The next morning, the X-Men—plus Magneto and Mystique—were back on the jet after repairs had been finished. Logan and Verena were suiting up, both wrestling with their black leather uniforms.

Verena grunted as she finally zipped hers up. "Couldn't we have picked literally any other material besides leather?"

Logan just laughed.

Across the jet, Bobby and Rogue eyed the suits stored in the wall lockers.

"Why don't we get uniforms?" Rogue asked.

"Yeah," Bobby added, "Where's ours?"

"They're on order," Logan said flatly, slamming the storage unit shut. "Should arrive in a few years."

"No need to be mean, Logan." Verena slapped his chest lightly, laughing as they headed toward the cockpit.

The four X-Men gathered there whispered quietly among themselves as the jet touched down near Alkali Lake, the terrain outside buried in a foot of snow.

"This is a topographic map of the spillway," Storm explained, a glowing holograph appearing in front of the team. She turned to Nightcrawler. "Would you be able to teleport inside?"

"No. I must see where I am going," Nightcrawler said. "Otherwise, I could get stuck in the wall."

"We'll do it," Logan volunteered, nodding toward Verena.

"Uh, what? I did not agree to that, Logan."

"I've got a hunch he'll want us alive."

"Wolverine," Magneto stepped forward, voice sharp. "Whoever goes into the dam needs to be able to operate the spillway mechanism. What are you two going to do—scratch it with your claws?"

"We'll take our chances."

"But I won't," Magneto snapped.

They stared each other down, tension building. Verena rolled her eyes.

"It's fine, Logan," she muttered, giving in.

Mystique smirked, then transformed into Logan, flashing Verena a wink before walking off.

Verena's face twisted in disgust. "Yuck."

A couple minutes later, Mystique's voice sounded over the comms, "I'm in." 

Verena raised her eyebrows in surprise, "She's good."

"You have no idea," Magneto said, standing over them, "Let's go."

"Dio mio, it's so cold." Verena said as they all exited the jet, making their way to the spillway. They were able to find the security room, taking out a few guards along the way. When they got there, two guards were ready to blow the door up. 

Jean used her powers to grab them and throw them against the wall while Magneto pulled the door open. The five of them walked into the room. "A large portion of the energy from the spillway has been diverted to this chamber."

"Cerebro." Storm stated, "Can you shut it down from here."

"Come, there is no time." Magneto said to Mystique, his voice lowered.

"Oh my god, the children." Storm noticed the cage they were being kept in. "Where are they being kept?"

"A containment cell, one level down."

"Kurt, come with me," Storm and Kurt left to go find the children when Logan saw someone on the security camera monitor.

"That's when Logan stiffened, his eyes locked on the monitor. One word slipped out, barely audible: "Stryker."

He yanked out his earpiece. "We need to go," he said, voice low, tugging Verena away from the group.

"Where are we going, Logan?"

"To find Stryker. Now."

"Lead the way, kitty cat," she said, falling into step beside him.

They moved fast, navigating the twisting corridors. The place was a maze—sterile, disorienting, and cold. Just when it began to feel like they were walking in circles, the ground rumbled beneath them. Cracks began crawling up the concrete walls.

"What the hell?" Verena muttered, but they didn't stop.

They came across a set of stairs, a hallway they hadn't been down and found a lab at the bottom of the stairs. A tank of water, with wires everywhere sat in the middle. Behind it, a wall filled with X-rays of what looked like claws, bones made of some sort of alloy. 

Seeing this made Verena's head hurt. She saw flashes of herself, writhing around in a tank of water, markings on her face. She shook the memory off, "What is this Logan."

"I don't know, Vee." They walk in more, investigating the equipment, a bubbling container of some sort of melted down metal. 

Another memory, Verena jumping out of the tank, and running like her life depended on it. Killing the guards that had stood over her tank and running. She remembered everything burning, an overwhelming heat that had consumed her on the inside, like her body was on fire. 

She blinked hard. Sweat beaded at her temples.

Then—

"The tricky thing about adamantium," a voice drawled, echoing through the lab, "is that once you manage to process its raw form, you have to keep it that way. Because the moment it cools..."

From the shadows, a figure emerged.

"...it becomes indestructible. But you two already know that."

Verena's breath caught.

"I used to think you were one of a kind," Stryker said, eyes flicking between them. "Turns out—I was wrong."

A lady came from behind Stryker as he walked away, her dark hair pulled into a sleek pony tail and piercing grey irises that looked unnatural. She stalked toward them and Logan charged first, expecting to get at least a punch in. Instead, the girl held out her fist and knocked Logan in the face, then punched him in the stomach, making him fly back. 

Verena's face dropped, "Puttana." She extended her claws, ready to be on the attack, but then the woman extended her own claws. Not thick and brutal like Logan's, not curved like Verena's—but long, thin, and deadly. Adamantium blades unfurled from each fingertip, ten shining needles that glinted under the harsh fluorescent lights.

"Holy shit."

While Logan was dusting himself off, Verena charged for the woman, but the woman had other plans. She jumped into the air and spun in Verena's direction, swiping her face with her claws as she landed. Verena jerked her head back and felt the blood on her fingers, "No way." She immediately shot her arm out to stab the woman but she was too slow and the woman ducked, shoving her claws into Verena's arm making Verena cry out. 

Before she could react, the woman vaulted over her, claws dragging across her back as she flipped, and then— shhk! —drove the blades in deep, anchoring herself to Verena's spine and hurling her into one of the massive cement columns.

The column cracked, chunks of stone breaking loose as Verena's body slammed into it. Her vision went white with pain. She collapsed, wheezing, bones knitting back together in jagged pulses of agony.

 "Dio mio," She groaned as her body started to heal, "A little help, Logan?"

"I'm working on it, Vee," He grunted as the woman attacked him. The woman stabbed him as much as she could, throwing him across the room when she could get the chance. Logan swiped at her and slashed her face, stabbing her with both sets of claws but his face dropped when she healed. 

She was quick and pounced at Logan, sending the two of them flying across the room as Verena watched. She threw Logan on top of the metal grate that was hanging in the room and jumped under it, stabbing him through the grates. Verena rushed to cut the chain that was suspending the grate and it fell right on top of the woman, crushing her under the grate and Logan. They thought it was safe, Logan took a minute to catch his breath. 

Verena staggered toward him. "Lo, you okay—"

A splash cut her off.

The woman exploded out of the water tank with a feral gasp, eyes blazing. She drove her claws deep into Logan's back, holding him down. He thrashed, but she pinned him like a rag doll.

"No—no no no," Verena's mind raced. She needed to finish this. Fast.

Her eyes darted. Then she saw them—racks of syringes, each filled with molten adamantium.

She sprinted, snatching one up. Logan was choking, drowning in his own blood as the woman pressed harder.

Verena launched herself forward and plunged the syringe into the woman's stomach.

Her eyes widened. A strangled sound gurgled from her throat.

Then the adamantium spread. Her veins lit silver, her mouth and eyes spilling liquid metal. Her scream turned into a choked gargle before her body went rigid, freezing mid-motion.

She toppled back, stiff as a statue, and hit the bottom of the tank with a metallic THUD. The ripples spread, the water clouding with shining threads of molten alloy.

Verena pulled Logan free, her arms hooked under his shoulders. He staggered upright, drenched, gasping.

"You okay, Lo?" she asked, brushing wet hair from her face, her voice raw with concern.

"No," he rasped, plain and dry as ever.

She let out a shaky laugh despite herself.

But before they could move, a high-pitched screech detonated in their skulls.

Verena screamed, clutching her head. White-hot pain seared behind her eyes, like someone was peeling her brain apart. She collapsed, writhing. Logan dropped beside her, groaning, hands pressing against his temples.

The sound wasn't just noise. It was a command. A weight pressing them to the floor.

Verena's vision blurred. Her heartbeat slammed in her ears. Feels like my head's going to explode—

She thrashed, her own claws digging into the cement floor, desperate for it to stop—

But the screech only grew louder.

And then silence. 

It stopped almost as quickly as it happened. The two mutants felt the relief, whatever was holding on had let go. They looked at each other and sprinted for the door, ready to find the rest of the X-men. 

They found their way outside into the snow and spotted Stryker trying to leave on his helicopter. Logan ran from behind and caught him off-guard, socking him right in the face. He grabbed Stryker and slammed him into the side of the helicopter, stabbing through his arms and Stryker yelled out in pain. Verena watched with her arms crossed, a deadly stare piercing holes into Stryker. "How's it feel, Bub." Logan growled.

"Why did you come back." Stryker breathed heavily, smiling.

"You cut us open," Verena snapped, her voice like broken glass. "Took our lives, figlio di puttana." 

"You make it sound as if I stole something from you. As I recall it was you who volunteered for the procedure."

Verena got in Stryker's face while Logan continued to hold him down, "Who are we?"

"You, my dear, you are just two failed experiments," Verena growled at his answer and stabbed him with her own claw. He grunted but continued to talk, "If you really knew about your pasts, what kind of people you were, the work we did together? People don't change, Lynx. You were animals then, and you're both animals now, I just gave you both claws."

The alarm from the damn sounded, interrupting them. Verena listened closely, hearing the sound of the dam breaking, "The dam is gonna break, where does it flood over?" Verena yelled at Stryker.

"It floods onto the spillway, it's too late, in a few minutes we'll all be underwater. Come with me and I'll tell you everything you want to know. It's too late to save your friends. You're survivors, always have been."

For a moment, silence. Snow whipped around them.

Verena cocked her head, "I thought we were just animals. With claws." 

In sync, Verena and Logan shoved their claws into Stryker's stomach and pushed him against the wheel of the helicopter, suspending him with the chains. "If we die, you die." 

They ran off back towards the underground base to find the other mutants. They ran through the base, running through puddles and making it to the spillway door. The x-men are about to leave and Logan shoots his claws through the circuit, causing the door to close. "I wouldn't go that way if I were you." Logan says smiling.

Just as the doors close, the water bursts through until the spillway shuts, "Follow us, we know a different way out." Verena says and the two of them lead the x-men out into the snow.

When they get there, they find no helicopter and no Stryker. "Goddamnit, the helicopter was right here." In Logan's frustration a humming sound appears and Verena's ears perk up at the sound. 

The x-jet appeared flying above them and Verena spotted Rogue trying to fly it. She struggled and landed harshly into the snow next to them. Logan and Verena helped the kids get onto the jet and Logan spotted something from the corner of his eye. 

When all the kids were loaded he grabbed Verena's hand and dragged her to what he saw. They came upon Stryker, chained to the wall of the base, pale and weak. 

His voice was a rasp, but his words cut deep: "Who has the answers, Wolverine? Those people? Huh?" His head lifted, eyes burning. "You think they can tell you who you are?"

Logan stared. Silent.

Verena's claws trembled at her sides. She reached into her jacket, pulled free her dog tags, and flung them into the snow. Logan did the same.

"We'll take our chances with them," she said flatly.

They turned their backs and walked away.

Behind them, Stryker's voice echoed, raw and venomous:

"One day—someone will finish what I've started, Lynx! One day!"

Neither of them looked back.

They made their way back to the X-jet, the last people to board but they weren't able to take off. Jean was at the back of the x-jet when they entered and she looked to Logan.

"You alright?"

Verena cut in front Logan, "Yeah we're good." Jean's face soured and she took her seat.

While Scott was struggling with the jet, Rogue took a look around. "Has anybody seen John?"

"Pyro? Where is he?" Logan finally realized he was missing.

Jean looked up when she realized, "He's with Magneto."

The ship shut down and the dam broke, the water rushing towards them. While the X-men were too busy trying to get the ship back online, everyone's voices raised over one another, Jean was thinking of a plan. 

The only one she could think of meant having to sacrifice herself. The professor realized and called out, "Jean?"

When the x-men turned around, Jean wasn't there and the exit door was open. "She's outside."

Scott ran to the ramp and she shut it before he could exit. She flicked on the power of the jet and Scott yelled, "No, we're not leaving, LOWER THE RAMP! Storm LOWER IT." 

Storm had lost all control as Jean took over from outside, "I can't, she's controlling the jet." 

The water came fast and spilled over them, Jean protecting the jet, splitting the water apart. Then came the professors voice, "I'm sorry, this is the only way." They knew it was Jean.

Scott crouched down, "Jean listen to me. Don't do this." 

"Goodbye," The professor whispered softly.

The jet lurched upward, lifted on invisible hands. Scott's cries filled the cabin as the jet cleared the water's crest. And then—Jean let go.

The torrent swallowed her whole.

Scott's voice broke. "No! She's gone. She's gone—she's gone!" He collapsed into Logan's arms, sobbing. Logan held him without a word, his jaw clenched tight.

Logan held him patiently as he cried out, the rest of the team looking emotional as well. Verena thought it noble of Jean to make such a sacrifice, but her face remained stoic, letting Scott have a moment to mourn. 

They flew silently to DC, Scott holding his head in his hands. 

They snuck into the Oval Office, to come to an agreement with the president. They moved like ghosts. Xavier gave the President Stryker's files, laying bare the cruelty mutants endured. Promising change—or consequences. And then they were gone.

 And then they flew back to the mansion. 

Charles spoke to Scott and Logan alone, words too soft for Verena to hear. She leaned against the wall outside, arms crossed, waiting.

She thought of Jean again. Of choice. Of sacrifice.

For so long, Verena had believed the only thing left for her was survival, claws out, teeth bared. That she'd never get to choose anything. Stryker had seen to that. But Jean... Jean had chosen. And that choice had saved them all.

The door opened. Logan stopped in the hall, hand finding Verena's. She blinked, startled, as he held her there and called after Scott.

"Hey. Scott."

Scott turned, broken.

"She made a choice," Logan said gently. "It was you."

Verena's stomach twisted. She'd thought Logan was finally past Jean. But then he slid his arm around her shoulders, grounding himself against her warmth.

"And I've made a couple choices too," he said, voice rough but steady.

When the two mutants finally caught a break, they were standing outside on Verena's balcony each smoking their respective death sticks, Logan with a cigar and Verena with a cigarette. 

For a long moment, neither spoke. Years of unspoken words, of shared scars and near-death moments, hung between them heavier than the night air. Verena's heart hammered, tight and raw in her chest. She hated how much she'd wanted him—hated that admitting it now felt like opening a wound—but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What did you mean earlier..." she said, voice trembling just slightly.

"What?" He asked, leaning against the railing.

"You said you chose some things too. What'd you mean," She pressed, turning her head toward him, dark eyes narrowing just slightly.

Logan's jaw worked as he stared out at the trees. He let the silence drag, as if maybe the night would swallow the question whole. But she was looking at him, waiting, and damn if he'd ever been able to ignore that.

"I meant..." His voice was rough, lower than usual. "I've made a hell of a lotta bad calls in my life. But some things—I chose on purpose." He paused, letting it sink in, "Every damn time, when it came down to it... I chose you. Even when I didn't say it. Even when I didn't have the guts to make it clear. It's always been you."

Verena's breath caught. Her fingers tightened around the cigarette, but she didn't move it to her lips. Years of longing, frustration, and fear of loss pressed into her chest, and finally she let herself face it.

"I... Logan," she whispered, and he closed the last distance between them. His hand cradled her jaw, thumb brushing over her cheek. She leaned in, letting him, letting herself.

And then his lips were on hers—slow, deliberate, aching. Not desperate, not hungry at first, but heavy with every unspoken word, every moment of waiting. She responded softly at first, letting the kiss linger, letting the years of tension and suppressed emotion pour into that single, endless press of lips.

He deepened it gradually, as if testing the world, making sure she was really there, really hers. Her hands found his shoulders, her body pressing into him, the warmth of him cutting through all the cold nights and battles and running. The kiss stretched, long and consuming, breaking and bending time around them, until neither cared about anything else.

When they finally pulled back slightly, foreheads resting together, breaths ragged, Logan's eyes were dark, unwavering. "I choose you, Vee," he whispered. "It's always been you."

Verena's lips curved into a small, shaky smile. "Sempre tu, always you, Logan" she murmured, letting the words settle like a vow, a relief, a promise. She pressed her lips back to his in a softer, lingering brush, as if to seal it for every year they'd lost.

And in the quiet night, with only smoke curling around them, it was enough.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

©️Fanofadifishman

Word Count: 3156

A/N: Y'all would not believe the summer I had oh my god, I'm so glad I finally could update because it was stressing me out but I made a semi-long chapter to make up for it.

Dear readers, I apologize profusely for not update in a month or two, I have been sooooo busy and have not had one moment to myself. And the time I got to myself I was either sleeping or busy watching South Park to rot my brain (I love South Park omg).

Anyway, we're finally at a the end of x2 AND THEY CONFESSED FINALLY OMGGGGG. I feel like... it wasn't slow burn enough. but yk, it needed to be said, and they've never been truly slow burn, they yearn for each other. Also helps set up for x3 when Jean comes back bc Verena is def not letting Logan go now that he's hers again. 

Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter and dont forget to vote and comment. 

(Also P.S. just to make you guys feel better, Jean is mostly out of that picture. And that scene with Logan and Jean in X3 in the lab... well I'll be making some changes iykwim 🌝🌝)

Love ya'll,

Allegra 💙