New York, Times Square
Ben stood outside Emma's door, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. A bunch of luggage sat at his feet. He checked his phone out of habit while waiting for her to finish inside.
A few days ago, they had gone shopping for all the college dorm essentials. It had been a busy day, but Emma seemed more excited than nervous, which was a good sign.
As Ben wondered if she needed help, the door clicked open. He turned his head—and immediately froze.
Emma stepped out, grinning widely, and her new look surprised him. Her dark hair was now bright blonde. She adjusted a new pair of stylish glasses on her nose, and her freshly painted pink nails matched her trendy outfit. She wore a denim jacket over a fitted blouse, gray jeans, and black heels.
For a second, Ben just stared, completely surprised.
Emma noticed, her grin widening as she teased, "You like?"
Ben coughed awkwardly into his fist, trying to regain his composure. "You definitely look... confident."
"Yup!" Emma twirled around, enjoying his reaction. "New school year, new me."
Ben smirked. "Well, it suits you."
Emma adjusted her bag strap. "Thanks. I figured, if I'm going to do this, I might as well look good doing it, right?"
Ben nodded. "You're owning it, that's for sure."
Emma's grin softened. "Thanks, Ben. It... feels nice to be free like this. My parents would have hated this."
Ben smiled warmly. "Glad to hear it. Now, ready to haul these over to campus?"
Emma rolled her eyes but kept her grin. "Let's do it."
Ben and Emma each grabbed a piece of large luggage and made their way toward the elevator.
Empire State University
Exiting the cab, Ben and Emma arrived on campus with all her stuff and started heading toward the dorms. The campus was bustling with students, everyone moving in for the start of a new semester. Emma looked around, her eyes wide as she took in the excitement and energy all around her. It felt surreal—she had worked so hard to get here, and now it was finally happening.
"Thanks again for helping with the move." Emma glanced at Ben.
Ben shook his head with a smile. "Nah, it's fine. You have enough on your plate without worrying about throwing your back out on the first day."
Emma half-smiled, her eyes scanning the campus, taking it all in. The whole thing felt surreal. After all the studying, the tests, and the stress of waiting for that acceptance letter, she was finally here.
Ben nudged her with his elbow. "You okay?"
"It feels like it was just yesterday I was trying to find another retail job." Emma let out a small breath. "I don't even know what I'm more nervous about," Emma admitted. "Meeting new people? Keeping up with classes? Or trying to live in a dorm with a total stranger."
"You'll be fine."
Emma considered how much she had relied on Ben over the past few weeks. The steady white noise she sensed in his mind had been a comfort, keeping her grounded. As they approached the dorms, she realized that being alone meant adjusting and finding her way without Ben constantly by her side. The thought scared her, but this was her chance to grow and prove she could live independently.
They finally reached the courtyard near the dormitory, and Ben set down the luggage, wiping his forehead. "We're almost there."
Emma nodded, her gaze drifting around the courtyard. Students were everywhere—some chatting in groups, others sitting on benches, absorbed in their books or phones. She knew she needed to take a step and let herself experience everything without the crutch of Ben's presence in her mind.
She took a deep breath, focusing inward, and slowly allowed herself to disconnect from the comforting white noise that Ben provided. Immediately, she felt a flood of thoughts and emotions hit her: anxiety, excitement, curiosity, lust... It was overwhelming initially, but she took another deep breath, letting it wash over her. 'Don't tune into the thoughts.'
Ben noticed her expression. "You okay?"
Emma looked at him and smiled. "Yeah... just getting my thoughts in order."
#
Ben and Emma entered the dorm and down the hallway. The building buzzed with students moving in.
Emma checked her room number and led them to the third floor. "You know, I was kind of hoping my roommate wouldn't show up for at least another hour so I could settle in," she said.
Ben laughed. "Hey, you never know. She might turn out to be cool."
"Yeah, maybe," Emma said with a shrug.
When they finally reached the designated room, they noticed a brunette in a pink sweater standing at the doorway, apparently trying to push out two people—unmistakably her parents.
"Your father and I think this room should be asbestos-proofed, chipmunk!" her mom insisted, looking around with a worried expression.
"Mom! Dad! Will you go to the airport already?!" the girl snapped, her face scrunched in frustration. "You're driving me—"
The father turned and noticed Ben and Emma standing behind them. He raised an eyebrow. "And who's this?"
The girl threw her hands up. "How should I know? I just got here, Dad! Now, will you two please leave?!"
Emma stepped forward with a polite smile, holding out her hand to him. "I'm Emma. I think I'm your daughter's roommate."
Ben put down one of the luggages to free up a hand and did the same. "Ben. Emma's friend, just helping her settle in."
The father shook both their hands with a wide smile. "Jack McDermott. And this is my wife, Jill. Just like the nursery rhyme. It's a panic, ain't it?"
Ben and Emma shared a quick look, both forcing polite smiles. "We suppose," Ben replied.
Jack turned back to Emma, his tone shifting to something more inquisitive. "So, you're going to be sharing living quarters with our little chipmunk, hmm?"
Emma and Ben blinked at the nickname. "Chip...?" Emma started, confused.
The daughter had clearly reached her limit. "Enough!" she shouted before grabbing Emma by the arm and pulling her into the room. She also allowed Ben to enter before slamming the door behind them with a heavy thud.
Once the door was closed, the girl took a deep breath, her frustration visibly melting away. She then extended her hand toward Emma, finally offering a proper introduction. "Christie McDermott."
Emma shook her hand, smiling warmly. "Emma Frost." She set her suitcases down at the foot of the bed, looking around the room.
Ben, still holding a box, gave a small nod. "Ben Tennyson."
Christie raised an eyebrow at Ben, her lips curving into a smirk. Then she turned back to Emma, giving her an appraising look. "So, we're roomies. Tell me, do you like scented candles?" she asked, her tone lighter now as if already trying to bond.
Emma blinked at the sudden change of topic but then smiled. "Yeah, I guess I do."
Christie clapped her hands together. "Great! Because I have a few, and I figured we'd set the vibe, you know?" She motioned around the small, undecorated room. "We've got a lot of work to make this place livable."
Emma chuckled. "Yeah, I'm definitely on board with that."
Ben cleared his throat. "Alright, where should I put all this?"
Christie waved a hand toward an empty corner. "Over there is fine, thanks. Wow, Emma, nice of your boyfriend to come along, huh?" she teased.
Emma and Ben show a light blush before looking away from each other.
Ben rubbed the back of his neck with a chuckle. "We're actually not like that..."
Emma scratched her cheek. "But we are good friends."
Christie giggled mischievously. "Right..." They dropped the subject. Christie gave him a mock salute. "I'm sure she appreciates the assist, hero."
Later
After spending about a half hour unpacking, it was time for him to leave.
Emma turned to Ben. "Thanks for helping me move in."
Ben flashed a warm smile. "Anytime. You two have fun getting settled." He pointed at Christie. "And take care of my friend, alright?"
Christie put a hand over her heart, giving a dramatic nod. "Cross my heart."
Emma walked up to him. This was it. This was what she was aiming for. She couldn't help but miss Ben. As far as she knew, he was one of the few people who didn't discriminate after learning about her powers. She wouldn't admit it, but it helped that he was kinda cute.
"Well, I guess this is it," Ben started.
Emma nodded, her smile faltering slightly. "Yeah... I guess so." She looked down at her hands, fidgeting slightly. "It's going to feel... different without you here."
He chuckled. "We'll still be in the same city, Emma."
"I know," Emma interrupted. "You're just a call away... I want to say thank you, Ben. For everything. I don't know how I'd have managed all this without you." Her imagination went to something like using her illusions and mind reading to cheat people out of money on the street.
Ben shook his head. "Don't think about the what-ifs. Think about what you're going to do moving forward." He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and pulled her into a gentle hug. "I'm proud of you," he said quietly.
Emma hugged him back tightly, closing her eyes. "Thank you. I don't think I could ever repay you for everything you've done."
Ben pulled back slightly, looking at her with a reassuring smile. "You don't owe me anything, Emma. Just go be amazing, okay? If anything, pay it forward to someone else who needs a pick me up."
Emma nodded, her smile growing as she quickly wiped her eyes. "I'll do my best," she said.
Just as Ben was about to leave, he took out a small envelope from his jacket and handed it to her. "Here. It's not much, but it'll help if you need anything while settling in."
Emma blinked, surprised. "You've already done so much, Ben. I... I can't keep taking from you like this."
"Hey, I'm just ensuring you have what you need. It's not a handout. Think of it as an investment in your future. You still have to buy your textbooks, no?"
"Oh, right..." Emma's lips curved into a small, grateful smile. She nodded, sliding the envelope into her bag. "Thanks. Really. You're kind of a real catch." Emma kissed the hero on the cheek before nudging him out the door.
Meanwhile, Christie stood there with a shit-eating grin. "I fucking knew it..."
#
Over the next week, Emma's college life seemed to go as expected. She quickly earned a reputation as the "smart" one in her classes, always having the right answers. Even the professors wanted someone besides her to answer.
It wasn't long before a basketball player started trying to woo her, showing up after class and trying to impress her. Emma found it flattering on some level, but she focused more on her studies after everything she went through. Granted, the guy's initial plan to bump into her while she was carrying a bunch of papers to ask her out didn't help.
What surprised her more was seeing her old high school teacher and first love, Ian Kendall, on campus. He was tutoring Christie, who seemed to be crushing on him hard. That brought up... complicated feelings...
One afternoon, Emma was walking back from class when she came across a protest against mutants. A group of people had gathered near one of the campus buildings, holding signs that read things like "Mutants Are Dangerous" and "Keep Our Schools Safe." Emma felt her stomach twist as she watched them chant. Was she one of these mutants? It would explain her powers.
Emotions started to build as she mindread the anti-mutant sentiment from students and professors. Christie started lying about dating Ian. A house party turned violent because a rival sports team accused them of having mutants. This all culminated with her first meeting with another mutant telepath: Astrid Bloom.
Perhaps she should finally give Ben a call.
Canada
Weapon X Facility
Professor Thorton watched multiple screens with a grim expression. Since giving the order he saw the battle taking place, and what he saw was not encouraging.
The fight between Wolverine and Sabretooth was a bloody struggle. Wolverine's claws clashed against Sabretooth's as they tore into each other. They were evenly matched. Professor Thorton watched as neither could gain the upper hand.
With Wolverine
Sabretooth's claws slashed at Logan's torso, but Logan plunged his claws into Sabretooth's side.
Blood spattered the walls. He gripped Logan by the throat, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into the wall.
The concrete cracked behind Logan as he swung his claws into Sabretooth's arm.
Sabretooth snarled and threw him to the floor.
Logan got back to his feet, blood dripping from his wounds, but his healing factor was already kicking in. He grinned, wiping blood from his mouth.
With a feral growl, Wolverine lunged at Sabretooth, slashing wildly. Sabretooth blocked the first strike with his forearm, but Logan was relentless, twisting and stabbing his claws into Sabretooth's ribs. The bigger man howled, his claws grazing Logan's face, leaving deep gashes across his cheek.
Wolverine barely flinched. He'd felt worse.
Sabretooth kicked Logan in the chest, sending him sprawling across the floor, but Logan quickly rolled to his feet, crouched low like a predator.
Wolverine charged forward again, claws aimed for Sabretooth's throat. Sabretooth sidestepped, grabbing Logan by the waist and slamming him into the ground. He raised his hand to deliver a fatal strike, but Logan was quicker, thrusting his claws upward and sinking them deep into Sabretooth's chest.
Sabretooth staggered back, clutching the wound, but his healing factor kicked in almost immediately, closing the wound as fast as it had been made. He smiled through the pain.
Sabretooth lunged again, claws aiming for Logan's heart, but Wolverine was ready. He sidestepped at the last moment, slashing Sabretooth across the back, sending him crashing into the wall. Logan was on him before Sabretooth could recover, driving his claws into his stomach with a savage growl.
Sabretooth roared, trying to shake him off, but Logan twisted the blades deeper, his face inches from Sabretooth's.
#
Thorton grimaced. He knew how strong Logan was. Seeing him hold his own against Sabretooth only reminded him of why Wolverine had been such an asset.
"Come on, Creed," Thorton muttered under his breath. He turned to the other screen.
With Steve
Lady Deathstrike moved first, her razor-sharp claws surging forward with deadly precision.
Steve raised his shield to block, but the impact sent him skidding back.
Omega Red's coils shot toward him, trying to ensnare his body.
Steve ducked under the first coil to block Lady Deathstrike's next flurry of attacks.
A flurry of claws aimed to kill, and Steve deflected her strikes using his shield.
She slashed for his head, but Steve moved under her arm to deliver a powerful kick to her midsection.
Lady Deathstrike staggered back, wiping blood from her mouth. "I can see why my father wanted his ultimate soldiers after the war," she sneered. "Your reputation preceded you, Captain."
Steve tightened his grip on his shield, keeping an eye on Omega Red's movements. "Unfortunately for me, I only served in Europe."
Omega Red's coils snaked forward with terrifying speed.
Steve dodged to the side, raising his shield to deflect one of the tendrils. Lady Deathstrike lunged at him again, her claws slicing across his side. The blow tore through his uniform, drawing blood. Steve winced but remained focused.
Lady Deathstrike leaped forward to strike at Steve's neck. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding her deadly claws, and countered with a spinning strike of his shield. The edge caught her across the jaw.
Omega Red's coils managed to wrap around Steve's leg. Omega Red yanked Steve off his feet and slammed him into the ground. Steve's shield clattered beside him, but he wasn't finished. He grabbed his shield and swung it down, striking the coil that held his leg. The force was enough to loosen the grip slightly, and Steve kicked out with his free leg to knock Omega Red back.
He quickly got back to his feet, just in time to see Lady Deathstrike lunging. Steve sidestepped her attack, slamming his shield into her back. She crashed into a wall, dazed.
Omega Red's coils came at him from the other side. Steve spun on his heel, ducking under one tendril while slamming his shield into the other, deflecting it away. He used the momentum to close the distance between himself and Omega Red, charging forward. Steve swung his shield with all his strength, the vibranium edge slamming into Omega Red's midsection, forcing the air from his lungs.
With Laura
Deadpool hurtled out of nowhere, yelling, "BANZAI!" as he launched himself at Laura, his katanas raised above his head. Laura's instincts took over, her eyes narrowing as she moved with lightning speed. With a sharp snikt, her adamantium claws extended, and she swung them upward, slicing clean through Deadpool's arm.
"AAH! Ow!" Deadpool tumbled to the ground. He looked down at the stump, then turned to see his severed parts lying a few meters away. "Dude, that is just not cool!"
Laura glared at him.
Deadpool looked between her and his arm with a grin. "Wow! Look at that! Could you give me a hand?" He giggled to himself. "Get it? A hand?"
Laura's expression was something between annoyance and disbelief. "I hate you..."
Deadpool was unfazed. "Just kidding! All right... I'll go get it." He casually jogged over to his severed limb. "Yep, still good!"
The girl ignored the idiot and moved to support Steve.
#
Professor Thorton pinched the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps I should have sewn his mouth shut..." Wait. Where were Wolverine and Sabretooth headed?
#
As Wolverine continued to fight against Sabretooth, they started crashing through several walls. They'd been trading blows for what felt like hours. When Wolverine was through another wall, he felt something sparking behind him. Looking back, he found a damaged security terminal with several screens on the Wendigos they spotted earlier. Warning lights blared.
"Oh no..."
Sabretooth lunged at him. Logan rolled away as Sabretooth crashed into the control console behind him. Sparks flew as Sabretooth's claws tore through the equipment.
Wolverine heard a low growl from the computer speakers.
"Asshole! Do you know what you've done?"
Sabretooth charged again, this time catching Logan in the chest with a brutal swipe.
Logan staggered back.
"You worried about something, Logan? You look distracted," Sabretooth mocked.
Wolverine pointed at the monitor.
They saw the containment glass cracking on the screen.
"Ah..."
The thick glass wall of the nearest Wendigo containment cage splintering. The infected beast inside let out a blood-curdling roar, its massive body pounding against the barrier.
"Great. You've done it now."
The glass eventually gave way. The Wendigo burst from its cage, howling and sniffing the air. It started running—in the same direction Logan traveled when he was there. The other cages began to crack and break as the infected Wendigos, sensing their freedom, tore their way out and followed their leader.
"Now we're in deep. It's got my scent."
Sabretooth grinned. "Is that supposed to be my problem?"
"Just wait till it finds yours again."
"Right..."
The facility's alarms suddenly blared to life, red emergency lights flashing across the room. "Security Breach: Containment Failure. All personnel evacuate immediately."
#
Deadpool eventually pieced himself together, eventually throwing himself into the fray of 3V2. Deadpool managed to separate the super soldier from the little gremlin with a few movements. Deathstrike and Omega could handle the brat, right? At some point, the lights changed, but he didn't know why. In any case, Deadpool focused on Steve Rogers and spun his katanas. "Cap! Buddy! You know, we could make this easy. Just lay down, let me tie you up, and we can chat about freedom and justice."
Steve raised an eyebrow and kept his shield up. "You really think that's going to happen?"
Deadpool sighed. "No, but a guy can dream." He lunged at Steve.
Steve backed away, swung his shield up, deflected Deadpool's blades, and shoved him back.
Deadpool stumbled. Any visible wounds quickly healed over. "Okay, okay, tough guy. I get it. No easy way out." Deadpool pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Plan B: good old-fashioned restraints!"
Deadpool tried to grab his arm.
Steve twisted away, grabbed Deadpool's wrist, and shoved him against the wall.
The cuffs clattered to the ground, and Steve pinned him with his shield pressed against Deadpool's chest.
"You're not capturing me."
Deadpool looked down at the shield holding him in place. "Oh, come on, Cap! I want those upgrades, baby!"
Steve didn't respond. He pushed Deadpool back, trying to knock him out with a quick strike, but Deadpool ducked under the blow.
Deadpool slipped free, rolling across the floor, grabbing a length of wire from his belt as he popped back to his feet. He swung it toward Steve, trying to wrap it around his arm. Steve sidestepped, slamming his shield against Deadpool's wrist and knocking the wire away.
"Why are you making this so hard?!" Deadpool threw a punch that was easily blocked.
Steve twisted Deadpool's arm behind his back and slammed him into the wall. Deadpool was dazed for a moment.
"You should stay down."
Deadpool blinked up at him, his eyes rolling behind the mask. "Stay down? Cap, have you met me?" He pushed himself back up.
Steve readied his shield. "I was afraid of that."
Deadpool grinned. "You're really good at this, you know. Too good. But I've got one more trick up my sleeve!" He pulled out a small smoke grenade and dropped it on the floor.
The hallway filled with thick smoke. Steve raised his shield, trying to figure out where Deadpool was.
"Come on, Cap! Just give up! I promise I'll tie you up nicely. We can even talk about old war stories while we wait for the others."
Steve listening for any sound. Suddenly, he felt a hand from... behind.
"Wow. You could bounce a quarter off of these."
#
Laura and Lady Deathstrike's claws clashed, and Omega Red tried to ensnare Laura as she darted and dodged.
Lady Deathstrike lunged at Laura, her claws aimed directly at the young mutant's head, but
Laura sidestepped, slashing upward and forcing Lady Deathstrike back.
Omega Red's coils shoot out to catch Laura off guard. One tendril managed to wrap around her arm, and he pulled her toward him.
Laura gritted her teeth, her claws extending further as she fought against Omega Red's crushing grip. Lady Deathstrike advanced, her eyes narrowed with intent to kill.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling roar echoed through the hallway, freezing everyone in place. The Wendigo barreled into the narrow corridor, carrying a bloodied Sabretooth.
Across the room, Deadpool's eyes widened beneath his mask as he quickly released his grip on America's Ass. "Nope! Not today!" He was not dealing with that furball again.
Steve was about to chase after him, but then he saw a battered Wolverine return.
The Wendigo swung Sabretooth into the other Weapon X members like a club. When the beast realized his pseudo-weapon was rather ineffective, it was time to toss it. Sabretooth's body was swung in a circle like a slingshot.
"Oh, no! WAIT!" Sabretooth shouted. He tried to escape, but it was too late.
The Wendigo reared back and threw with full force, sending Sabretooth flying through the air like a ragdoll. He smashed up and out of the facility before disappearing into the woods beyond with a loud crash.
Watching the whole thing from behind a box, Deadpool whistled in awe. "Wow, that's gotta hurt," he said, tilting his head as if he was impressed. He then turned to Lady Deathstrike, who glared toward the Wendigo. "Looks like ol' Sabretooth went for an unexpected flight. Think he'll want frequent flyer miles for that?" Deadpool quipped, earning only a cold, annoyed glare from Lady Deathstrike in response.
Lady Deathstrike's eyes widened, and she immediately broke away from Laura, leaping to the side to avoid being crushed by the now-charging Wendigo. Omega Red barely had time to retract his coils before the Wendigo charged forward, smashing through the corridor walls. Laura saw her chance and sliced through Omega Red's coil, freeing herself to roll away.
The Wendigo roared again, swinging one massive arm in a wide arc. Lady Deathstrike leaped back, her agility barely saving her from being hit. The powerful swipe smashed into Omega Red, sending him crashing into the wall with a loud, bone-shaking impact. Omega Red gasped for breath. He tried to get up, but the Wendigo was already beating down on him. He was left on the floor, down for the count.
The Wendigo, seemingly uninterested in who it struck, continued its rampage. It roared again, charging at Lady Deathstrike, who barely dodged.
Laura ran toward Logan and Steve, not letting the distraction go to waste.
Lady Deathstrike slashed at its thick fur, drawing blood, but the Wendigo barely flinched. Instead, it seemed to grow even more enraged.
The Wendigo swung its arm toward her, sending her stumbling backward. The beast grabbed Lady Deathstrike's arm before she could react.
She struggled to free herself.
It lifted her off the ground with bone-crushing force.
Lady Deathstrike screamed, her bones bending under the impossible strength.
The Wendigo yanked hard, and Lady Deathstrike's arm was ripped clean off, sparks and wires spraying from the torn joint. She screamed in agony, but the Wendigo wasn't done. It grabbed her other arm. With another yank, it tore her second arm, leaving her a broken mess.
#
Thorton realized that the mission had failed. His dream was slipping away. His team was being overwhelmed.
With a frustrated growl, Thorton turned away from the screens. It was time to abandon the facility.
"Retreat..." He moved toward the exit. "Let them have their victory today. But this isn't over. Not by a long shot."
He glanced out the window where the helicopter was waiting, its blades already spinning, ready to take him to safety. He backed up the data, but he still had to do one last thing. He typed in a final command.
The screen flashed red, displaying a warning: "Initiate Self-Destruct Sequence: Y/N?"
Thorton hesitated briefly, but there was no salvaging this mess. Thorton pressed Y.
A mechanical voice echoed. "Self-Destruct Sequence Initiated. The facility will detonate in T-minus 10 minutes. Evacuate immediately."
The countdown flashed across the monitor as Thorton rose from his seat, grabbing his coat and briefcase. The alarms had changed now, the urgent klaxon signaling impending destruction. He hurried out of the control room, moving quickly down the narrow corridor toward the exit where his helicopter waited. As he walked, the floors beneath him vibrated with distant explosions as the destruct sequence began to power down sections of the facility.
He felt a grim satisfaction. If he couldn't have his research, no one would. Wolverine, Steve Rogers, that clone of Logan—they would all burn with this place. He would make sure of it.
Thorton pushed open the heavy doors leading to the helipad, the wind from the helicopter's blades tugging at his coat. The pilot glanced back at him with a questioning look, but Thorton simply waved him off.
"Get us out of here. Now."
The pilot nodded and pulled up on the controls, lifting the helicopter into the air as Thorton settled into his seat.
#
Hearing the announcement of a self-destruct over the intercom, Logan and Steve didn't question Deadpool following them and Laura as the pack of Wendigos chose them as their new targets.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Deadpool shouted, lagging behind the trio. In a burst of inspiration, Deadpool turned and leaped onto the back of a rampaging Wendigo.
"Who wants snacks? YOU do!" Deadpool shouted, yanking a grenade from his belt. He forced it down the Wendigo's throat, patting its head like it was a pet. Then Deadpool jumped off, rolling on the ground before landing alongside Wolverine, Steve, and Laura, who were still running ahead.
"Guys, I think we lost him!" Deadpool called over the thundering noise of footsteps. A second later, the grenade inside the Wendigo exploded, shaking the hallway with the force of the blast. Dust and debris filled the air, and Deadpool triumphantly raised his arms.
"And they all lived happily ever after, except the beast!" Deadpool announced, laughing.
Wolverine glared at him. "Bub... you just made them angrier!"
As the smoke cleared, it revealed about fifteen more infected Wendigo minions. They all turned their heads toward the red-suited mercenary.
"Oh, crap...!" Deadpool muttered.
Wolverine gave Deadpool a wicked smile. "It's time you take one for the team." He looked back at the horde. "He's all yours!" Without warning, Wolverine grabbed Deadpool by the collar and hurled him back.
"Logan?! We're friends! NO! NOOO!" Deadpool's arms flailed as he sailed through the air, straight into the waiting horde.
The Wendigos caught Deadpool and began chomping on his body. Deadpool let out a dramatic wail. "This is NOT how I wanted to go! You guys have terrible table manners!"
Wolverine, Steve, and Laura didn't waste the opportunity. While Deadpool was a distraction, they kept running, pushing towards the exit as the Wendigos munched on Deadpool.
Steve glanced back, concerned. He knew the man had a healing factor, but... "Is he going to be okay?"
Wolverine grunted with exasperation. "He's Deadpool. He'll be fine... eventually."
The rumbling beneath their feet intensified.
"T-minus 60 seconds until final detonation. Evacuate immediately."
Logan ran ahead, hacking through anything blocking their path.
"Just keep moving!" Steve used his shield to cover Laura.
The heat from the initial detonations licked at their heels.
Laura's breath came in ragged gasps as she ran. The raw survival instinct drove her forward. She had come too far to die here.
They turned a corner, and Logan snarled as an exit appeared. Logan slammed into the door, using his claws to pry it open, just as another explosion echoed. The floor beneath them shuddered violently.
"Go! Move!" Logan roared, holding the door open as Steve and Laura rushed past him, out into the cold air. The freezing wind hit them like a slap.
Steve pulled Logan through the doorway just as the final blast wave hit.
The facility behind them erupted in a massive explosion, fire and metal ripping through the building.
The shockwave slammed into them, sending all three lying in the snow.
Steve twisted in mid-air, using his shield to brace against the impact. He hit the ground hard and rolled several feet before stopping.
Logan tumbled beside him, his healing factor already knitting together whatever injuries the blast had caused.
Laura landed in a crouch, sinking into the snow.
For a moment, everything was silent except for the distant crackling of the fire.
Steve groaned, pulling himself up on one knee and wiping the dirt and ash from his face. He looked over to Logan, who was already getting to his feet.
"We made it," Laura said.
Steve nodded. "Barely."
They caught their breath. Looking back, the facility was basically gone, buried under rubble.
Wolverine stood on the edge of the wreckage. He scanned the distant treeline. The scent of the Wendigo was faint. The beast was out there, somewhere. With his previous deal with Department H, he couldn't leave it roaming free.
Steve approached, and Laura trailed behind. "You're staying behind, aren't you?" He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from Logan himself.
Logan gave a slow nod. "Yeah. The Wendigo's still out there. I've got a trail, and I'm not lettin' it disappear again."
Laura remained silent, watching her father.
Steve frowned. "You don't have to do this alone, James."
Logan shook his head. "No. This is somethin' I need to handle for the government." His voice softened as he looked at Laura. "She doesn't deserve to get caught up in this any more than she already has."
Steve followed his gaze, understanding what Logan was asking of him. "And where am I taking her?"
Steve took out the card from earlier. Below the address was a name: Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Steve raised a brow. "You're sure about this?"
Logan nodded. "If anyone can help her, it's him. Charles is... one of the good ones. He'll make sure she's taken care of."
Steve sighed. "And you?"
"I'll be fine. Will meet down there when I'm done."
Laura finally spoke up. "I don't want to leave you."
Logan's expression softened at her. "I know, kid. I have questions for you, but this isn't over yet."
Laura stared at the ground, fists clenched at her sides. "Are you… Are you going to be okay?"
Logan kneeled slightly to meet her gaze. "Kid, I've been through worse. This? This'll be nothin'." He rested a hand briefly on her shoulder, his voice unusually gentle. "You don't worry about me. You take care of yourself. You hear me?"
She looked torn, but something in his voice stopped her. She nodded, though reluctantly. She hesitated but nodded. There was a glimmer of something in her eyes—maybe concern, maybe fear—but she swallowed it down. "Okay… but you better come back. We're not done yet."
Logan made a cocky grin. "I ain't that easy to get rid of." He straightened up and turned to Steve. "Take care of her, Cap. She's tough, but…"
"I will," Steve said firmly. He glanced at Laura, who was still watching Logan, before stepping forward to shake Logan's hand. "You stay safe too. We'll handle things on our end."
Steve clapped a hand on Logan. "Once you've handled things here, you know where to find us."
Logan glanced at both of them one last time. "I'll see you in New York. Just don't expect me to be all touchy-feely when I get there."
Steve chuckled softly, the tension easing for a moment. "Wouldn't dream of it."
With that, Logan turned away, knowing he had a long hunt ahead.
Steve and Laura watched him disappear into the trees.
Laura's grip tightened on the super soldier's hand.
After a moment, Steve spoke, his voice quiet. "You ready?"
Laura took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah… Let's go."
"We've got a long way to New York."
Together, they set off to the States, leaving Wolverine to face the wilderness—and the Wendigo—alone once more.
Later
The entire base was in ruins.
Suddenly, a gloved hand burst out of the rock pile and pulled upwards. Deadpool slowly climbed out. He looked around, his mask half-torn, revealing part of his scarred face. He had finally regenerated all the bits those beasts took out of him. Thankfully, any of his cells with a trace of the Wendigo infection were quickly killed off by his cancer. You gotta look at the bright side sometimes. "Guys? Hey, Red! Deathstrike!"
No one answered, but the possibility was still there. He wasn't the only one with a healing factor.
He got to his feet. "I can't believe it. I'm alive! I'm ali..." Deadpool shouted dramatically to the sky, his voice filled with glee.
CRUNCH!
A large chunk of the remaining ceiling dislodged and fell straight onto Deadpool.
"Ouch!" he groaned weakly from under the chunk. He managed to move slightly, trying to lift the heavy piece but failing. Suddenly, unfamiliar voices spoke.
"Oh, I love comedic endings!"
"You really should have seen that trope coming."
Deadpool frowned beneath his mask, making a confused noise. "Uh... Who was that?" He looked around, his head struggling to turn beneath the weight. "Seriously, if this is some kind of weird ghost or spirit thing, at least help a guy out!"
He wiggled a bit. "At least tell me your name. I'm open to new friendships, you know!"
There was only silence
Deadpool groaned. "Great. I'm hearing voices in my head more than usual."
#
AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, Charles, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, SonicSonicsSonic, Tapion, Dragon lord, Shooter1344, Red Rasher, Ajax Roranson, Asaf Montgomery, Legion, DJC, $hane-08, Daniel, Alex, nighnight, Camden, and decimator!
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