The train screeched to a violent halt, sending everyone lurching forward. The lights flickered, casting eerie shadows as the screech of tearing metal filled the air. Sparks flew from the exposed wiring, and the train car began to split open, revealing a figure floating toward the wreckage.

Verena and Logan tensed, unsheathing their claws in unison. Gasps rippled through the passengers at the sight of the sharp metal protrusions.

"You must be Wolverine and Lynx. What a pleasure," the figure said, his voice dripping with a casual menace.

Logan lunged first, but before he could strike, his body was frozen mid-leap, held in place by an unseen force. Verena followed suit, her movements halted just as swiftly.

"That remarkable metal doesn't run through your entire bodies, does it?" the mutant taunted, flicking his fingers. With a sickening screech, the claws of both Logan and Verena bent, sending shockwaves of pain up their arms.

Verena screamed in agony, her breath ragged, while Rogue cried out, "Stop! Stop it!"

The mutant's grin widened as he lifted both Verena and Logan off the ground, suspending them effortlessly.

"What the hell do you want with us?" Logan growled through gritted teeth, the strain of his contorted claws almost unbearable.

"The two of you? My dear boy, whoever said I wanted you?" His eyes shifted to Rogue, a sinister glint flashing across his face.

"No! Don't you touch her, cagna!" Verena shouted, thrashing against the invisible hold.

With a flick of his wrist, the mutant sent Logan flying across the train car, slamming him into the far wall. Verena was thrown after him, their bodies colliding and crumpling to the ground in a heap.

Rogue tried to run, but before she could make it far, a dart whizzed through the air, striking her. She collapsed to the floor, unconscious. 

When Verena and Logan came to, the train car was in chaos, filled with the panicked shouts of civilians scrambling to escape. Logan groaned as he stirred, feeling the weight of Verena's adamantium-laced skeleton pressing down on his thigh where she had collapsed. He shook her gently. "C'mon, sweetheart."

Verena stirred, wincing as she sat up, her body aching. She grumbled in pain before offering Logan a hand, which he gratefully took to pull himself up. "Why do we always end up getting thrown into walls?" she muttered with exasperation as they both stumbled out of the wreckage, moving away from the shattered train car. 

Logan grumbled, "Just our luck," throwing an arm over Verena's shoulders as they made their way back to where he'd parked Scott's motorcycle. When they arrived at the mansion, both mutants covered in dust and dirt, they decided to change. Verena insisted on a quick shower first.

Afterwards, she slipped into a fresh pair of jeans, surprised at how well-stocked her closet was. She opted for a dark red button-up and her signature leather jacket. Once ready, she made her way to Logan's room, where he was still changing in the bathroom.

Verena flopped onto the bed, the mattress dipping in the familiar way. While she waited, the professor and Storm entered. "Verena," Charles greeted with a nod. The sound of voices in his room caused Logan to open the bathroom door.

He emerged, also wearing a dark red button-up, jeans, and boots. Verena grinned. "Look, Lo', we're matching."

Logan rolled his eyes, but Verena giggled to herself.

Sitting up, her laughter faded as Logan's expression darkened. He directed his scowl at the professor. "You said he wanted us."

"I made a terrible mistake," Charles admitted. "His helmet was designed to block my telepathy. I couldn't sense what he was after until it was too late."

Logan's face hardened with anger. He grabbed his jacket, and Verena rose from the bed, sensing it was time to go. "Where are you going?" Storm asked as they headed for the door.

"We're gonna find her," Logan said curtly.

"How?"

"The traditional way: we look."

Logan threw on his leather jacket as he and Verena made their way down the mansion's stairs, Storm following behind them. "Logan, Verena, you can't do this alone," she urged.

"Who's gonna help us? You?" Logan shot back. "So far, you've all done a bang-up job."

Verena smirked as she added, "As much as I love you, 'Ro, last time, you and Scott trashed the entire train station."

"Then fight with us," Storm countered. "Help us."

Logan stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. "Fight with you? Join the team? Be an X-Man?" His voice was laced with sarcasm. "You know what the world out there's full of? People who hate and fear you. And you're wasting your time trying to protect them? I've got better things to do." He turned to leave, but then paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Magneto's right. There's a war coming. You sure you're on the right side?"

"At least I've chosen a side," Storm shot back defiantly.

Logan shook his head and grabbed Verena's hand, pulling her along as they headed for the front door. As they opened it, they were greeted by a pale, sickly-looking Senator Kelly—the same senator who had spearheaded the mutant registration act.

"I'm looking for Dr. Jean Grey," he gasped before collapsing. Logan and Verena instinctively caught him, their arms shooting out to support his limp body.

Verena sighed, shaking her head. "Well, so much for our search," she muttered as they hauled the senator to the lab and laid him on the table.

Logan and Verena sat off to the side as they watched Charles interact with the senator. Logan's hand rested in her lap and she absentmindedly played with the ring on his finger. Charles was ready to look into the senators mind and Verena watched as he explored the senators memories and informed the team that the senator's new mutation was Magneto's doing.

"The machine emits radiation that triggers mutations in ordinary human beings," Charles explained, addressing the X-Men now gathered in his office.

"But the mutation is unnatural," Jean added. "Kelly's body is rejecting it. His cells began breaking down almost immediately."

"What effect does the radiation have on mutants?" Scott asked.

"There appears to be none," Charles replied. "But I fear it could seriously harm any normal person exposed to it."

Verena leaned against the wall, watching Logan pace in front of her. "Will you stop that?" she muttered.

Logan shot her a glare but turned his attention back to the Professor. "So, what does Magneto want with Rogue?"

"I don't know," Charles admitted.

"Wait a minute," Scott interjected. "You said the machine draws its power from Magneto, and that it weakened him."

"Yes," Charles confirmed. "It nearly killed him."

A look of realization crossed Verena's face. "He's going to transfer his power to Rogue."

"And use her to power the machine," Logan finished, his jaw clenched in frustration.

"Cyclops, you and Storm ready the jet. I'm going to locate Rogue. Jean, get Logan and Verena uniforms," Charles ordered.

Jean turned to the pair, and Verena, with a smirk, fake-pouted. "Sorry, sweetheart, but I don't do spandex."

"Woah, wait a minute," Scott quickly interrupted, eyeing the Professor's plan with skepticism. "They're not coming with us, are they?"

"Yes," Charles confirmed.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but they'll endanger the mission, and if—" Scott's complaint was cut short by Verena, who scoffed and rolled her eyes at his objections.

"Hey, we weren't the ones who gave the train station a new sunroof, pal," Logan shot back with a growl.

"No, but you were the one who stabbed Rogue through the chest," Scott retorted sharply.

Verena took a step forward, her patience wearing thin. "Why don't you take your little mission and shove it up your ass, stronzo," she snapped, ready to start a fight when suddenly Storm burst through the door.

"Senator Kelly is dead," Storm announced, silencing the tension in the room. 

Verena and Scott still stood squared off, both glaring daggers at each other. "I'm going to find her and settle this," the professor announced before making his way to Cerebro.

As soon as the professor left, Scott turned back to Verena. "Always protecting him like a little lapdog. Why don't you get your dog in line, Logan?"

Verena unsheathed her claws, fury flashing in her eyes. "ti ucciderò, pezzo di merda!" She swung for Scott, who barely dodged in time, but her claws nicked his cheek.

"You bitch," he growled, feeling the blood on his fingers. He swung at her, but she ducked, sheathing her claws mid-motion and landing a punch to his side.

Scott retaliated by yanking her curls, causing her to stumble back, tripping over the couch and dragging Scott down with her. Logan, standing off to the side, chuckled quietly to himself, fully aware that Scott would never gain the upper hand on Verena. "Lookin strong, Scott." Storm and Jean yelled at him to intervene, but Logan simply watched the brawl unfold.

Scott landed on top of Verena, delivering a punch to her face that cracked her nose, but it quickly healed back into place. "You can keep punching me, quattrocchi, but I'll just heal," Verena taunted.

"Yeah, but it makes me feel better," Scott muttered before throwing another punch. This time, Verena swiftly brought her leg up and wrapped it around his neck, flipping him onto his back and locking him in a chokehold. She unsheathed her claws, holding them threateningly close to the side of his head.

"Tap out, cagna," Verena hissed, tightening her hold when Scott refused to budge.

"Verena, let him go!" Jean shouted, panicking.

"Figlio di puttana, tap out." Scott waited until he was on the verge of losing consciousness, and when it finally dawned on him that he had lost, he tapped her thigh twice in surrender. Verena released him, and Scott gasped for air, coughing as he struggled to fill his lungs.

Jean immediately went to Scott, while Logan went to Verena, "Nice one sweetheart, leave some for me though." He smirked as he offered her a hand up. 

While Jean checked Scott for injuries, a look of fear took over her features, "Somethings happened to the professor." All of them stopped what they were doing and ran down to the basement where Cerebro was held.

When they got there, they found the professor unconscious on the ground. Scott and Logan immediately helped transport him to the lab where Jean hooked him up to a bunch of machines. 

When everything had settled, Logan and Verena wandered off, eventually finding their way to Logan's bedroom. Verena flopped down onto his bed as Logan leaned against the doorframe, watching her.

"Lo', I have a question," she said, breaking the silence.

"What, Reena?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"You ever try to imagine what you were like before you lost your memories?" she asked, her voice quieter than usual.

Logan shrugged, walking over to sit next to her. "Sometimes. But if I think about it too much, my head starts to hurt."

"I think about it," Verena admitted, glancing up at him. "I think... maybe you were still a hardhead. But maybe we had a real home. Maybe we were happy." She paused. "I have nightmares sometimes, but I never remember them in the morning."

Logan gave her a soft, knowing look. "I know. Sometimes you wake up and stab me in the middle of the night."

Verena's eyes widened in shock. "Lo', you never told me that!"

"I didn't wanna make you feel worse," he said with a shrug. "I wait for you to calm down, then I get up and change my shirt. Happened in the RV... we had to change a lot of sheets, too."

Verena gasped, sitting up straighter. "You should've woken me!"

Logan chuckled softly. "Nah, I'm used to it. Besides, I heal. You've got enough on your mind."

"You've got me once," Verena said, Logan's smile fading as he looked at her.

"It was one time," she replied, her expression turning serious. "The nightmare was really bad. I tried to wake you, and then you stabbed me right in the leg. You woke up, but you were still in your dream state. You didn't remember it in the morning."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he murmured, guilt creeping into his voice.

"Don't be sorry, Logan. I know it wasn't on purpose."

Just then, a soft knock came at the door, and Storm entered. "We're doing a mission brief if you two would like to join us."

"Sure," Verena said, getting up from the bed.

Both mutants followed Storm out of the room and down to the briefing room, where Scott was already going over the details. When he saw Logan and Verena enter, his face dropped, still sore from losing to the Italian girl. Nonetheless, he continued the briefing.

"Magneto is here," he announced, gesturing to a holographic map that took the shape of an island. "Liberty Island. His objective is likely to mutate the world leaders at the U.N. Summit on Ellis Island."

"He doesn't know his machine kills," Storm added, concern lacing her tone. "Judging from what the Professor saw, if Magneto gives Rogue enough power—"

"He could wipe out everyone in New York City," Jean finished, her eyes narrowing at the thought.

Scott pointed at the map. "We can insert here at the George Washington Bridge, come around the bank just off Manhattan. We'll land on the far side of Liberty Island."

"What about harbor patrol? Radar?" Logan asked, crossing his arms.

"If they have anything that can pick up our jet, they deserve to catch us," Scott replied, glancing at Logan.

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©️Fanofadifishman

Word Count: 2186

Translations:

Cagna - Bitch

Stronzo - Asshole

ti ucciderò, pezzo di merda - I'm gonna kill you, you piece of shit

Figlio di Puttana - Son of a bitch

A/N: What's this? An Update? Well don't mind if I do. Very sorry for the late update butttt when life calls I must answer. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with this chapter, a nice fight between Scott and Verena, a lil moment between Lo and Vee, I'd say all is right in the world.

Alssoooooo, I've been working on this for a while but my Supernatural fic is coming out soon so if you love Dean Winchester, please give it some love. As usual the OC is bilingual, I have a problem, my Ocs can never just speak English. 

Anyway, I hope this chapter is what y'all wanted and I'll try to update again this week to keep y'all from waiting too long. Don't forget to comment and vote, don't be ghost readers.

Love y'all,

Allegra 💙