Kitku picked at her dinner with her fork. She pushed the mashed potatoes around and ate one kernel of corn at a time, scrapped the gravy on and off her chicken fried steak and made rings on the table with her glass. She leaned her elbow on the table, putting her head on her hand, followed by a heavy sigh. Her face was a mixture of a sadness and depression. She glanced up at the man across the table from her. He was not a tall man, but very muscular, and he carried himself with an air of self-assurance. He had black hair and piercing brown eyes. Lately he had let his hair grow long and was sporting a mustache. He had a roughness about him, but he had shown her gentleness when he comforted her with her nightmares. He was the first real influence in her life since she was five. Funny, just days ago, she was the one who took care of him and nursed him back to health.

He had finished his meal and lit a cigarette. "Not hungry?"

She shook her head. She felt guilty for wasting the food. On the streets you prayed for a meal like this and would do anything for food.

"Wanna talk?"

She nodded, "Not here."

Wolverine stood, left a tip, and held out his hand to her. She stood, grabbed her jacket and took his hand, looking back once more at the food she had wasted. She waited while he paid for the check and followed him out to the bike. He started the engine and pulled out onto the main road. He drove slowly, letting cars pass them until he came up on a pull out with an overlook. He parked the bike and Kitku slid off, walking over to the railing, looking over the side. It was a beautiful view of the valley below, the sun was setting on the hills. The shadows played on the ground while the sun's beams intricately weaving the in the tops of the trees.

She wanted to talk, but she couldn't find her voice.

Wolverine leaned against the bike, staring at Kit's back as she leaned over the railing. He lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply and ran a hand through his hair. She had not been hungry for awhile. She picked at her breakfast and her lunch. Unsure what to do, he just waited for her to speak. He thought back on the other girl, Kitty and tried to remember if there was a time that she had needed him and what he had done.

As he thought about it, a memory slowly surfaced.

She had been picking at her food, too. Wolverine remembered that the day before she had run into the mansion and up to her room, refusing to talk to anyone.

The next day, Wolverine drove Kitty to Harry's and dropped her off. He was about to offer to go with her, but the determined look on her face changed his mind. She was growing up and facing the world on her own. She would still need him in the future, but certain things were hers and hers alone to face. When she made the decision to stay on Muir Island and study under Moria McTaggert, she had asked his advice, but he just listened to her pros and cons. In the end, the decision was hers. As much as it hurt the two of them, they both knew it was the right choice.

He took a deep breath and brought himself back to reality. Kitku was still standing by the railing, looking forlorn. He walked over and leaned on the railing next to her and waited.

Kitku took a shaky breath and released it. "I'm sorry I wasted the food."

"Don't sweat it."

They stood in silence watching the sunset.

"My Mom and Dad died five years ago," she started, her voice catching. "Five years and I still see her. She was just staring at me. I can't get that out of my head, Wolves. She had no neck left. My Daddy was...he had no face and they just...just stood and laughed. It was... was...a joke...a damn joke to them!"

She pounded her fist on the railing, her body transformed to the aluminum coating. "The bastards just stood there and laughed!"

Her body was shaking, her lower lip trembled as she fought back the anger and tears. "When you... After we...I just want someone...I want to make them pay!"

She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with anger, "I want them to die, slowly and painfully, like dogs in the street!"

Wolverine nodded and listened. He felt his own anger starting to surface and tried to keep it in check. He could feel the beast trying to gain control, the burning to let loose and go after those bastards. But, he held it back.

"Why? Why did they....they killed my Mommy and Daddy? Why, Wolvie? Why did He let this happen to them?" She materialized her bat and pounded on the railing, "Why did he do this to me?"

He stepped back from her wild swinging and let her vent, realizing that this was the first time that she had ever been able to talk to anyone about this. More likely than not, she didn't trust anyone well enough to open up to and tell until now.

After a few minutes she stopped, breathing heavily and starting to sob. "I... I just...There was blood everywhere! She was just staring! And they laughed! I can't get it outa my head! It won't stop!"

She transformed back into the scared little girl. With her armor down, she had nothing to hide behind. She dropped to her knees, covering her ears with her hands, turning her elbows in and covering her eyes. Wolverine scooped her up in his arms. She balled up her hands and hit his shoulders with her fists.

"Why? Why? Why?" she screamed, glaring at him with hurt filled eyes.

He pulled her close to him, stroking her hair, "I don't know, sweetpea, I don't know."

The anger was red hot in his mind. He fought the beast back down. In his mind he allowed his animal side to rip and tear at their imaginary bodies. He tore their hearts out of their chests and crushed them in his hand. He envisioned their deaths in a variety of ways. On the inside his rage was free to run. On the outside, he whispered to Kit, holding her in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, he walked back and forth in front of the railing.

"Wolverine. Oh, dear..." Jean stood in his mind, viewing the carnage around her. "Bad time?"

"Yep," his mental voice snarled. Slowly the bodies began to fade and Wolverine's own self image returned from the bestial form to normal. "I ain't exactly in the mood to chat. What'd ya want, Red?"

"Well, at the risk of sounding cliché, there's good news and bad news, Logan. The good news is that your face won't be plastered all over the news much longer. We're still trying to convince the Avengers to let out the word that you've been found and are in their custody. However, convincing Captain America to lie...Let me put it this way, we'd have an easier time getting Juggernaut to change sides."

Wolverine nodded, "The bad news?"

"Not your fault, Red, it happens. 'Ppreciate what ya've done so far. Watchin' out for us and all." He paced a bit, his mental image reflecting what his physical body was doing. He was well aware that she was reading his surface thoughts and they were all about the little girl. "Bit private, Red."

"Nope," abruptly cutting her off. The momentary hurt look on her face didn't go unnoticed. "Actually there is, Red. Look somethin' up for me. A murder, five years ago, in Chinatown."

"I'll get someone on it right away." She stepped forward and gave him a small hug. "Take care, Logan. Please be careful."

"That's what I'm worried about." She started to leave but added, "One more thing, we have reason to believe that there maybe others coming after you."

"Let's just say, you make an impression on people that they find hard to forget." She waved and faded out.

Kitku laid her head on his shoulder while he carried her. She felt like an idiot for all this crying she had been going on with. She wiped her eyes and sniffled. She hadn't had these nightmares for awhile but since seeing those men, her greatest fears had resurfaced. Would they do to Wolvie what they had done to her Mom and Dad? She didn't think she could survive that, not a second time. Even though she hadn't known him long, she felt very close to him. Maybe because they had seen each other at their worst. He had unable to talk or think clearly and she had her nightmares. They had nothing left to hide from each other.

She felt better now that she had told him, but now she had another concern. Wolverine would go after Viper. She could sense it, she felt the tension in his shoulders and saw the murderous rage in his eyes. And she couldn't risk loosing him, not now, not ever.

"Promise me something?" she asked quietly.

"Depends on what it is, Kit."

She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes, "Promise you'll stay away from Viper."

He stopped at a bench and sat down with her on his lap.

"Please, promise?" she pleaded.

"No can do, darlin'. If he comes after us, I'm gonna take him down, hard."

She looked into Wolverine's eyes. There was a rage burning. He would face Viper and it would be to the death. She thought for a moment. "Then promise me that you won't go looking for him."

He shook his head, letting out a deep sigh. "I can't."

"You've gotta! If you go after him, he'll...He'll kill you just like he's did before when he...." She grabbed him by his jacket collar, and attempted to shake him. "Promise you won't go looking for him."

Her eyes were filled with fear and determination. She wasn't going to let this drop. She swore to herself that she would badger him at every waking moment until he promised not to go and get himself killed. If it took the rest of their lives, she was going to keep him alive and away from Viper. "You gotta promise. You might be the best at what you do, but he's the best at what he does and that's killing. He is worse that the red jammie guy."

Wolverine looked away from her. She knew he wanted to promise. But he wasn't about to lie to her and he knew he was unable to make that promise to her. "If you don't promise, Wolverine, you will never have another peaceful moment in your life."

"As if I do now?"

"Those are just bad guys. You should be used to that. I will make your life miserable." She set her little jaw in the most determined fashion she could and gave him her best glare.

Wolverine raised an eyebrow, slowly his shoulders sank and he just nodded. "I imagine you'd be a pretty good pain in the ass."

"You don't got that good of an imagination, Wolvie." She tightened her grip on his collar. "Now promise! Or me and my Loui'ville are gonna have a talk with ya!"

"Whoa! Easy, kiddo," Wolverine chuckled. "All right, I promise I won't go outa my way to look for him."

"For Viper." She tried to shake him again. "Say it."

"For Viper."

"Double promise."

"Double promise? Ain't one good enough?"

"No. Double promise."

"Fine."

"Say it."

Wolverine snarled.

"Say it, damn it."

"Watch yer mouth."

"Look who's talkin'."

"I'm older."

"You're changing the subject. Say it."

"You've gotta be one o' the most stubborn..."

"Say. It." she interjected, enunciating each word.

Wolverine threw his hands up in the air signaling his defeat. "Fine, I double promise."

"Not to go looking for Viper."

"Jesus H., kid."

"Wolverine," her voice had a warning edge, a bat materializing in her hand.

"Not to go outa my way to look for Viper. Happy?" he asked starting to lose his patience.

"Well," she paused for a moment.

A low growl emitted from his chest.

"Okay, I guess it'll have to do." She hugged him around the neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Wolvie."

Frank was at the pool table, glaring at his buddies.

"Hey, Frank, wanna make a bet?" one of the guys asked. "I'll bet you don't make the next shot."

"How much?" Frank asked.

"How's about your bike?" The three men laughed.

"Shaddup."

"Hey, come on, don't get pissed. The guy won fair."

"I know," Frank conceded. "But it don't hurt any less."

He paused on his shot as four Chinese men entered the bar. They split up and began inspecting the area. The bar was silent watching the suits invade their territory.

Kim, the leader, went to the bartender.

"Excuse me, I am looking for this man and this girl, perhaps you have seen them?" He laid down a picture of Wolverine and Kitku.

The bartender glanced at the photos and back at Chinese man. He was slender, but muscular, with long black hair tied back in a braid, and a long, thin scar from his left eye to his jaw. The bartender shook his head.

"Nope, can't say that I have."

Kim narrowed his eyes, the bartender was lying. "You are sure?"

"Look," the bartender leaned on the bar, his biceps were twice the size of Kim's, he was a tall, heavy built man with a tattoo of a naked woman on Harley on his forearm. "I ain't seem them. Even if I had, suit boy, what makes ya think that I would tell you?"

Kim was about to answer when he felt a presence over his shoulder. He looked up. He was a huge man, taller than the bartender and twice as built. He was clean shaven and holding a pool cue.

"What's up?" he asked.

"These suits wanna know if we've seen these two," the bartender nodded towards the pictures.

Frank looked at them, picking one up and then the other. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure I've seen him."

The other three men stopped and turned their attention to Frank. Kim smiled, "Finally, someone with common sense. And when, pray tell, did you see him."

"Well," Frank grinned, "last night, snugglin' with you in the corner. Ain't he your boyfriend?"

The bar broke into laughter. Frank tossed the pictures down at Kim's feet. "Get lost, asshole."

Kim looked down at the photos and then back at Frank as he took one step forward until they were almost nose to nose. "You are a very funny man."

His hand moved so quickly, no one saw the blow coming. The patrons saw Kim move forward, speak and then Frank was flying across the room landing on the pooltable, his chest caved in.

"And very dead."

Guns, knives and chains came out from every place imaginable. The four men were as good as dead. Even if the patrons would have given up the information, they sure weren't going to cooperate now.

Kim sighed, unimpressed by the fire powers. With a flick of his hand, darts flew across the room, several of the patrons fall to the floor in convoltions from the toxins on the darts. He looked around the bar. His eyes speaking volumes to the bikers who slowly lowered their weapons. Two of Kim's people began gathering the weapons and tossing them off into a corner.

After he straightened his tie, Kim clasped his hands behind his back and walked amongst the patrons. "Does anyone else wish to oppose me? Any more funny people? No? Good. I wish to know if any of you have seen this man and this girl. Please, take your time. I am in no hurry. At the moment."

Kim stopped walking, one of the men, the largest of the three, grabbed a chair and set it behind him. Kim sat, removing his gloves. He handed the gloves to the man behind him, who put them in his jacket. "Nag, hand out the photos to these good people so that they may help us with our endeavors."

Nag bowed and reached into his jacket for a small stack of photos and began handing them out. The other two men followed his example. The patrons looked at the photos but said nothing.

"Come, come, people. Someone must wish to aid us in our quest." Kim stood, straightened his silk suit coat and once again started walking about the room. "I must admit that I believed myself to be a patient man, but I feel that I am reaching my limit."

He stopped behind one of the patrons. An older man with salt and pepper hair and beard. Again Kim's movements were so quick, no one saw the attack coming just the end result. The older man's throat was cut, ear to ear. The old man tried to grasp his throat in a desperate attempt to keep himself alive. The blood sputtered and flowed quickly. It was over in a matter of moments.

Kim released the man and let him fall face down onto the table. He wiped the blade on the dead man's jacket. "Pity you should have allowed his death. If only you would have cooperated, he would still be alive."

Nag was showing the photos to the waitress, Carol. She barely glanced at it and shook her head.

Kim caught the exchange. The woman didn't look long enough at the photos to get a proper look. She knew them and they had been here. With barely a movement of his head, Kim ordered Nag to bring her to him.

Nag grabbed her by the arm and brought her before Kim.

"So, you know these two, yes?" Kim asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"No," Carol replied. She jerked her arm from Nang, faked him with a right jab and planted her stiletto heel in the top of Nang's foot.

Nang retaliated with a quick jab to her chin, knocking her back from him. Carol fell into a table, a biker caught her.

"You are a full of fire, aren't you?" Kim was amused. He held his hand up to Nang, stopping him from continuing his assault. "Your actions speak loudly, my dear, you are trying to protect them and your friends. Come, sit down, and speak with me."

"Bite me," Carol spat her blood at him. It splattered Kim in the face and on his immaculate shirt.

Kim chuckled as he wiped the blood from his face with a handkerchief. He pulled out his butterfly knife with his other hand and expertly opened it. His attack was swift, but an audible 'BAMF', a puff of smoke and Carol was gone.

The patrons and Kim's people looked around in shock. Everyone started asking each other what they had just seen or rather didn't see. Kim held up his hand to silence them without success.

"Quiet!" he finally yelled. The patrons quieted down, but a few were now standing and moving towards the exits. Without looking in their direction, he ordered his men, "Anyone leaves, kill them."

"Now why would you want to do that?" A voice spoke from the front entrance.

Kim turned slowly and faced Cyclops of the X-Men.

"Ahhh," Kim nodded slowly, "Now it all makes sense. The X-Men to the rescue, eh?"

Cyclops did not reply. Jean had covered their entrance with a telepathic illusion and the X-Men had the advantage of surprise. Cyk's main objective now was to get these people out of here with no more bloodshed. He silently regretted the fact that they had not arrived sooner to save the those that had perished.

"Why waste your efforts, Cyclops? You can not possibly..." Kim never finished his sentence.

The back wall of the bar was torn open. Cyclops blasted the side wall with his ruby blast making another opening. With his second shot, he knocked Nang back into another of Kim's people. Nightcrawler teleported in and in three swift ports, punched the last of Kim's people, knocking the man out cold. Jean telekinetically bolted Kim, slamming him into the bar.

While Kim and his people recovered from the assault it gave the patrons a chance to escape. They quickly left the bar with not so much as a glance back.

Nightcrawler teleported on top of the bareback, Jean stepped through the hole she had made and Cyclops turned and faced Kim.

Kim stood, tugging at his silk suit trying to straighten it, smiling.

"Bravo. I am impressed."

"We're not here to impress you, scum. We're here to stop you from causing anymore harm!" Cyclops snapped, his face twisting with anger.

Kim laughed, clapping his hands together. "Oh, you are truly the epitome of a hero, right down to the cliché comments. I suppose next you will be telling me that you're going to take us to the nearest authorities and turn us in for murder?"

"Bet on it, mister." Cyc touched his visor increasing his power and fired at Kim.

Kim leapt into the air, twisting and tumbling keeping ahead of the blasts. Nightcrawler took his cue, leapt in a double kick move and teleported in front of Kim, slamming his feet into Kim's chest. Kim fell back and was blasted by Cyk.

Nang and the other two henchmen regained their sense and drew their weapons only to have them telekinetically ripped from their hands.

"I don't think so, boys." Jean smiled sweetly at them.

"Get her!" Nang ordered.

The two men jumped, somersaulting through the air and completed their movements with spin kicks as they landed. Jean threw up a TK shield, protecting herself and then grabbed them in a TK hold.

"Boys, this just isn't your day."

A sharp blade touched her neck, through her shield. Jean stiffened at the touch of the cold steel.

"Perhaps, young woman, it is not your day," a raspy voice whispered from behind her. "Call off your friends."

Jean reached out with her rapport to Cyclops. "Scott, we have a small situation here."

Cyclops quickly assessed the situation. "Understood, Jean. See if you can get the one behind you. Nightcrawler and I will take down the others as quickly as possible."

"Nightcrawler," Cyclops spoke verbally.

Nightcrawler paused from teleporting Kim around the room, noted the situation and released Kim from his hold. He teleported once more to the rafters and dropped next to Cyclops' left side. "So, ve seem to be at an interlude in our discussion, ja?"

A tall man with long, flowing black hair, a lithe muscular build, sharp, angular Chinese features, stepped from the shadows. He was dressed in a long, black Chinese collar jacket and black pants. He looked directly at Cyclops.

Cyk returned the man's unwavering stare. The man's eyes were an endless sea of black. Over the years, the X-Man leader had learned to read people to gauges their actions and reactions to all situations. He knew immediately that this man was going to kill Jean, no matter what he said or did.

The man stared at his opponent. He disliked this X-Man. He could not read the man's features, his eyes were covered by that accursed visor. He could not know what actions the X-Man would take so that they could be countered easily.

"We have not been introduced," the man stated as a small smile played across his lips.

Cyclops tilted his head, his eyes shifting beneath the visor. "I was not aware that this was a social gathering."

"Ja, I would've worn my name tag," Nightcrawler added taking a silent cue from Cyclops and preparing for a renewed attack.

"Then I shall introduce myself, I am Viper," he said inclining his head to Cyclops, ignoring Nightcrawler's banter. His blade did not move from Jean's throat.

Kim and the other three men had gathered their wits and were now in attack positions, waiting for their leader's command.

"We seem to be at an impasse, Cyclops," Viper noted. "But that is all about to change."

Before Nightcrawler had the chance to teleport and grab Jean, Viper reached through Jean's TK shield and grabbed her hair, pulling her against him. "Cyclops, tell me how much do you value your teammate's life?"

The two leaders stared at each other. No one moved.

"Remove your visor and throw it to the side or your...lover may have unexpected surgery."

Cyclops did not move. Nightcrawler shifted.

"Don't." Viper glanced at the teleporter. "Do it, X-Man, or do you wish to see how she looks in red?"

"No, Cyclops," Jean pleaded.

Cyk reached up, closing his eyes tightly, and slowly removed the visor, tossing it to the side. He listened to the movements. One of Viper's men walked over and picked up the visor. Nightcrawler stepped forward and placed a hand on Cyc's shoulder. There was another noise. In the distance. He tilted his head, it sounded like distant thunder.

"Now, you, Nightcrawler, on the ground."

"Very well, but I must varn you zat I'm not that kind of fuzzy elf," he joked as he laid face down on the barroom floor and Viper's men moved in and handcuffed Nightcrawler's hands and feet.

The sound of the distant thunder grew louder, the ground vibrated. Light poured into the bar from the doorway, windows and busted walls. The bikers had returned in force.

"Ah, ze calvery haz arrived." Nightcrawler teleported leaving behind the shackles. He reappeared in front of Nang, who had Cyclops visor. In one swift move, he punched Nang twice, grabbed the visor and teleported to Cyclops, shoving the visor into his leader's hands.

"So it seems that our impasse has ended." Viper cut into Jean's neck leaving a small wound, lowering her into a chair. "Now, you have the choice, X-Men, let the poison from my blade take its toll on the woman or fight us."

"Jean!" Cyclops yelled, his visor back in place just in time to see his lover slump in the chair.

"Bastard!" Nightcrawler snarled as he disappeared in a puff of brimstone, appearing fraction of a second later at Jean's side.

Kim made a guesture, smoke filled the room.

"Nightcrawler?" Scott called unable to see through the smoke.

"I've got her, mien friend," he replied from the other side of the room.

Cyclops heard the sounds of footsteps entering the bar. Slowly figures appeared as the smoke cleared. A large number of bikers stood in the bar. Cyclops made his way over to Jean and Nightcrawler, who was administering first aid.

"Nightie?" Scott's jaw was set firm, but his voice betrayed him.

"I...I don't know. Ve got to get her back to ze medical facility."

Cyclops nodded, then noticed the group of people. They were a vicious looking lot, big men and women with a varying degrees of weapons, from bike chains to ouzis. He stood, drawing himself up to his full height and faced them, unsure of how these people were going to react. This was one of the rare times that he was never sure of people. The time when humans were face to face with mutants.

An older man stepped forward, his eyes burning with rage. He looked from Cyclops to Nightcrawler to Jean. When his eyes rested on Jean, his facial features softened. "She gonna be okay?"

"We don't know," Cyclops replied, his shoulder relaxed a bit.

"Sorry we didn't get here in time to..." he gestured at Jean's limp body.

Cyclops nodded.

"I'm afraid our timing was off as vell." Nightcrawler nodded to his left.

The older man followed Nightcrawler's eyes to Frank's body. He walked up to Cyclops. "You get those bastards."

Cyk nodded. "We'll do our best."

"See that you do." He turned and then added, "If you need help, you know where to find us."

"Thank you."

"Hope your lady's gonna be okay."

Cyclops nodded again and picked Jean up. Her breathing was shallow and her complexion was pale. The people cleared a path as the X-Men left the bar then turned to take care of their own wounded.