She sat behind the desk of a small clinic, it once had a name...once it had been the pillar of a community. Now it was known as a small , nameless clinic where anyone without insurance could come and get treatment, especially if you were a mutant.

Though it seemed she most often served pregnant women in the community who had no where else to turn, mutant and human alike,Melynda was known to fix up anything from a bad cold to a broken bone should the need arise. She didn't have any formal medical training. Being homeless as long as she could remember and spending time in libraries, Melynda poured over any medical book she could get her hands on. They had taught her everything she needed to know to be a competent medical professional.

Melynda couldn't recall when her parents had abandoned her, though she was quite young...no more than ten. She had managed to survive on her wits. Meeting Logan had saved her too. He was a rogue, an entity of himself. He would occasionally tell her stories of his time as Wolverine, and about Professor Xavier and his school. She had been sixteen when they had met,living on the streets and in abandoned houses with her boyfriend Derek. Derek wasn't a mutant, and he often used her mutation against her, calling her names like "Freak" and worse. He was often verbally and physically abusive of her. Logan had beaten Derek severely one night when Melynda had come to him. Derek had taken advantage of her, stripping the small girl of her innocence and threatening to 'rent her out' to his friends to support his growing drug habit. It had been the first time Melynda had seen him truly angry, and the Adamantium claws he was cursed with frightened her. Derek had taken off , abandoning Melynda to the streets again. Logan found her crying several weeks later......Melynda was pregnant.

****

Now Melynda watched her son in the swing Logan had bought for her as she poured over medical journals, trying to expand her knowledge. She had a mom who was close to delivery, a mutant afraid to go to the hospital. She was worried the woman might need a c-section and suspected twins, the woman's mutation made any sort of scan useless much to Melynda's frustration. Melynda hoped one day she would find a solution for women like that. She dreamed of the day she could have a facility that served every need. Logan told her he was working on it. She always just smiled. He was like a big brother, taking care of her and Jordy. There were no romantic feelings between them, but he acted as Jordy's father in many respects. He cared for the boy as though he was his own son, and it showed.

Logan came down from the small apartment over the clinic that they often shared "We need milk...." Meynda nodded slowly "Kay..." Logan walked over, getting her attention. "Melynda....." he brushed a strand of her red-auburn hair from her eyes and and she looked up. "I'm going to get milk and pick up a few things. Wanna come?" Melynda looked over at her son, asleep in the swing "Better leave him sleep, you know how cranky he gets." Melynda flashed him the smallest smile. She was so grateful for him.

"Alright, I won't be gone long, lock up after me..." Logan slid on his jacket, heading out the door. Melynda nodded, already deep in her studies again "Kay..." she said, getting lost in her reading. She stayed deeply immersed in her studies until she heard the door handle turn.

"Hi Logan...." she called out as a hand slipped around her mouth, yanking her back until she was looking into Derek's eyes....eyes of pure evil. He ripped her out of her chair as her brain registered two other figures in the room heading for Jordy's swing. She tried to scream as Derek tightened his grip "Thought you could keep my son from me , did you? Bitch!" He straddled her, beating away at her until she lapsed into unconsciousness. She was no match for him and never had been.

****

When she finally awoke she could only whisper. She found herself in a traditional hospital, Logan sat by her bedside. His faced crested with worry. "I had to....I'm sorry...." Melynda looked around. Where was Jordy, where was her son. "They got him, baby girl....they took Jordy. " Logan looked deeply ashamed as he admitted his failure "If I'd gotten there sooner." Melynda sank deeper into the bed, sobbing, all the monitors in her room went off at once and the nurse rushed in, surprised to see her not in the medical distress the monitors reported "What happened? If you upset her you'll have to leave." The nurse said sternly.

"Over my dead body...." Logan growled "Someone had to tell her about her son..." He stroked Melynda's hand, trying to calm her. He wanted desperately to hug her, but all the tubes and wires coming from her intimidated him. "I'll find him....I'll get him..." Logan assured her. Melynda still wasn't good at controlling her mutation. She had an amazing ability to heal others , sometimes with just a touch...but she would often use her blood to heal more serious injuries. Healing herself was another matter, though she could often piggy-back on Logan's ability to heal himself to aid in her own healing. The nurse left wordlessly. Logan intimidated her for reasons Melynda failed to grasp. He was never cruel unless he had to be, but he had an air of authority that people respected. She would follow him without question because he had saved her.

Logan watched her from the hospital bed, he was never good at this stuff "Get me out of here...." she begged in whispered tones. She was severely bruised and the doctors suspected she had a concussion, but realistically it was something she could recover from at home. If he could get her out of there safely. Mutants avoided regular hospitals because human doctors always saw them as an excuse to be some sort of....science experiment. Often taking blood and running unnecessary, and often painful tests to probe their mutations. Logan nodded "Gimme a minute...." he walked out and she could only hear parts of the conversation he spoke of a " private nurse" and " the best medical care money could buy." Logan always seemed to have money for anything they needed, no matter the expense. Though she wasn't quite sure what his job actually was. She didn't worry herself about that now, another nurse came in, giving her a shot that made her sleepy.

When she finally awoke she was in a small apartment, not the one over her clinic she sometimes shared with Logan, this was bigger. The furniture looked newer. She wasn't sure where she was. "Logan?" She sat up slowly, his head popped in the room "Right here...." He tried to look reassuring . "Where?" She looked around, confused "My apartment....didn't think it was safe taking you home." She just nodded He was always so smart, so protective of her. The tears slipped down her face as everything came rushing back to her....Jordy was gone....her baby was gone. Logan came over, cradling her. He was shirtless and his skin felt like a warm, comforting blanket to her. He would rub her back "It's alright....I got my best people lookin' for him, baby girl." The tiny girl's face hid against he chest. She fit into his lap almost like a child. Thought she was nearly twenty, physically she resembled a girl in her early teens. Another part of her mutation she was largely clueless about except to understand that her DNA was rare, even by mutant standards. Logan didn't have the heart to tell her that he'd gone out looking himself, using his mutant tracking ability, his ability to scent things like an animal.....and had lost the scent quickly. She had to remain hopeful.

"The Professor wants me to come back.... you should come to the school with me " He caressed her cheek softly. He was always soft with her, some would mistake the gesture as romantic....flirting...but it was just the way they worked. Like siblings. "Melynda shrugged "I can....give it a try...."

He nodded " I'll be there.... I'll help you." Melynda smiled kindly. "You're always there Logan. So good to me..." He chuckled. "I just....try, baby girl." She only nodded in response as he hugged her protectively "I won't let anything happen to you again..."

****

Life at the school was good. She learned a lot....not only about her mutation, but about mutants in general and how she could best aid them when it came to different situations. She stayed away from the fighting classes, though Logan tried to coax her into the danger room once. She had crumbled on the floor crying, she just wasn't ready.

Several months after Melynda arrived another mutant graced the school. He was young, and covered in blonde fur. He reminded her a bit of Beast, who came and went from the school as he was needed. He was a young mutant, probably close to Melynda's age. He seemed nervous being there and Melynda, being the good soul that she was introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Melynda..." she smiled at him shyly. He waved back "Hi....I'm Luke" .

"Where are you headed?" she asked softly

"Outside...." Luke chuckled nervously " indoors is cramped to me..."

Melynda smiled "We could walk in the garden....it's pretty out there."

Luke nodded "Alright..."

The pair made their way out, walking the grounds admiring the scenery. "It really is nice out here." Melynda commented. Luke nodded "It's peaceful....I prefer the outdoors....Inside is so....confining." The small girl  just nodded and smiled. She was trying to cultivate a life that didn't include Logan as her body guard every minute of the day. It was still hard for her though, the wounds still ran deep.

"I like the flowers." She finally said, they had made their way to the gazebo hidden toward the back of the property and she stopped, standing awkwardly. Luke leaned in to kiss her ,and she pulled away. "No...." she turned, starting to walk away. Luke followed her. "I thought that's why you brought me here....so we could be alone. I know you have a son. You didn't have to be shy and pretend you're a virgin around me. " Melynda took off, running faster. Luke caught up with her , grabbing her arm "Wait....!"

Melynda used all of her strength to yank herself away from him "No! Let me go......." She ran, hiding deep into the woods . Eventually Luke gave up, going back to the school.

****

Several hours later Logan knocked on his door.

"Sup?" Luke answered, wearing only a pair of sweatpants. Logan growled softly "Where's Mel?" Luke looked deeply taken aback. "Melynda? Haven't seen her since this afternoon. We went walking in the garden, then we went our separate ways." It wasn't a total lie, Luke wasn't about to tell Logan the full truth. He was in no moods to see Logan's infamous wrath first-hand. It wasn't his fault the girl was crazy. 

Logan nodded "Let me know if you see her before I do/"

Luke nodded in return "Sure thing, Boss..."

Logan spent the rest of the night, and into the next week searching for Melynda....but it would be years before her whereabouts were ever discovered.