saga/title/fandom: Orpheus (X-Men)

author: Kristy

rating/genre:(R) - drama, romance

warnings: het, sexual content, violence

summary:Logan's life has always felt empty. He felt dead inside and with Jean's rejection, Logan spent his time feeling more alone then ever before. One night, he stumbles upon an injured stranger and takes her to the Professor. A meaningless promise becomes Logan's link to the powerful mutant. The more time he spends with her, the less alone he becomes, as though she's breathing new life into his lonely soul. Attraction becomes passion and passion leads Logan to find love and strange connection with his past. Nightmares are altered to reveal a truth that could damage his future. (Wolverine/OFC)

comments/disclaimers: Standard disclaimers. This falls post X-1 but there is a small X-2 reference about Logan and Bobby's parents but the events that took place in X-2 have not happened. Right now it's PG but it will become more graphic later between R and NC-17.

"I'd kill for a beer," He grumbled, walking up the long asphalt drive way towards the looming building that passed for a school. He was exhausted and dirty. All he wanted to do was eat, take a long hot shower and get some sleep. The trip to Alkali Lake had proven useless and now Logan was tired and annoyed. He was still haunted by nightmares almost every night and the answers he had been looking for still remained unanswered. Logan stopped momentarily, uncomfortably shifting the bag from one shoulder to another. Living with Jean and Professor had giving Logan expertise on having his mind invaded. Something...some one was in his head. He could feel some one buzzing around in his head.

"Help..." The voice was small, weak and female. Logan was at immediate attention, fists bunched and ready for action. Logan's nostrils flared slightly as he whiffed the air, he was suddenly assaulted by an assortment of smells. Among the smells were two that made Logan's eyes begin to frantically search the grounds of the school. Something sweet...like fruit, like strawberries and crème...sweet and fresh. The smell was quickly overpowered by another smell, both stale and fresh, a smell that Logan was so familiar with that he could name the type...it was blood.

Logan, dropping his bag, he stepped off the asphalt, the grass crunched softly under his thick soled boot. He eyes scanned the darkness, his nose taking in the two smells, trying to track them. His moves were almost animalistic, every muscle taught, his ears pricked, listening for every sound. He felt the tickle inside of his head once again. He froze, his eyes darted around the blackness of night.

"Please help..." The voice was fainter but closer than before. Logan had no idea who it was or what kind of trouble they were in but he had done enough injuring to know that they needed serious help and Logan intended on finding whoever it was. Logan broke into a cautious run, his senses completely aware of what was around him. Logan continued scanning the landscape, searching for the source of the voice. Through the darkness, Logan's eyes caught sight of a crumpled heap in the grass. Quickly closing the distance between himself and the object, Logan knelt down beside of the mass. It appeared to be a young woman, her breath was faint, it looked as though she was having a difficult time supplying herself with the air she needed. Logan didn't need to see her to know she was covered in blood, he could smell it oozing off of her. Logan gathered the girl in his arms and bolted for the mansion.

Logan kicked the door open with his boot, carrying the barely consciences girl inside. It wasn't until she was bathed in light that Logan could really look at her. It was hard to make out her features underneath the blood, but it looked as though some one had taken a lead pipe to the poor girl. His shirt was quickly becoming soaked in blood, lucky for him that he had chosen to leave the leather coat folded in his bag. He quickly glanced around the empty front hall, seeing no one.

"JEAN! PROFESSOR!" Logan's voice echoed through the corridors.

"Mmmm..." The girl in his arms stirred slightly and painfully. She strained to open her eyes, her mouth trying to speak.

"Shhhh...don't talk...yer hurt, I'm gonna help ya darlin'....you're safe here with me..." Logan looked down at her. Her left eye was almost completely closed shut from bruising, yet she still struggled to talk. "PROFESSOR! HELP!" Logan yelled once more. Sounds were beginning to fill the house. Storm, Scott and Jean all looked over the railing of the second floor down at Logan and the girl.

"Logan! Logan what happened?" Jean said, moving quickly towards the stairs. Storm and Scott scrambled after her.

"Don...don't leave...don't leave me please...promise me..." The badly injured female squeaked out, weakly looking up at Logan. Logan looked down at her. His eyes filled with concern and slight surprise that this creature was asking him to stay with her. Her voice was soft and raspy. She was struggling to maintain consciencousness.

"I...I won't, I promise. You're safe with me..." Logan replied quietly. The others had reached Logan. Jean immediately grabbed her wrist, checking her pulse. The girl gave a sharp cough, blood splattered onto Logan's shirt. Her eyes closed and she was lost to darkness.

"Storm, get the Professor..." Jean demanded. Storm nodded and was gone down the hall.

"What happened, Logan?" Scott asked. Having fortunately just been showering when Logan had entered, Scott had absently hung onto his towel, which he now used to help clear the blood away in order to find where it was coming from.

"I... I dunno. I found her like this on the lawn," Logan replied, still clutching the unknown girl.

"Jeez, she looks as though she's been beaten to near death," Scott replied.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened to her. Quick we have to take her to the infirmary," Jean looked at both Scott and Logan and then turned and started for the lab.

"Do you want me to...?" Scott started.

"No..." Logan replied and then took off after Jean, followed by Scott.

"Quick, lay her here," Jean said stepping around the side of one of the beds. Logan eased the girl onto the bed, Jean quickly began hooking her up to different machines. "Scott grab that gauze over there," Jean pointed and Scott moved to do as she asked.

The doors made a swooshing noise and the three looked up to see Storm with Professor Xavier enter the room. "What happened here?" The professor wheeled himself towards the bed, looking at the girl.

"Logan found her on the lawn," Scott said, stepping back, allowing the Professor ample room to see the patient. Jean was busy covering every cut with gauze and wiping the blood off the girl the best she could. Charles stared down at the girl.

"I think she's a mutant," Logan said suddenly. He was standing away from the bed, allowing Jean to tend to the girl. The others looked at him.

"She talked to me...in my head..." Logan answered their silent question.

"She's telepathic..." Storm said thoughtfully,

"Logan are you sure?" The Professor inquired.

"Yea...I mean I dunno if she's telepathic or what but that's how I found her. She asked me for help... mentally," Logan stared intently at the girl as Jean tried to repair her.

"Hmmm this could be interesting. After Jean has her stabilized, we should give her a cat scan and an X-ray," Charles wheeled himself to the head of the bed. "I'm going to read her mind and try to see what happened to her," Professor Xavier looked at Jean, waiting for her to give him the okay.

"Professor, it may be best to wait for a few hours. She has sustained some pretty heavy injuries. I think it may be best for all of you to just wait, while I finish up here. I'll let you know when it's alright to come back," Jean said looking at the others.

"Perhaps you're right," Professor Xavier replied. Scott held onto the wheel chair as he and Storm exited the lab.

"It's alright Logan...I'll take care of her," Jean reassured him, he was hesitating, staring down at the unconscious girl.

"I'm not leaving," He said finally.

"Logan please, I can't focus with you hovering around me. I promise I won't take long, just go," Jean demanded.

Logan sighed and nodded. He'd rather go on his own then fight with Jean and end up thrown out of the lab anyways. He headed towards the Professor's office where the others had gathered to discuss their new arrival.

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