Logan and Verena approach a massive metal door, assuming it's the entrance to the facility. Logan steps forward first, his claws slicing cleanly through the lock before he pushes the door open. Verena follows silently, staying close as they slip around the corner, their movements synchronized by years of practice.

Ahead of them, guards drag away an unconscious boy. His eyes are covered with gauze and metal, and a chill runs down Verena's spine at the sight. They press on, their senses sharpened, as they weave further into the facility.

They come to a large staircase, their boots making soft, almost imperceptible sounds against the metal steps. The silence between them is heavy but familiar, each breath, each heartbeat-Logan's and her own-growing louder with every step they take.

At the top, they reach an open room. They stay hidden in the shadows for a moment, carefully observing their surroundings. Across the room, metal lab tables are spread out. All are empty, except for one. A body lies still on it, surrounded by a small group of doctors.

Logan and Verena exchange a glance before cautiously stepping out of the shadows, advancing slowly toward the table. Their eyes sweep the room, catching sight of a wall of televisions displaying security camera feeds. They recognize the space beneath them from earlier.

Suddenly, a familiar voice breaks the silence. "Logan, Verena. Welcome back to the war."

Stryker stands at the edge of the table, facing away from them, but somehow knowing they're there. Logan's jaw tightens, his fists clenched at his sides. Verena stands rigid beside him, her body coiled like a spring, ready to attack.

"Before we gut you," Logan growls, his voice low and venomous, "I wanna know why."

"I needed your powers for the pool," Stryker replies casually.

"The what?" Logan's confusion mirrors Verena's, but they both stay focused.

"The mutant killer. Deadpool." Logan's expression hardens, while Verena's brows knit in faint confusion. "Years of searching and refining... finding the right powers that can coexist in one body without tearing it apart. My son was the first piece of the puzzle. Logan, Verena... you were the last. You made Weapon 11 possible. I asked for your help, but you said you wanted the quiet life." Stryker moves slowly, stepping closer as he speaks. "Well... I've learned that nothing motivates the two of you like revenge."

He moves past them, taking a seat on one of the empty tables in front of them. Verena's senses suddenly shift. An unfamiliar yet unsettlingly familiar heartbeat thuds through the room. The scent reaches her at the same time Logan's posture stiffens. Together, they turn towards the source. Standing just behind them, as if summoned by ghosts, is Kayla Silverfox.

Alive.

The shock floods Logan's face as disbelief claws at him. He had mourned her, held her lifeless body in the forest, his heart tearing apart in grief. Now she stood before him like a shadow of the past. Verena's confusion mirrors his, though a different pain twists inside her-a pain for Logan. As much as she wanted him, she had felt his anguish. Now, it all felt like a cruel trick.

Logan narrows his eyes, suspicion dripping from his voice. "Who are you?"

"Oh, she's real, old friend," Stryker says, amusement playing on his lips. Logan drops to his knees, his body folding under the weight of betrayal. Verena remains upright, placing one steady hand on his back, while the other curls into a fist, her claws ready to spring at a moment's notice.

"Did you really think we'd just let you walk away?" Stryker taunts. "You're dangerous people. We like to keep an eye on dangerous people." He glances toward Kayla. "Tell them about the day you died."

Kayla begins to speak, her voice almost robotic as she recounts what really happened. "They gave me a shot of hydrochlorothiazide. It slows the heart rate so much, it looks like you've flatlined."

Logan's face twists in rage, his breathing erratic, jaw clenched so tight Verena swears she can hear his teeth grinding. Her hand remains steady on his back, grounding him-but also herself. The tension in the room is suffocating, and the sound of their heartbeats is overwhelming, thundering in her ears until she can barely think. Her own chest rises and falls too quickly, trying to keep pace with her escalating anxiety.

Then Stryker's voice cuts through, cold and calculated. "Don't be mad at her, Logan. It's a real credit to your species." He smirks, enjoying the torment he's created. "Did you know her sister has diamond-hard skin? Kayla's mutation is tacto-hypnosis-she can influence people as long as she touches them. Quite a useful tool for seduction. None of it was real, my friends."

Verena's stomach twists as Kayla's tear-filled eyes meet hers. Stryker's words echo in her mind: it was never real. Every moment they had shared with Kayla, every vulnerability-was it all manipulation? Logan's breathing quickens further, a shallow rasp, and Verena's eyes begin to blur with unshed tears. She thought she had hardened herself to betrayal, but this... this cut too deep.

Kayla steps forward, shaking her head in protest, but she freezes as Stryker raises a gun, halting her advance. "It was real for me," Logan says quietly, his voice strained. His gaze is fixed on the ground, distant, lost.

Stryker turns and walks away, leaving them to the shattered pieces of their past. Verena kneels beside Logan, her hands gripping his arms, desperate to anchor him. She searches his face, hoping for any sign of the man she's always known, but his expression remains blank. He's slipping further away from her. She can feel it.

"That story you told me," Logan finally speaks, his voice heavy with sorrow, "About the man who brought flowers to the moon. I had it backwards." He pauses, turning his gaze to Kayla. "I thought you were the moon, and I was your wolverine. But you're the trickster, aren't you? And I'm just the fool who got played."

Kayla's tears spill over, her eyes pleading for understanding, but Logan's gaze remains hard. "The worst part is, I should've known," he continues, his voice breaking slightly. "But I ignored my instincts, ignored what I really am. And that won't ever happen again."

Logan pushes himself up from the ground, Verena rising with him. He walks past Kayla without a second glance, his steps slow but purposeful. Verena follows close behind, her heart heavy. She reaches the door when she feels a hand wrap around her wrist.

She stops, her gaze shifting from the hand up to Kayla's face. There's a storm raging behind Verena's eyes, and a snarl curls her lips. "Vee, please," Kayla begs, her voice breaking. "You have to believe me. I would never hurt you or Logan. Not intentionally."

Verena's eyes narrow, the betrayal cutting too deep. "No," she says, her voice cold, "I'm sorry, Kayla, but I can't believe you. And it's Verena. You don't get to call me 'Vee' anymore." She yanks her wrist free from Kayla's grasp, the finality of the motion stinging both of them. Without another word, Verena turns and follows after Logan.

As she walks away, Kayla's voice whispers behind her, soft and broken. "If I'm the trickster, that makes you his moon."

Verena pauses for the briefest of moments, her heart tightening in her chest at the words. But she doesn't look back. She can't. Instead, she steels herself and continues forward, focused on finding Logan, the only person she has left.

Logan barrels through the door into the open air, his steps heavy, fists clenched with barely contained fury. Verena sprints after him, her voice urgent as she calls out, "Logan! Logan, wait up!"

He doesn't stop, his pace relentless, until she catches up to him and walks beside him. Suddenly, he whirls around, grabbing the collar of her flannel in his fists, the fabric taut between his hands. Her eyes widen, startled by the aggression in his movements, and he lets out a pained roar. "Did you know, Reena? Did you know?" His words cut like venom, and she flinches at the raw accusation.

He notices her reaction, his hands instantly releasing her, fear flashing through his eyes at the thought of having hurt her. "I'm sorry," he mutters, regret softening his voice. His rage is already burning itself out, guilt replacing it.

Verena stands in front of him, face flushed and slightly swollen from the tears that had already streaked down her cheeks. Her heart aches at the sight of him like this-lost and broken. She reaches up, cupping his jaw, her thumb gently brushing along his cheekbone. "I would've told you if I had known, Logan," she says, her voice soft but firm. "I would've told you everything."

Logan takes her hand in his, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "I know, Vee... I know," he whispers, the tension draining from his body as he leans into her touch.

But before they can process the moment, a sharp scream pierces the air. Their heads snap toward the building they had just left, instincts kicking in as they both sprint back inside. Bursting through the doors, they find Victor, his massive hand wrapped around Kayla's throat, her feet dangling as she struggles to breathe.

Logan's eyes burn with fury as he sheds his flannel, revealing the tight white tank clinging to his chest. Both he and Verena extend their claws, the sound of metal slicing through the air as they prepare for battle. Their breaths come heavy, their focus entirely on Victor.

"Victor!" Logan bellows, his voice echoing in the room as they charge. Victor turns his attention to Verena first, swiping at her, but she's faster-sliding beneath him with cat-like agility as Logan lunges. Logan swings his claws wildly, slashing at Victor's chest with animalistic fury. Victor grunts, breaking free momentarily, but Logan is relentless, driving his claws into his brother's chest and shoving him through the glass window. They crash through, tumbling to the floor below.

Verena's heart plummets as she watches them fall. "Logan!" she screams, her voice raw with fear. She spares a glance at Kayla, who is coughing and struggling to recover, but there's no time to hesitate. Without thinking, she leaps through the shattered window, tucking into a roll as she hits the ground. She rises gracefully to her feet, claws gleaming in the low light as she rushes toward the scene.

Logan looms over Victor, his claws pressed to his throat, ready to strike the killing blow. But Victor just laughs, a low, dark chuckle that sends a chill down Verena's spine.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Victor taunts, his eyes gleaming with sick satisfaction. "All that rage. Go on, do it!"

"Logan!" Kayla's voice rings out from above, her voice pleading. All three of them glance up to see her standing on the second floor, her face pale. "You're not an animal."

"Oh, yes, you are," Victor sneers. "Do it! Come on, join the fun, Vee," he adds with a sinister grin. "Finish it."

Logan's eyes flash dangerously at the mention of Verena. His claws press deeper into Victor's throat, but her voice cuts through the madness. "Logan, don't," she urges quietly, stepping closer. "He's not worth it."

Logan's chest heaves with effort, his breath ragged. He releases a long exhale, retracting his claws with a soft snikt. Instead of finishing Victor off, he winds his fist back and punches him square in the face, the force of the blow knocking Victor out cold.

Verena lets out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I've wanted to do that for a while," she mutters, retracting her claws as well. The tension in the room finally begins to ease.

Logan pulls his claws from Victor's chest, his breathing still labored as he stands. The adrenaline leaves him weak, and as he stumbles forward, Verena is there, catching him as he collapses into her arms.

She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly against her. His arms encircle her waist, his grip desperate, as though he's holding on for dear life. His hot breath fans against her neck as he tries to regain control of himself, his body trembling with the weight of it all.

"It's okay, cuoricino," she whispers softly, her lips close to his ear. "I've got you." She holds him close, her hands smoothing over his back as his tension finally begins to ease, his breathing slowing in her embrace.

They stand like that for a long moment, drawing strength from each other, the chaos of the world momentarily distant as they find solace in each other's arms.

"Logan, Vee!" Kayla's voice cuts through the air, sharp and pleading. Logan and Verena break apart, though his hand remains resting on the small of her back. She leans into him slightly, drawing comfort from his presence.

Kayla's gaze is locked on Logan, her voice trembling with desperation. "My sister... They have my sister." She swallows hard before continuing, her words directed at Logan. "Please, I didn't trick you into loving me. It was real for me, too. But your heart doesn't belong to me-never has, never will." Her eyes shift to Verena, and despite the tension, she offers her a soft, apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry for everything, Vee, but please... they have my sister."

"Where is she?" Logan's voice is low but determined.

Kayla's gaze flicks toward the large metal gate they'd seen the guards drag the boy through earlier. Without hesitation, the three of them rush toward it. Kayla pulls the lever, and the gate creaks open. As they move inside, Verena halts, her breath catching in her throat.

Cages line the walls, each one holding a mutant, trapped like animals. Her heart sinks at the sight-mutants like her, imprisoned, experimented on. The weight of it presses heavily on her chest, and Logan senses it. He looks down at her, his expression softening for just a moment before he nods, his jaw set in determination. He extends his claws and moves swiftly down the line, slashing through the locks on each cage with brutal efficiency.

One by one, the mutants step out, their eyes wide with disbelief at their newfound freedom. Kayla rushes to her sister's side, pulling her into a tight embrace. The other mutants gather behind Logan and Verena, watching them with cautious hope, as though waiting for direction.

Logan looks down at Verena, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He offers her his hand, and she takes it without hesitation. Together, they lead the group, searching for the safest way out. As they approach a large door, it suddenly swings open, forcing them to stop in their tracks. A shadowy figure stands in the doorway, blocking their escape.

Logan and Verena immediately step in front of the mutants, their claws extending in unison, a protective instinct taking over. The figure steps forward, and light illuminates his face-Wade Wilson. But something's different. His mouth is sealed shut, and from his hands, two singular blades extend, shaped like katanas but gleaming with the unmistakable sheen of adamantium.

Verena's heart tightens in her chest at the sight of their former teammate, now twisted into something unrecognizable.

"Kayla, get these kids out of here," Logan growls, his eyes locked on Wade.

"Logan," Kayla's voice wavers, almost a warning.

"Find another way out," Verena insists, her voice firm as she steps closer to Logan, her claws ready for the fight that's about to come.

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word count: 2538

Translations:

cuoricino - sweetheart

A/n: WE'RE ALMOST THERE. GUYS ITS GONNA HAPPEN SOON. please keep commenting and voting it boosts my ego. Also guys, I swear my writing isn't usually this good, I just happen to love Hugh Jackman and Logan so much, anyway

Love y'all lots,

Allegra 💙