry, Logan, but the
professor's right. Your association with
Creed has compromised the X-Men family."
"Oh, that's right, that's
what we are," she snarled. "One
big happy fuckin' family. Wouldn't want
to do anything to tarnish that perfect image, would we?"
"
"Fuck you, Xavier,"
"Wolverine, stop it!"
Scott ordered.
"And you, Summers—you're no
better than him. You don't even have the
guts to speak up for your 'friend', your 'teammate'. You're nothing but a spineless little
worm."
"
"That's what I think of this
family, Chuck," she said with a smile.
"Chère?"
"Why'd ya do it,
"Apparently not," Remy
grumbled. "Why you not jus' tell de professor you won't see Creed no more,
huh
"It's not just Victor, Rem.
I can't stay here if Chuck's gonna try to control my life. I've lived that way
before, and I can't anymore. My feelings for Victor notwithstanding, I need to
leave. There's no place for me here."
"What are your feelings for
Creed?"
"Is it jus' sex?"
"Dis hurt me, Logan—hurt me
deep. But you still my amie. You need
Remy, you know where t'find him."
"Thanks, Remy. That means a
lot."
"An' if Creed hurts you,
I'll beat de ever livin' shit outta him."
Remy approached her, wrapping her
in a bear hug. "I'm gonna miss you, chère."
"Yeah,"
Chapter 17.
I think I’ve already lost you
I think you’re already gone
I think I’m finally scared now
You think I’m weak, but I think you’re wrong
I think you’re already leaving
Feels like your hand is on the door
I thought this place was an empire
But now I’m relaxed,
I can’t be sure
I think you’re so mean, I think we should try
I think I could need, this in my life
I think I’m just scared, I think too much
I know this is wrong it’s a problem I’m dealing
If you’re gone, maybe it’s time to go home
There’s an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If you’re gone, baby you need to come home
'Cause there’s a little bit of something me
In everything in you
I bet you’re hard to get over
I bet the room just won’t shine
I bet my hands I can stay here
I bet you need, more than you mind
I think you’re so mean, I think we should try
I think I could need, this in my life
I think I’m just scared, that I know too much
I can’t relate and that’s a problem I’m feeling
If you’re gone, maybe it’s time to go home
There’s an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If you’re gone, baby you need to come home
'Cause there’s a little bit of something me
In everything in you
I think you’re so mean, I think we should try
I think I could need, this in my life
I think I’m just scared, do I talk too much
I know this is wrong it’s a problem I’m dealing
If you’re gone - maybe it’s time to go home
There’s an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If you’re gone - baby you need to come home
'Cause there’s a little bit of something me
In everything in you
What if Creed was still upset
about how she'd reacted to the news that he was leaving? What if he'd gotten
over whatever infatuation he'd had for her in Westchester, and was now back to
hating her. What if there was another woman. What if…
"Can I help you, miss?"
"Maybe. Who's asking?"
"
"Don't know you."
"Creed does."
"Creed knows a lot of women,
miss."
The man grew pale. "Uh, yes.
Right this way Miss…
"Yeah."
"Mr. Creed! Visitor!"
"She says her name's
Victor bounded down the stairs,
all but running to
"I thought you weren't
visiting me. Loyalty to the X-Geeks and all."
"Well, about that…"
Victor began to laugh. "They
kicked you out, didn't they?"
"It's not funny, Victor! The
X-Men were my life!"
"Then you should be glad
they kicked you out, 'cause that's damn pathetic, babe."
She blinked, but didn't respond
to that. "I'm sorry to just show up on your doorstep like this, but I
didn't know where else to go. Can I stay here?" Victor was silent, and
Suddenly, Victor picked her up,
slinging her over his shoulder. "Larry, hold my phone calls."
"Yes, sir," Larry said,
smirking as he listened to
"Woman, get yer hot little
ass in here!"
"C'mon, darlin'! I need ya
in here!"
He just made everything so damn
difficult.
Victor stalked into the room,
leaning against the doorframe in nothing but a pair of faded jeans.
"You still mad about this
mornin'?"
"Aw, frail, it wasn't that
big of a deal. What do you want from me, an apology?"
"I don't apologize to no
one, girlie."
"Then I hope you enjoy your
cold bed."
Victor smirked. "You can't
resist me, Logan. Now that you know what I can do, you could never tell me no
again."
"You are so damn full of
yourself."
Victor went over to the couch and
grabbed her to her feet, pulling her off the ground and to his mouth so he
could kiss her. He waited until she stopped struggling, then threw her back on
the couch.
Victor bit up her neck to her
ear. "I knew ya still wanted me. Ya always do."
"I always have,"
Victor paused. He'd had his
theories, but he hadn't expected her to say it. What did he do now? Women
didn't love him, they just wanted him. He looked at her, his breath catching.
She was beautiful, and she loved him. Maybe his life wasn't as crappy as it
seemed.
Victor got up, slipping his pants
back on. "That was a good one, frail."
Victor took her face in his hand.
"You didn't like it?" he asked, startled. Women always liked it with
him.
"It was wonderful, Victor.
There's nothing like being ravished by the king of virility."
Victor caught her sarcasm.
"Gee, thanks, babe."
"What is this, Victor?"
Victor's eyes grew wide. It was
that "talk" women wanted to have when they decided that the
relationship called for more than sex. Victor hated that talk. It usually
precluded his exit. "It's great sex," he said.
"What does it mean,
Victor?"
"Means I let ya sleep in my
bed insteada kickin' ya to the guest room."
"Gee, I feel so
honored,"
Victor grabbed her by the
shoulders. "Yer my woman, dammit."
Victor sighed. "But I'm yer
man, too," he said, softly.
"What do you want, Victor?" He frowned at her.
"I thought maybe you were
over whatever was buggin' ya."
"Well, I'm not," said
"Jesus, Logan, you are such
a woman sometimes."
"I thought you enjoyed that
fact." Victor growled.
"Stop turnin' everything I
say against me, woman."
"You better not start that
shit again, Creed." Victor moved
in, towering over her, an expression of real anger in his eyes.
"Yer mine," he said dangerously.
"And that makes you my woman!"
"Fuck you, Victor!" she
responded.
"I think I've exhausted my
supply of witty comebacks to that one, frail," he smirked.
"Not surprising, considering
you couldn't even say 'I love you' back to me," said
Victor grabbed her arm.
"Don't you even think about leavin', frail. I'm so damn sick of you
stormin' off every time somethin' gets heated between the two of us. Stop
runnin' from yer damn feelings."
"I'm running from my
feelings? What about you, Victor? You can't even tell me how you fucking feel
about me!"
"Dammit,
"Maybe it isn't bullshit to
me, Victor. Maybe it's important."
"Then get over it! I ain't
Mr. Romantic."
"No, you're not,"
Victor snarled, striking out
hard. He backhanded her cheek, knocking her backwards and her drink from her
hand. It shattered as it hit the hard tile, and
"You need to learn when you
should shut yer mouth, frail."
"Mr. Creed?" Larry poked his head into the kitchen, seeing
Victor sitting at the table with his head in his hands. A small pool of blood had dripped onto the
table beneath him.
"Go 'way, Larry." Larry came closer.
"Are you okay,
sir?" Victor growled.
"What the fuck do you want,
Larry?"
"What happened to your nose,
sir?" Victor heaved a sigh and took
his hand away. Larry took a step back at
the bloody, pulverized mess in the middle of Victor's face. It was healing, but slowly, and it looked
indescribably painful to Larry's eyes.
"The woman hit me," he
muttered.
"I guessed you two had a
fight, sir…"
"I smacked her around
too," Victor admitted. "Damn
adamantium." He looked up at
Larry. "What do you mean you guessed?"
"She left, sir." Victor jumped up, knocking his chair over.
"When?!"
"About twenty minutes ago,
sir. She said something along the lines
of "I'm never coming back to this lunatic asylum again"." Victor grabbed Larry by his lapels.
"Where did she
go?!" Larry looked slightly
uncomfortable.
"She didn't say, Mr.
Creed."
"Shit…" Victor
muttered. "This can't be
happening…"
"Mr. Creed?"
"Huh?"
"Could you let go of me,
please?" Victor released him. Larry had seen his boss go through the entire
spectrum of mood swings, but this was a new state for him. He looked pathetic, helpless. Defeated.
"Thirty years," Victor
muttered. "It took me thirty years
to get her and I've already lost her."
"Sir?"
"Leave me alone,
Larry." Larry knew enough to leave
Victor alone when he said to. The phone
rang before he could get out. Victor
grabbed the receiver off the handle and listened, not breathing.
"Victor?"
"Dammit,
"The airport."
"Why?"
"I'm leaving, Victor. I can’t live with you. I'm going home to
"I need you here,
dammit!"
"No, Victor. We're over.
You proved that tonight. I made a
mistake."
"
"Goodbye, Victor." The dial tone sounded in his ear.
She'd finally accepted that she'd
have to give up on that dream.
She picked up her bag and walked
to her gate.
Victor allowed himself a good ten
minutes to sulk before he formulated a plan. He'd come too far with
"LARRY!"
Larry slunk back in the room.
"Yes, Mr. Creed?"
"What sorta flowers are you
supposed to give angry women?"
"Um, sir, I don't know if
flowers…"
"Answer the damn question,
Larry."
"Roses, sir."
"Right, roses. Where do I
get those?"
"Florist, sir."
"Take me to one of those,
and then to the airport. And step on it, Larry."
Larry held in a sigh. "Yes,
Mr. Creed."
"What do you mean the damn
flight is delayed?"
The stewardess gave
"Don't you have some sort of
jet with infrared sensors?"
"No, ma'am, I'm afraid all
we have are the standard-issue passenger jets. Now please, sit down and I'll
inform you and the rest of the passengers when conditions improve."
"Sir, I don't care how
narrow you make your eyes, I'm not letting you past that gate without a
ticket."
"But I don't want to get on any
of the damn planes—I just want to find my woman!"
"Sir, again, for security
reasons, I cannot allow you in the boarding area without a ticket."
Victor growled in frustration,
pulling a wad of one-hundred dollar bill from his pocket. "Then give me a
goddam ticket."
"To where, sir?"
"I don't give a flyin' fuck,
just anywhere!"
The woman booked him a flight to
Victor snatched the ticket from
her hands. "Gee, thanks."
She smiled. "And will you be
checking any baggage?"
"No!" Victor snapped,
storming over to the security checkpoint.
"I didn't tell you ya could
leave me, frail."
The hair on the back of
He walked around in front of her,
crouching down so he was almost on eye level with her when she was sitting. He
thrust the flowers at her. "I bought you roses."
"And I'm supposed to be
impressed?"
"Hey, I've never done this
before!" Victor ran a shaky hand though his hair, suddenly at a complete
loss for words—even a sarcastic comment. "Darlin', I'm sorry."
"I can try harder, I
swear."
"But how much improvement
are you capable of?"
"Look, I can't promise you
I'll become a model boyfriend by any chance, but I can give you all that I am,
Logan—and I can accept what you are in return. I like ya the way you are,
He reached up, wiping her eye.
"Yer leakin' there, frail."
He smiled from ear to ear and
picked her up, spinning her around as he kissed her.
Chapter 18.
I know all about
Yeah, about your reputation
And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation
But I can't help it if I'm helpless everytime that I'm where you are
You walk in and my strength walks out the door
Say my name and I can't fight it anymore
Oh I know, I should go
But I need your touch just too damn much
Loving you
Yeah, isn't really something I should do
Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you, yeah
I should try to be strong
But baby you're the right kinda wrong
Yeah baby you're the right kinda wrong
It might be a mistake
A mistake I'm making
But what you're giving I am happy to be taking
'Cause no one's ever made me feel the way I feel when I'm in your arms
They say you're something I should do without
They don't know what goes on when the lights go out
There's no way to explain
All the pleasure is worth all the pain
Loving you
Yeah, isn't really something I should do (yeah...)
Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you
I should try to be strong
But baby you're the right kinda wrong
Yeah baby you're the right kinda wrong
I should try to run
But I just can't seem to
'Cause everytime I run you're the one I've run to
I can't do without
What you do to me
I don't care if I'm in too deep (yeah...)
I know all about
Yeah, about your reputation
And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation
But I can't help it if I'm helpless everytime that I'm where you are
You walk in and my strength walks out the door
Say my name and I can't fight it anymore
Oh I know, I should go
But I need your touch just too damn much
Loving you
Yeah, isn't really something I should do
Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you, yeah
I should try to be strong ( I should try to be strong)
But baby you're the right kinda wrong (right kinda wrong)
Baby you're the right kinda wrong (baby you're the right kinda wrong)
But baby you're the right kinda wrong
She turned on the bedside lamp,
making Victor stop in mid-creep. "Hey there, sexy."
Victor chuckled. "Hey there,
yourself."
Victor got in the bed beside her,
crushing her to his chest. "Missed you, too."
"Sorry, darlin'. The guy I
whacked had a girlfriend runnin' around."
"Nothin' happened with her,
right?"
Victor kissed her forehead, amused
by her jealousy. "'Course not. Yer more than enough woman fer me,
runt."
"Night, runt."
"Sorry," he
grinned. "Did I wake ya
up?"
"Maybe." He continued his trail up her neck, reaching
her ear.
"Good," he purred, his
hands reaching for her waistband.
"Now is not a good time for
that, Creed." He growled in
frustration.
"Why the hell
not?"
"Just trust me," said
"I've been away from you for
three days," said Victor, resuming his removal of her clothes. "I'm not waitin' any more."
"Let me put it this way,
handsome—if we do that right now, there will be little Sabretooths running
around here." Victor's green eyes
went wide as quarters.
"Oh," was all he
said.
"It's not that I don't want
to," she purred, her own hands beginning to explore. Victor groaned.
"Don't do this t'me,
"But I thought you liked it
when I did this to you," she teased him.
Victor smirked at her.
"Then you better not start
somethin' you can't finish, frail."
"Where did you get this
stuff?" said
"Jobs, mostly. I see something interestin', I take
it."
"You rob your
hits?"
"They're fuckin' dead,"
Victor explained patiently. "Not
like they need it any more."
"I guess you're
right." She sat in one of his desk
chairs and pulled her legs under her.
"Victor?"
"Hmph?"
"What's in that room over
there?" He barely looked up.
"What room?"
"That one there, the one
with the big lock on the door. I've been
here for two months and it's the only room I haven't been in."
"Oh, that room."
"Yeah."
"You wanna see? Fine."
He got up and went over to the small door, unlocking it with a
code.
"Creed, you got severed
heads on your walls." He ran a hand
through his hair, looking almost ashamed.
"Yeah. They're my hits—well, the ones I'm ah, proud
of."
"How did you do this?"
"Larry dabbles in
taxidermy."
"I know this guy. Well, knew him." She turned back to Victor. "Pretty impressive, Creed." She smiled.
"Yer not disgusted by my
animal ways?"
"Nope. It's kind of…I dunno, sexy." Victor grinned widely.
"I love you."
"Really?"
"No, I'm just sayin' that to
get in yer pants," said Victor sardonically. "Yes,
"I can handle that, I
think." Victor looked down at
her.
"So the trophy room doesn't
freak ya out?"
"Nah. Besides, I've killed ten times as many people
as are in here. I don't really have any
room to talk." Victor led her out and
shut the door.
"You're my kinda woman,
Logan."
"Damn skippy,
Victor."
"Babe, I don't know why we
have ta get into this again."
"I never see you,
Victor. I understand that you have your
work, but it's not always camping out in the middle of the South American
jungle. You kill people in nice places
all the time. I've seen your airline
tickets." Victor grumbled.
"Look,
"Oh yeah, because I'm so
frail and delicate and might get in the way.
I used to be an assassin for the CIA, Victor."
"I know that, darlin',
but…" He sighed. "I just…don't want ya to see that side
of me, okay?"
"Oh please, Creed. I've seen nothing but that side of you for
the last thirty years." He came over and put his hands on her
shoulders.
"But you're my woman
now. I don't wanna mix up that part of
my life with you."
"Victor, I don't care that
you're a hitman. I wanna get out of this
house and go somewhere with you."
She looked up at him with big eyes.
"I miss you." Victor
growled.
"Dammit, I can't think when
ya look at me like that."
"I know."
"Yer an evil
woman."
"Yeah, but I'm your
woman."
Victor had gone on his hit, and
she was waiting up for him. She couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
Usually, he stopped by one of his safehouses before coming home, but he'd made
it clear to her earlier that this time, he'd have to just come straight back to
the hotel. What would he be like fresh off a job?
Victor came in, barely
illuminated by the light streaming in from the window. "How'd it go?"
"I'm sorta a mess right now,
darlin'. This one was a bleeder. I'll talk to ya when I get out of the
bath."
"Darlin', I'm a mess,
really. All gross and bloody."
"You smell good,"
"You like me bloody,
frail?"
Victor lifted her up, throwing
her on the bed.
Victor did finally get a bath,
only he took
"Tell me about it,"
Victor said with a dopey grin. "Too bad we have to leave tomorrow. I've
been enjoyin' this little trip."
"Why do we have to go
tomorrow?"
"'Cause I got a hit back in
the states on the 23rd of this month."
"Twenty-first." Victor
frowned at
"Um, no. I'm fine.
Just…tired. You wore me out, you big stud you."
Victor smirked. "C'mere,
frail."
She moved into Victor's arms.
Chapter 19.
If
you could see inside my heart
Then you 'd understand
I'd never mean to hurt you
Baby I'm not that kind of man
I might not say I'm sorry
Yeah, I might talk rough sometimes
And I might forget the little things
Or keep you hanging on the line
In a world that don't know Romeo and Juliet
Boy meets girl and promises we can't forget
We are cast from Eden's gate with no regrets
Into the fire we cry
I'd die for you
I'd cry for you
I'd do anything
I'd lie for you
You know it's true
Baby I'd die for you
I'd die for you
I'd cry for you
If it came right down to me and you
You know it's true, Baby I'd die for you
I might not be a savior
And I'll never be a king
I might not send you roses
Or buy you diamond rings
But if I could see inside you
Maybe I'd know just who we are
'Cause our love is like a hunger
Without it we would starve
In a world that don't know Romeo and Juliet
Boy meets girl and promises we can't forget
We are cast from Eden's gate with no regrets
Into the fire we cry
Five little blue lines. Damn.
She'd hoped she get one that came out negative, so she could further her
denial. But no. Blue every fucking time.
"Uh,
"I'm fine, Victor! Go
away!"
Victor walked off, mumbling
something about never being able to understand women.
She rubbed her hand over her
stomach, trying to imagine it as something other than flat. She couldn't. She
couldn't picture herself as pregnant, never mind someone's mother. She could
imagine the juvenile delinquent rap sheet now.
She stood up with a sigh. She
knew she had to tell Victor.
She opened the bathroom door,
straightening herself out. Here went nothing…
Victor stared at her. "Repeat
that last part,
"I'm pregnant, Vic. With
child. In a family way. Got a bun in the oven."
Victor held his hand up. "I
got it, I got it. How'd it happen? I thought you told me you were makin' sure
we only did it, um, when the time was okay."
"I think it was
"Dammit, woman, why'd you go
and do a thing like that for!"
"Goddamit, Logan!"
Victor growled, slamming his hand down on his desk. "What the fuck are we
gonna do with a brat?"
"I don't know, put it on the
lawn at Christmas time as an elf?" She got quiet. "I don't have to
have it, Victor."
Victor's head snapped up. He
crossed the room in two strides, grabbing her by the shoulders. "You ain't
killin' my kid, frail."
"Well what if I don't want
to have it?"
"Then too fuckin' bad. I
knocked you up, yer keepin' it."
"What are you afraid of? Yer
healin' factor won't take care of saggin' boobs?"
"You're so damn sensitive,
Victor."
Victor let her go. "We can
handle it,
"How? Victor, we're not
exactly stable individuals."
"I can be a father, Logan.
Sure, I may not win any awards fer Dad of the Year, but I can love my
kid." He looked away, his voice growing uncharacteristically soft. "I
wouldn't do what my father did to me."
He placed his hand on her belly.
"So there's someone in there, huh?"
"Yeah."
He smiled, looking down.
"Hey, son."
"Cause it's my manly
sperm."
"I'm a what?"
"A manimal."
"What the hell is
that?"
"Something Kitty called you
once—not quite a man, not quite an animal.
Hence, a manimal."
Victor laughed hard.
"Manimal, huh?" He growled. "C'mere, baby—let's mate."
"No,"
"I know a way to take yer
mind off it."
"No offense, Vic, but I'm
not a hundred percent right now."
He crouched down, his hands reaching out.
"You won't have ta move
much."
"Oh yeah, knocking boots on
the bathroom floor. That makes me wanna
jump all over you, Victor." He
sighed in frustration.
"Dammit, woman, I have needs
too."
"Yeah, and I'm
pregnant!" He frowned.
"What's that supposed ta
mean?"
"It means that my needs are
a little more important than yours right now, okay?" He stood up.
"If that's the way you're
gonna be…" He turned and left.
"Victor!" Victor sighed. How had it gotten to this point? When he had found out
"Victor!"
"Comin', darlin'!" he
shouted back.
"Larry told me you were
going on a job tonight." Victor
nodded.
"Yep. Places to go and people to kill."
"He said you were gonna be
gone for a week."
"It's complicated,
babe." He went behind the sofa and
started kneading her shoulders with his strong hands.
"Why do you always
leave?" she demanded.
"Not this again!" Victor snapped. "I told you, Logan—I'll always be here
for you, but there are things I gotta do.
I can't just disappear off the face of the earth for nine months."
"I think you just don't want
to be around me."
"That's fuckin' stupid,
Logan. Even you know that." She stood up and faced him.
"Well, think about it
Victor—I get pregnant and can't be your fuck toy anymore, so what good am I
really, right?" Victor flinched as
if she had stuck her claws in him.
"After all this time…you
still think that's all ya are to me?"
"Men have been known to do
that."
"Fuck you, Logan! I don't say 'I love you' ta just anyone, ya
know!"
"I don't have to put up with
this. I'm out of here." Victor snorted.
"You'll be back."
"I don't think so. I don't think I could raise my son in this sort of
environment." Victor growled,
starting for her, but then he stopped and turned away.
"You know what? Fine!
You go ahead, frail, and you go live your little life all on yer
own!" He stormed to the door before
turning. "It's been nice knowin'
ya."
Victor left.
"Do you need any help
packing, ma'am?"
"I just need some peace and
quiet, Larry." Larry nodded and
started to leave. He stopped and came
back to face her.
"You know, ma'am, I've never
seen Mr. Creed like he is around you."
"Oh really."
"Yes. He's…you make him happy. And not in the way the other women do—the
ones he had sex with before. Around you,
he's different."
"Mr. Creed never let anyone
sleep in his bed before you. He always
threw them out." He smiled
wryly. "Lots of calling cabs for
pissed off women in the middle of the night."
"Are you serious?" said
"Yes ma'am." He drew himself up to his full height, which
brought him about to
"You're a good friend to
him, Larry."
"I try to be, ma'am."
"He needs one."
"Yes, ma'am. And he needs you too."
"Larry?"
"Ma'am?"
"You can call me
Logan."
Victor's shoulders slumped as
soon as he got home. The past week had been enough to keep his mind of his
domestic problems, but now he had the prospect of coming home to an empty
house.
Victor cursed as he walked up to
his door. What if he didn't get to see his son grow up?
He threw his bag on the floor.
"Larry, there's a body in the trunk of the Rolls!" he called.
"Go do somethin' with it."
From somewhere in the house,
Larry grumbled. "I'll be right on it, Mr. Creed."
Victor went up to his room,
wondering why he hadn't just followed his usual habit of finding some dark
haired woman to take
He didn't want anyone else. He
wanted her and only her. And that bothered him.
Victor opened his bedroom door
and blinked.
A grin broke out across Victor's
face as he ran to the bed, picking
"Well, yeah, where else
would I be?"
"You said you were leaving
me."
"I changed my mind."
"So yer still my
woman?" Victor asked.
"Still your woman."
Victor sat on the bed, pulling
"I won't leave you,"
"I don't mean to hurt ya,
Logan. I…"
"Shh…"
Victor laid her back on the bed.
"I love you, Logan."
"I know, Victor. Show
me."
Chapter 20.
Is
love so fragile and the heart so hollow
Shatter with words impossible to follow
You're saying I'm fragile I try not to be
I search only for something I can't see
I
have my own life
And I am stronger than you know
But I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door
Lovers
forever, face to face
My city or mountain
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
You
in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me
And you were right
When I walked into your house
I knew I'd never want to leave
Sometimes
I'm a strong man
Sometimes cold and scared
And sometimes I cry
But that time I saw you
I knew with you to light my nights
Somehow I'd get by…
Suddenly, she knew
why she'd woken up. A sharp pain shot through her stomach. She sat up.
"FUCK!"
Victor's eyes shot
open. "
Victor jumped up
out of the bed, running to the closet and grabbing the bag
"LARRY!"
Victor hollered. "Larry, get out here."
Larry poked a head
out from his door, his hair a mess. He rubbed his bleary eyes. "Yes, Mr.
Creed."
"Get the car,
Larry.
"You make me
sound like a balloon."
Victor looked down
at her. "Well, ya do kinda look like one."
"Yeah, sure.
Women do this every day. OH FUCK!"
"Dammit,
Larry, hurry up!"
Victor took
"I love you,
Logan," he said, looking down at her soft face.
"I know. I
love you, too."
Victor carried
The woman behind
the counter smiled to herself. "Okay, Mr…"
"Creed. And
this is
"Okay."
A nurse rolled a wheelchair around, and Victor hesitantly put
Victor's eyes grew
wide. "I can't leave her! She's hurtin'!"
Larry stepped up.
"I can take care of this, sir. You go with
The woman from
behind the desk looked at Larry. "And who are you?"
"I'm the, um,
butler. But trust me, you don't want to separate Mr. Creed and Logan."
The woman decided
that the strange little man might have a point. "Right. You can go with
your wife, Mr. Creed."
Victor ran to
catch up with Logan and the nurse. She cried out in pain again, and
Victor cursed. She
was right. Damn healing factor.
The nurse brought
Victor set beside
"Yer gonna be
a great mom, Logan. I know it."
Another
contraction hit, and she cried out. Victor hated the feeling of helplessness it
gave him. His woman was in pain and there was nothing he could do about it. He
held on to her hand, wishing it would go by quickly.
"You're
almost there, Ms. Logan. I have the head. Push."
The room was
silent for a second, and then a piercing wail broke through the air. "It's
a boy," the doctor announced.
Victor grinned
dumbly. His son… He looked down at
She smiled, three
hours of labor having taken their toll.
"Would you
like to cut the umbilical cord, Mr. Creed?"
"Um, that's
okay, you can handle that part," Victor said to the doctor.
The doctor and the
nurse washed and swaddled the baby, handing him to his mother.
He kissed her on
the top of the head. "You're the beautiful one, babe."
She handed the
baby up to Victor, letting him hold the screaming bundle.
"Mrs. Creed,
would you like to feed your son?"
"Yes, I
would." The nurse put the baby in
her arms and left. She passed Victor on
her way out.
"Hello there,
Mr. Creed!" she chirped. "Your
wife and son are waiting for you."
Victor grinned at
"Yer my wife,
huh?"
"Drop it,
Creed." He sat on the edge of the
bed while the baby nursed.
"Ya know, we
need to name the little sucker."
"I've been
thinking about that too. You have any
ideas?"
"Victor
Creed, Jr.," said Victor as if it were the most obvious thing in the
world.
"No. I am not naming my child that."
"What's wrong
with my name, dammit?"
"It's yours,
Victor."
"Hey,"
he looked offended, "what's that supposed ta mean?"
"I mean the
kid has less chance of turning out to be a mass murdering psychotic if we name
him something else, alright?"
Victor grumbled.
"I guess yer
right," he said finally.
"Maybe we should give the kid a fresh start." He reached for the baby, who snarled at him
with a tiny, toothless mouth. Victor
drew back. "Damn, he's a vicious
little thing already."
His eyes lit up
and he turned to
"What
now?"
"That's
it!" Victor exclaimed.
"Vicious Creed!"
"Victor…"
"We can
shorten it to Vic!" Victor exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear as if he
were the smartest man in the world.
"Okay,"
she said finally. "I guess there
are worse names. Like, ya know, Mac or
Scott or something…"
"Vicious…"
said Victor happily, looking down at his son.
Vicious gave his attempt at a growl, looking up at his father with his
huge deep blue eyes.
"He's got yer
eyes, runt. Yer hair too, for that matter." He gave her an evil look. "Ya sure the kid's mine?"
"Guess your
manly DNA let you down in the looks department, Creed."
"Hey, not
while I'm holdin' our brat," he chuckled.
"You scream
louder than yer mom, kiddo."
Larry parked the
car, and Victor walked around to the other side of the car, helping
She looked over at
Victor, noticing the pleasant look on his face as he watched his lover and son,
and realized that he felt the same thing she did. For the first time in her
life,
She'd found a
home, and she'd never leave it.
*** *** ***
Logan and Victor's
Luv Mix:
"The River and the Highway"
Pam Tillis
"She Talks to Angels"
Black Crowes
"Somebody to Love"
"Piece of My Heart"
Janis Joplin
"Make Me Bad"
Korn
"I Still Miss Someone"
Johnny Cash
"Welcome to The Jungle"
Guns N' Roses
"A Case of You"
Joni Mitchell
"Time After Time"
Cyndi Lauper
"Freebird"
Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Till I Gain Control Again"
Emmylou Harris
"This Ain't a Love Song"
Bon Jovi
"Tangled Up in Blue"
Bob Dylan
"Honky Tonk Women"
Rolling Stones
"I Hate Myself for Loving You"
Joan Jett
"Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
Poison
"Crazy"
Aerosmith
"Hole in my Soul"
Aerosmith
"If You're Gone"
Matchbox 20
"Right Kinda Wrong"
LeAnn Rimes
"I'd Die for You"
Bon Jovi
"Leather and Lace"
Stevie Nicks and Don Henley