To Forgive is to Forget
Chapter 4
by
Hunter



DISCLAIMER: When my plot for world domination comes into effect, I will buy Marvel comics, 20th Century Fox, and all characters attached thereto, but until then, nothing is mine, only the lame characters I make up to play with the X-Gang.

DEDICATION: With major hugs to Leylue, All Great and Powerful Wolverine Lore Protector and Guide. . . without whom, this little South African wouldn't of even have gotten this far. And to Barbara, Tyger, and whoever gets this site next. . . excellent job grrrrls.




The Mansion was so quiet. Marie padded softly into the lounge. She sneaked up behind the large chair where small blue cloud of smoke was gathering. She got herself ready to 'boo.'

"Morning, darlin'."

Marie nearly jumped out of her skin, but managed to recover quickly.

"Dammit, Logan! Couldn't you just pretend you didn't know Ah was here?" Marie pretended to grouse as she walked around to the front of the chair where Logan sat busy smoking a cigar.

Seeing his feet propped up against the table, she said, "Scott's gonna explode if he sees any more scuff marks on that table."

"Yeah?" Logan scrapped his boots against the wood to make room for Marie to sit down on the table. "And do what?"

"He'll blast you to kingdom come for making him lose his cool," Marie said as they both burst out laughing at the thought of Scott losing his cool over any thing.

Throwing a string of tinsel that she had pulled off the Christmas tree at Logan's head, Marie sat down next to his legs and looked out the window.

"You really not coming with us?"

Logan puffed thoughtfully on his cigar and plucked the tinsel off his chest. Leaning forward, he wrapped the tinsel around her head like a crown.

"Yeah," he said. "I like it here just fine. No bright skies and sunny surf for me. I'd feel outta place."

She smiled at him, "Like he ever was in place."

The Professor had agreed to Jean and Scott's crazy idea about taking the entire mansion load of kids and X-Men adults to a small island resort which could be hired out for private parties. They all thought it would be a great idea to get some well-deserved rest, celebrate Christmas on a warm tropical beach, and help de-stress the children who had been witnesses to many mutant hate crimes. They had all left last week except for Rogue, Storm, Beast, and Wolverine. The remaining X-Men had agreed to stay behind to wrap-up one last mission, and to lock up the mansion.

At least that was the plan until Logan decided that there was no way in hell he would be caught on a sunny beach on some paradise-like island wearing Hawaiian shirts and tanning with Scott.

"Besides," he had said. "Christmas ain't Christmas if you don't have snow."

"Aw, come on, Logan," pleaded Marie. "Don't spoil the fun. You still have time to pack. The Blackbird won't be ready to leave for another half an hour." She smiled and added, "Besides, Christmas isn't Christmas if your loved ones aren't around!"

"I. . . " Logan began.

"Hey, Marie! You know better than to pester old grumps like Logan." Ororo swept in the room dressed in summer clothes ready to go. "Why would you want him with us anyway? He will only sit in a corner and brood over one of his smelly cigars."

"Careful, Stormy," Logan grinned. "Ya' just might provoke me into going."

The intercom suddenly beeped alive into the room. "Storm, Wolverine. Did one of you arrange to have guests accompany us to the island?" Beast asked over the system.

Ororo strode over to the com unit as Logan peered over his chair.

"No, Beast," Storm said, "Why? Is there problem?"

"No problem as of yet, Storm, but we seem to have two helicopters flying in an unusual flight pattern that will take them directly over the mansion grounds, but other than that there is nothing to be alarmed about."

Logan spun of his chair and moved over to Storm's side. "Trouble?" he asked.

Storm shrugged, "Could be more of those anti-mutant protesters coming. They probably just want to shout through loud speakers at us, but there would be no harm in checking it out."

"I'll take look," Logan replied. "You guys get ready to go. If it is protesters, it will give me some entertainment."

Marie didn't look too happy at that remark.

The com crackled to life again. "The helicopters have moved on. No problems noted." said Beast's voice. "The Blackbird is prepped and will be ready to go in 20 minuets. Will passengers Rogue and Storm please join the boarding party to have their baggage checked in? The captain sends his regards to the loner who will be staying home. Have nice vacation and catch up on all your reading, Logan."

"Thanks, Hank."

Ororo laughed, "I guess all they wanted was some footage of the mansion for the 10:00 news."

"Yeah," snorted Logan. "Go now, Marie. You need some vacation."

Marie looked less than pleased as Logan gently shoved her towards Ororo's general direction.

"Go and find me a loud shirt or something coconut or whatever," he said. Marie gave him a bear hug and was careful not to touch his bare skin with hers.

"You have good time moping around this huge place, Logan," she said taking the tinsel off her head, and tucking it into his shirt pocket.

"Thanks, Marie. Bye 'Roro. Make sure Scott loses his sunscreen, ok?"

"Bye, Logan," Storm groaned in mock agony.

He grinned.

Before the vacation could even start, it ended as Beast's urgent voice sounded over the intercom. "Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, we have intruders on the grounds. The helicopters' occupants must have gotten past the defenses. I'm taking the east gate. Storm and Rogue, you take west. Wolverine, would you please take the South?"

Rogue and Storm froze.

"I don't believe it," Rogue said looking bewildered. "How'd they get past the alarms?"

"Nevermind that," replied Storm, "we'd better go and sort this out." She looked as calm as always, and ran off down the corridor as Rogue followed behind her.

* * * * *


It was snowing, but not heavily. Just light flakes drifting down, but the cover already on the ground was more than 2 inches deep. Storm regretted already dressing so lightly and moved off into the grounds with Rogue close behind. They didn't even have time to react when the darts shot them from behind.

* * * * *


Wolverine stood behind a tree, and watched number of men move from one cover to another. He had exited the mansion from a window, and had tracked around the enemy line until he had reached the front of the building. He saw men waiting there in case someone came out the front door. Watching the house with total confidence, they looked like highly trained military, something more than Seals or Marines.

As one soldier came close to him, Wolverine crouched down. Moving with blinding speed, he caught the man before the other waiting soldiers even knew what had happened. They all heard his neck break, though. Taking a couple of sniffs of the air, Logan could smell the remaining soldiers coming closer. He quickly darted off to the next tree, and waited for them to find the body.

They found it, and now they were angry.

Wolverine grinned. Climbing the tree, he extended his claws. The "SNIKT" drew the soldiers' attention away from their fallen comrade, and they came over to where Logan wanted them. Dropping from the tree, Wolverine killed them before they even knew what had hit them. Panting slightly, he looked around for more soldiers. There were no more here, but Wolverine guessed there were more from over where Beast was. Blending in with the bushes, he trotted off easily towards the east.

* * * * *


The soldiers had moved Beast's body aside, and were acting busy. Wolverine noted that they were expecting someone to come as he could see a sniper in the trees waiting. His enhanced senses told him that Beast was alive, but something did not feel right.

"Never mind that now," he thought.

Moving to his left, Wolverine quickly dispatched the sniper. Walking into the clearing, he confronted the enemy. They reacted as he knew they would; arrogant, and cocky. They believed they had backup in the trees. Too bad for them.

When the last soldier had dropped, Wolverine moved to Beast's side.

"You awake, buddy?" he said, "Come on."

Beast stirred, but not enough to convince Logan that he would be any good in a fight. Looking down at the fuzzy blue body, Logan saw a dart protruding from Hank's arm. He plucked it out, and tossed it aside. "What were they doing darting mutants?"

A muffled sound came from behind him. "Damn!" Logan thought as he spun around to face the new intruder. "Getting sloppy and soft."

He froze in his tracks when he saw a scarred face that made his blood chill. And the owner of that face held a gun to Rogue's head while his partner, a tall female in uniform, held Storm. Both X-Men were unconscious.

"Hello, Logan," the face said. "Long time no see."

"The scars on the man's face, they looked like his claws had made them, but when?" Logan felt he knew this man, but from where? And why did just the sight of him make Logan turn cold? He felt the hair on the back of his head stand on end.

"Did you forget to write?" The face asked.

"Let 'em go," Logan growled.

"Fair trade. You for them."

"What?"

Beast was groaning behind Logan.

"I said," said scar face, "if you come with us, I won't blow this pretty girl's head off, and her friend's either."

He smiled and traced the gun along the side of Rogue's head while the woman behind him stood perfectly still.

Logan's mind raced, "Who was this guy?"

Scar face cocked the gun, "You have till three. One. . . "

Rogue stirred in the man's arms and Wolverine moved closer.

"Uhh, uhh," said the man. "Don't come any closer or I just might skip a count. Two."

Rogue groaned. "Three," said the man.

"NO!" Logan snapped, "I'll come." Pointing behind him to Beast, he said, "Just put them down over there and I'll come."

The gun slipped down from Rogue's head.

"See, good Captain," said scar face, "even animals can be compliant if you give them the right incentive."

Wolverine bared his teeth and growled.

The woman soldier came forward dragging Storm over to where Beast lay. She then moved Rogue over. Rogue opened her eyes as her body hit the cold snow. She saw Logan standing in front of a scarred man and a tall woman in uniform. Three men suddenly stepped out from behind the trees, and aimed their guns at Logan. Rogue couldn't move her body, only her head.

She saw Beast and Storm groggily open their eyes too, and she watched as Logan started to move towards the man and woman.

"Shoot him now!" the man shouted.

Wolverine staggered as a dart hit his body. One dart each had been enough to knock out the other three X-Men, but Logan still moved forward. He could feel a dull heaviness move through his body from where the dart had hit him in his shoulder.

"Again!" the man screamed.

Another dart hit Logan. This time in his thigh. He realised that his time was up, but not before he reached the nearest soldier and planted his claws into his chest. Logan fell to his knees and then to his side. There was no point to struggling anymore as he couldn't feel the snow or anything else for that matter, but he tried to get up anyway.

The Doctor shocked Heather as he grabbed her gun out of it's holster, and walked to where their target was lying. The man was breathing heavily. He kept trying to get up, and fight off the effects of the drug from the darts.

"Unbelievable," Heather thought, "he should have been out with the first dart. Who was he? And what on earth was on his hands? The blue furry one was obviously a mutant. Was this one, too?"

The Doctor ran up to the man on the ground as the soft snow continued to fall. He pointed the gun at Logan's chest. Heather started to move forward to stop him. They obviously needed this man alive after all the trouble they had just gone through to get him in the first place.

"I remember you," Logan said right before the scarred man shot him. Pain blossomed like lightning from his chest as the bullet ran through his body.

Logan stopped struggling as the shot stilled his body. His claws sheathed themselves. Heather ran to his side, and felt for a pulse. She heard one of the women screaming a name, "Logan?" Standing up, Heather watched in shock as the Doctor kicked the dead man in his side

"You idiot!" she screamed. "After all that, you killed him?" Heather was so angry she almost forgot her 'haze.'

The Doctor stopped and stared back at her.

"He's not dead, you fool." Turning to a nearby soldier, he snarled, "You. Come here and get this to the transport. It won't be long before the drugs wear off on those three."

"He's lost it," Heather thought.

The Doctor caught her skeptical look. "It will take a lot more than a bullet to kill this man." He turned away from her. "Let's move."

Heather watched dumbfounded as the last remaining soldiers, "only two - where were the others?," carried the prone body to the helicopters as the Doctor followed.

They grunted under the heavy weight of the body, and dropped him into the snow. Heather caught up with them, and helped to lift the dead man up. He had dog tags on. Her mind made the connection between the Doctor in the government and this man in the military. "What had happened between these two in the past?"

Rogue was screaming as the remaining soldiers picked up Logan and carried him off to where ever they had come from. When Storm and Beast had finally recovered enough to move themselves into the mansion to call for help, they found Marie staring dumbly at a small pool of blood in the snow where the bullet had travelled through Logan's body.



CHAPTERS:   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9




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