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.

Jean entered the Professor's office a few hours later. Every one turned to her, their eyes asking a million questions. "She's stable. The bleeding has almost stopped. She appeared much worse than she was. She has a few nasty cuts, although she's covered with bruises, I think the most serious injury she sustained was maybe a couple of bruised ribs," Jean said. A collective sigh was released from everyone.

"If that's so, I'd like to read her mind. We need to find out what happened," Professor Xavier said looking at everyone. Everyone agreed and together they headed back to the infirmary. They entered the eerily still lab. Machines beeped regularly, measuring the heart rate of the patient. The young woman lay still on the bed, some of her clothes had been removed and were tossed into a garbage can near by. Her white tank top was lightly spotted with blood and the rest of her concealed under a warm blanket. The blood that had caked her face was gone, her skin was covered with some minor bruising, a black eye and cut across her forehead were now the only things that marred her face.

The group gathered around her, looking down with concerned at the unconscious woman.

"Did you managed to find any form of ID?" Storm questioned.

Jean shook her head. "Nothing at all. Just some cash so that shows that it wasn't a mugging," Jean sighed and stood on the right side of the bed. She pulled back the blanket and lifted the shirt of the woman up slightly. "Look at this," Jean said. Across the stomach appeared a thick dark line on her flesh. "It's bruised and sensitive but it should heal, but it literally look as though some one took an object and beat her," Jean shook her head, horrified.

"Who would do something like this?" Storm replied, also mortified.

The Professor moved towards the head of the bed. He placed his hand on each side of the woman's face. "Alright Jane Doe, this won't hurt, I promise," Professor Xavier reassured her. He closed his eyes, concentrating. The others remained silent as the Professor penetrated her mind.

"There's not point in running, cuz we're going to catch you," A voice yelled.

Professor Charles Xavier was standing on a sidewalk some where in town. A girl ran past him, her breathing was heavy and Charles didn't need his power to tell she was frightened. Moments later a group of young men ran past, one carrying a bat as they called after her.

"Stop you mutant scum!" One bellowed after her.

"We'll teach you to mess with us..." Another yelled.

Charles was then moved to the gates of the school. The boys had cornered her in front of his school. In one swift move she was on the ground and wave after wave of blows rained down on her. She screamed in pain, screaming for help as the boys began to kick her already beaten body. The boy with the bat let loose on the girl, pelting her in the stomach, explaining the mark across her abdomen.

"Hey hey! C'mon a car's comin' let's get out of here," One of the boys said as headlights soaked the dark street. With one last kick the three boys ran off into the night. Coughing and bleeding, the badly beaten girl struggled to her feet. Gripping the bars of the gates she struggled to try and squeeze through the gate. With great effort she managed to wedge herself between and through the bars. With the rest of her energy she staggered towards the building and finally collapsed in the grass.

The Professor's eyes snapped open. He took a moment to collect his thoughts and then he looked at the others. "Your assumptions were right," The Professor said, backing his chair away from the girl.

"What?" Logan spoke finally, taking a step forward.

"She was beaten. Some boys chased her here where they proceeded to beat her for being a mutant," He replied.

"God..." Storm gasped.

"Could you see what sort of mutant?" Scott questioned.

Charles shook his head. "Apparently that was what had set the boys off in the first place. She seemed too terrified to use her powers to protect herself, she didn't have a large margin of time to use them. They just chased her down and attacked her," He said, looking back at the girl.

"That's so awful," Jean said shaking her head. Scott put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Logan glanced at them from the corner of his eye.

"So what do we do now?" Storm questioned.

"Well, tomorrow if we can, I'd like to do an x-ray and a cat scan. Maybe we can figure what her mutant capability is..." Jean started.

"I agree but I think it's best if we all get some sleep for now," Professor Xavier interrupted. "Tests can wait till the morning," He added, wheeling himself towards the door. Storm followed closely behind. Jean straightened the blankets on the sleeping girl, checked the monitors and she and Scott made for the exit.

"Logan..." Jean turned, looking at him. Logan was standing still, his muscles taught and arms folded across his chest. His face wore a look of deep thought as his eyes remained focused on the girl on the table.

"Logan..." Jean repeated. "Logan are you coming?" She questioned, wondering where his mind was.

Logan's trance was broken and he looked at Jean. "What?" He asked.

"Are you coming?" Jean asked from her spot near the door.

Logan shook his head. "I'm going to stay here. Some one needs to look out, just incase she wakes up," Logan did his best to sound like he was being logical. Truth be told he was feeling a twinge of guilt for leaving the girl before, after she had begged him to stay with her. Guilt? Good grief when had Logan ever felt guilt over a broken promise?

Jean sighed and nodded her head. After all it made sense, some should stick around incase the girl did wake up. Not to mention, if Logan wanted to stay, there was no way she would be able to change his mind. She said goodnight and left Logan alone in the lab with the unconscious female and the soft sounds of the machines.

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