・Why・d you free me?・ He asked, his claws curling into his palms, drawing blood.

・Because you were tearing her apart in there.・ Replied Robert, carelessly slapping his thighs. ・Because I think we・re the last things she needs. Because we need to keep an eye on her.・

・Damn. Who・s corrupting who here?・ Asked Sabretooth, his eyes glinting. Robert shrugged. ・Yeah, me too, Drake. C・mon, lets go.・

・Go? Where?・

・We・re gonna go get some surveillance stuff, so we can watch `er, of course.・ Said Sabretooth. Iceman smiled, understanding.

・Oh, Wolvie...the whole thing with Sabretooth, ya mean?・

・Yeah.・ He nodded, pulling her close to him.

・It wasn・t just him. Bastion started it. After Bastion, I was so scared of being captured. So scared. Then Creed came along, and nothing could stop him. Nothing!・ She shook her head. ・No matter where I went, no matter what I did...I wasn・t safe.・ She gazed up at him with eyes dripping tears. ・I couldn・t get away from him, no matter where I went.・

・I know.・ Said Logan, heavily. ・Not me, ya know...but Mariko, Silver Fox...they all died. Everyone around me dies, kid. No matter where I go...you aren・t safe. That・s something that hurts.・ He shook his head. ・No matter where I go, no matter what I do...it always happens the same way. I can・t stop it. Out of control.・

・Yeah.・ She replied quietly. ・Out of control. Now what?・

・Well...now, whereever you go, yer safe.・

・What?・ She said, surprised. ・Creeds out there, with Bobby!・

・Exactly. Drakes not a total asshole. He thinks he can control ol` `Tooth. Let `im try. If ol` `Tooth comes sniffing, me `n Remy・ll take him out.・ He said it with quiet assurance. He was sure that he could take Creed. And if he couldn・t, then the rest of the team could. ・It・s over.・

・No, it・s not.・ She whispered. ・It・s just beginning.・

She understood on a level that Logan couldn・t understand. She felt hunted, and it was not going to go away. She understood now that killing Sabretooth couldn・t possibly end the torment. There would always be someone else ready to kill her. Bastion. Creed. It didn't matter who; only that she couldn't stop them.

She didn・t have any energy left to cry. Instead she bared her teeth in a snarl. She didn・t have any idea how she was going to start fighting back, taking her life back, but she knew that in the Mansion there was always more unsolicited advice than you knew how to deal with. Somebody would tell her.

She glanced back at Wolvie, who had a determined set to his jaw. He would never allow her to get hurt; too bad the things that would hurt her never asked his permission first.

She let him hug her, drawing all the comfort she could from it.

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