Logan and Verena had been hiking and camping through the Canadian Rockies for three weeks in search of the military base at Alkali Lake. They were only a couple of miles away now, so they made camp for the night in the snow, surrounded by towering trees that stood like silent guardians. Logan lit a fire to keep them warm, while Verena spread out a sleeping bag for them.

Logan pulled Verena close, their bodies instinctively seeking each other's warmth. Verena settled herself between Logan's legs by the fire, its orange glow casting soft shadows on her face.

She leaned her head back against his chest, letting out a sigh as she relaxed into him, his arms wrapping protectively around her waist.

"What're you thinking about, sweetheart?" he murmured into her hair.

She exhaled, her breath visible in the cold night air. "What if we don't find anything? We've come all this way, but... what if there's nothing to find?"

Logan pressed his chin gently to the top of her head. "If we come up empty, we'rg no worse off than before. We keep movin' forward, just like we always do."

He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "C'mon, let's get some sleep, Vee." They lay down on the sleeping bag, a blanket covering their bodies. Logan pulled Verena into him, keeping her safe in his arms. "Night, Vee."

"Night, Lo." She fell asleep in his arms, soft snores escaping her. Logan struggled to sleep; when he closed his eyes, the same nightmare came to him as it had every night since they began their journey. He and Verena were in a large metal room, two tanks of water in the center. Except this time, he and Verena were inside the tanks, and he felt like he was drowning. When he finally broke through the water, bloody and gasping, he clawed his way through faceless soldiers in his desperation to escape. But he never saw what happened after that—he always woke up.

When Verena awoke, the sun was starting to rise, its beams hitting her square in the eyes. She rubbed them, blinking away sleep, and turned over, expecting to find Logan beside her. Instead, she found only the warmth left in his place. She sat up and stretched, her back cracking in protest. As she did, Logan emerged from behind a stand of trees, catching her attention.

"Morning, Vee. Didn't expect you up this early," he said with a smirk.

"You weren't here."

He shrugged casually. "Had to take a leak."

She wrinkled her nose at his bluntness, shaking her head slightly. Rising to her feet, she stretched again, her knees popping this time. Without further comment, they turned to pack up their makeshift camp, both ready to continue their journey. Alkali Lake wasn't far now—just about two miles, an easy stretch for them.

They trekked through the dense forest, the chill of the Rockies seeping into their bones. Verena couldn't feel her toes; the cold gnawed at her through her boots. They walked in silence, pushing through snow and frost-laden underbrush, until the sun reached its highest point. Around midday, they arrived at the dam, ringed in barbed wire and ominous in its stillness.

Logan took the lead, moving with purpose, while Verena followed close behind, her senses alert. They approached a wooden gate, only to find their path blocked by an unexpected sentinel: a white wolf, standing at the entrance, its piercing eyes fixed on them.

The wolf didn't make a move to attack them. Instead, it turned, padding silently ahead as if guiding them into the ruins. Logan and Verena exchanged a glance before following, pushing past the rotting wooden barrier at the entrance.

Inside, everything lay frozen in a deathly stillness, blanketed in ice and snow. The facility was a skeleton of its former self—walls crumbled, rusted metal girders twisted and jutting out like broken bones. Buildings were hollowed out, their roofs collapsed under years of snowfall, leaving jagged remnants barely standing. Piles of rubble and shattered glass littered the ground, glinting faintly under patches of sunlight that broke through the gray, clouded sky. It was as if time had devoured the place, leaving only remnants of what once was.

Verena swept her gaze over the destruction, her brow furrowing. "So much for getting answers here," she muttered, frustration leaking into her voice.

Logan grunted, taking a few steps forward, his boots crunching on the ice-covered debris. "Figures they'd leave nothing but scraps." His voice was low, a mix of anger and resignation. "Like they wiped themselves clean."

The wolf continued to lead them deeper, its paw prints leaving faint impressions in the snow-covered ground. The silence was oppressive, thickened by the icy air that stung their lungs with each breath.

"Do you think... anyone made it out?" Verena asked softly, the weight of the desolation pressing on her.

Logan looked around, jaw clenched. "If they did, they're long gone now." He nudged a piece of rusted metal with his boot, sending it clattering against a crumbling wall. "Place is a damn ghost town."

They moved cautiously, stepping over twisted metal and rubble, examining the remains as they went. Verena crouched beside what might've once been a lab table, now half-buried in snow and shattered glass. She brushed off the frost, revealing nothing but more dust and decay.

"Whatever happened here..." she started, trailing off as she looked at Logan. "They didn't want anyone coming back to find it."

Logan nodded, his expression dark. "Burned their tracks. Whatever they did to us... they didn't leave a trace."

The wolf stopped suddenly, turning back to watch them with unblinking eyes, as if it understood the weight of their disappointment. Logan sighed, casting one last, frustrated look over the desolation before meeting Verena's gaze.

"Come on," he said, his tone softening. "Nothing left for us here."

Verena nodded reluctantly, casting one last glance at the crumbling facility before following Logan out, the wolf trailing behind them as they left the haunted ruins in silence.

They made it back to the mansion by hitching rides along the way, getting picked up by drivers who varied from overly curious to quietly observant. Some questioned them too much, others simply kept glancing, intrigued by the rugged pair of travelers. By the time they reached the mansion, the journey had left them both weary but relieved to be back.

As they walked up the drive, Rogue was the first to spot them. Her face lit up as she ran over, pulling both Logan and Verena into quick hugs.

"Verena! Logan!"

"You miss us, tesoro?" Verena asked, smiling warmly.

Rogue shrugged with a playful smile. "Not really," she teased, though her expression betrayed her excitement. Verena laughed, pulling her in for another hug.

Logan gave a small nod, his face softening as he looked at Rogue. "How ya doin', kid?"

"I'm okay. How about you two?"

Before either could respond, Verena's gaze shifted to a blonde boy walking up behind Rogue, his expression cautious yet curious.

"And who's this?" Verena asked, her eyes narrowing just slightly as she looked the boy over.

Rogue started to respond, "Oh, this is Bobby, he's my—"

"I'm her boyfriend," Bobby interrupted, stepping forward and extending his hand to Logan. His handshake was firm, perhaps a little too firm, and as he spoke, he added, "Call me Ice Man."

Logan raised an eyebrow as their hands started to frost over. "Boyfriend, huh?" he muttered, pulling his hand back. His tone held a subtle edge.

Verena tilted her head, a faint smirk on her lips. "Boyfriend? So... how exactly do you two... manage?" Her voice was casual, but the unspoken challenge was clear.

Bobby shifted uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, well... we're still working on that."

Before Verena could press further, the soft click of heels echoed down the hall, followed by a familiar, smooth voice. "Look who's back, just in time."

Verena turned, her face breaking into a grin as she saw the woman approaching. "Ro!" She dropped her bag, striding over to the white-haired woman with open arms.

Ororo embraced her warmly. "It's great to see you, Verena. And you too, Logan."

Logan gave her a nod, his usual stoicism giving way to a hint of warmth. "Good to be back, Ro."

"So, what exactly are we back in time for?" Verena asked, arching an eyebrow as she looked at Ororo.

"Babysitting duty," Ororo replied, a glint of humor in her eyes.

Verena scoffed. "Oh no, Ro. We don't babysit."

Ororo laughed, shaking her head. "That's not up to me," she replied, amused. Just then, the sound of footsteps descending the stairs caught Verena's attention. Her head turned, eyes narrowing as she met the gaze of a red-haired woman who had always managed to get under her skin.

"Hi, Logan." Jean greeted him with a warm smile before glancing at Verena. "Verena."

"Hi, Jean," Logan replied, his voice neutral. Verena gave her a short nod, barely acknowledging her. Jean's red hair was styled into a sleek bob, and her usual sultry smile only seemed to grate on Verena's nerves more. Something about the way Jean moved, spoke—everything—rubbed her the wrong way, though she couldn't quite explain why.

As the two exchanged polite conversation, Verena crossed her arms, feeling the familiar prick of irritation building. It didn't help that, one by one, everyone started to leave—Ororo left to prep the jet, Rogue and Bobby wandered off, leaving Verena with Logan and Jean. Her gaze flitted anxiously around the room, her fingers itching to be anywhere but here.

Then, Scott entered the room, his eyes barely flickering over Verena before they landed on Jean. She turned to him with a smile, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his lips.

Scott's gaze cut to Logan, clearly bothered by his presence, while Verena's own glare focused squarely on Scott. The air felt charged with unspoken words, and Logan, never one to let tension simmer for too long, raised an eyebrow at Scott with a teasing grin. "Aren't you gonna welcome us home?" he asked, a playful edge to his tone.

Scott clenched his jaw, giving Logan a stony look before turning on his heel and walking away, his irritation evident. Verena couldn't help the smirk tugging at her lips as she watched him go.

"Well, that went well," she muttered, her gaze drifting back to Jean, who was watching Scott leave with a faint frown then she left herself. The sight only intensified Verena's dislike. "La odio." She muttered under her breath

They made their way up to their separate rooms to drop off their bags, then headed toward the Professor's office to report in. Logan, ever prepared, fished out a cigar and lit it, then handed Verena a cigarette. She gave him a small, warm smile as he sparked it for her—a ritual she never quite tired of, and one he never failed to remember.

Together they strode through the mansion, hands linked, smoke trailing behind them. When they reached the lower levels, they spotted Professor Xavier entering Cerebro and followed him inside. He didn't turn, having sensed them well before their arrival. "Logan, Verena, my tolerance for your smoking in the mansion notwithstanding," he began dryly, "if you continue smoking in here, I'll have no choice but to make Logan believe he's a six-year-old girl."

Logan cracked a smile, pulling his cigar from his lips. Verena took a long drag and tried to mask her amusement. "You'd really do that, Professor?"

Xavier's expression didn't change. "I'd have Verena braid your hair," he replied with a faint smirk. "Welcome back."

Verena nearly choked on her laugh, caught off guard. But Logan just shrugged and gave the Professor a casual nod before glancing down at his cigar. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he brought the lit end to his palm.

Verena watched, breath hitching as he pressed it firmly against his skin. The hot burn sizzled for a moment, and Logan let out a soft, guttural groan as his flesh healed instantly, leaving no sign of the wound. Without breaking her gaze, he reached over, plucked the cigarette from her fingers, and did the same to his other hand, his quiet groans sending shivers down her spine.

Her cheeks flushed, heart racing as she took it all in. There was something primal about it—the simple, raw power, the way he didn't hesitate to endure that brief surge of pain, meeting her eyes through it all. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling a little too warm for comfort.

"Verena," Professor Xavier's voice cut in with an amused tone, "your thoughts are quite... audible. Perhaps a touch of decorum?"

She blinked, caught off guard. Her cheeks burned even hotter, but she shook her head, regaining her composure. Logan's eyes sparkled with the barest hint of amusement as he shook his head, clearly pleased with himself. "Sorry, professor."

He only shook his head and placed the headpiece of Cerebro on. The room dimmed into darkness, and Logan and Verena exchanged uncertain glances, wondering if they should step out. But the professor read their thoughts. "Stay," he instructed. "Just don't move."

The space began to fill with shimmering white dots, floating and pulsing around them as the professor spoke. "These lights represent every living person on the planet. The white lights are humans." The dots shifted to a deep, intense red. "These are mutants." As he spoke, a chorus of voices rose softly around them, weaving through the room like an echo. "Through Cerebro, I'm connected to them, and they to me. You see? We're not as alone as you both might think."

Logan's gaze remained fixed on the dots, his mind elsewhere. "We found the base at Alkali Lake. There was nothing there," he said, a quiet frustration in his tone.

The professor continued, not responding to Logan's comment. "The broken line represents the path of the mutant who attacked the president. He's been...difficult to reach."

"Can't you just focus harder?" Logan muttered, a bit impatient. Verena gave him a quick, reprimanding slap to the side.

"If I wanted to kill him, yes." Just as Charles spoke, one red dot finally stopped moving. The sound of a foreign language filled the room, its tone familiar to Verena. German. "There he is," Charles said, his voice low and resolved.

The red dots faded, and the lights slowly returned. Verena blinked, squinting as her eyes readjusted to the brightness. Charles removed the headpiece and turned to face them, his expression serious.

"We want you to read our minds again," Verena said, her tone steady.

"Verena, I'm afraid the results will be the same as before," Charles said, his tone gentle but firm.

"We had a deal."

"The mind isn't a box you can simply unlock and open. It's more like a beehive, with—"

"Spare us the lecture," Logan cut in, irritation flashing in his eyes.

Charles gave a small, understanding smile. "I have no doubt that your amnesia, adamantium skeletons, and claws are all connected somehow, but... sometimes the mind needs to uncover things on its own. I promise, we'll talk again when I return. And if you two wouldn't mind watching over the children tonight—Scott and I are going to visit an old friend." He rolled smoothly out of the room.

Verena scoffed, muttering under her breath, "Babysitting duty. Of course."

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©️Fanofadifishman

Word Count: 2492

Translations: 

La Odio - I hate her

A/N: Guys Logan's pain kink go brrrr. Um and maybe Verena needs to work on keeping her thoughts quiet, just a little. Um also, kinda struggling with the direction of this book, I mean eventually Logan and Verena get together??? So maybe I should've marked it as a semi slow burn? but it's not really. ANYWAY, geez Louise. I'm glad I at least got this chapter out, other wise I was gonna go insane. so here you guys go, just tryna feed y'all. I hope you enjoyed!!! 

also opinions on Verena's pov and maybe Logan's? Writing in the 1st person is so scary. 

As always, don't be ghost readers, Vote, Comment, and share!!!

Love Y'all,

Allegra 💙