Fallen Future

"Hey, Logan, any idea if me and Jen will train together again?"

He shrugged in reply, focusing on applying gauze and antiseptic to my sliced open cheek. It was after a particularly rough training session with Zero, he'd gotten more than a few good shots in.

"Jeez, why bother?" I groaned as he turned his attention to another vicious wound on my collarbone. Logan sighed, his hands stilling. I looked at him; saw his eyes follow the line of the scars peeking out of my shirt, the ones that marked our time in the wilderness.

"You can still take damage," he said quietly. "You can still feel pain."

I rolled my eyes, but let him patch me up anyway. Whatever kept the big guy happy.

"Nobody is invincible, Jinx," he stopped again, looking concerned. "I know you're improving with your combat skills as well as your powers and you're pleased I know. But you need to stop fighting as if you can't lose. That'll get you killed out there."

"I'm only fighting how you taught me!"

"No! You're being reckless!" Logan was practically shouting, gripping my arms so hard that it hurt. "Don't you care if you live or die?"

"No!"

Even I was shocked by what I had blurted out. There was a heavy silence.

"No," I repeated. "I don't."

"Why?"

"How about the fact that everyone I ever cared about is dead? Or the fact that people want me dead? Or that I'm expected to save the world? Any of those reasons good enough for you, Logan? This isn't quite how I expected my life to be! Girls my age should be out in tiny dresses and massive heels, being asked to dance not asked to fight!" I took a deep breath, my voice shaking. "It just isn't fair."

It sounded lame, but it was true. It also hurt to say out loud.

Logan didn't reply, just looked at me then returned to bandaging me up. Once he was done, he stood.

"That should stop the infection setting in," his voice was clipped and controlled. Very unlike him. "Why don't you come down to the sparring chambers? Maybe you can learn something."

"God, Logan. I'm sorry if the way I fight isn't quite up to your standards, but what does it matter to you anyway?"

"It just does, okay?"

"But why?"

"Because-"

"Hey, Jinx," Zero's head popped around the door, cutting Logan off. "Not interrupting your lover's tiff with the American werewolf, am I?"

Logan didn't even glare at him, just pushed past him and stormed off. Zero came inside and sat beside me, still smirking.

"American werewolf? Really?"

"Hey! Those movies were classics!"

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes, re-buttoning my shirt and fixing my hair.

"Didn't hurt you too much in the ring, did I, Jinx?" Zero glanced at my arm sleeve, which was slightly sticky with blood. I glared back at him.

"Oh, shut up. You got lucky!"

He seemed taken aback by my tone, and stood back up.

"Okay. If you say so. Have fun PMS-ing!"

"I'm. Not. PMS-ing!" I shouted after his retreating back. He ignored me, and I heard him shout to Max and the two of them chatted, their voices getting further away.

I sat for a moment, letting everything sink in. I probably shouldn't have snapped at Logan like I did, but his comments had gotten under my skin. It was like he knew what I worried about, what I was insecure about, and he deliberately set out to make it worse. Even though I was closer to him than anybody else, I still couldn't trust him completely.

I left the small infirmary room, looking around. I knew Logan would be sparring with Zero for some time, so I wandered to our private quarters. Even though I knew it was empty, I knocked before slipping silently into his room. He'd been in mine several times, waking me or bringing me something, or just calling in to see if I was okay- but I'd never been in the room he called his own. I tried to convince myself that Logan wouldn't mind this blatant invasion of privacy, and when that failed, that Logan would never know.

His room was quiet, and a lot cleaner than mine. His bed was made; it looked like it hadn't been slept in for days. The bedside table had a single glass of water, his Wolverine tags, and a small pocket-sized notebook. I walked over and flipped through the pages; they were filled with writing, the words too small and crushed together to read. I should have guess Logan would be type with terrible handwriting.

I sighed, feeling terribly alone. The bed was neat, but I crumpled it as I lay down, putting my head on the pillow. It smelled like cigars, which made me smile. I closed my eyes, still holding the notebook and dozed, feeling myself relax. I wished Logan was there so I could apologize properly.

"Jinx, can you come to Hanger Three, please?" Professor X's voice echoed in my head and I shivered. I still wasn't used to his telepathy, but still I didn't freak out as much as Robin did every time we got a mental call. I did as he requested, placing Logan's notebook back where I had found it.

As I approached, I could hear voices. I wondered absent mindedly how long I had been napping for in Logan's room. Professor X, Robin, Jennifer and Zero were all waiting for me.

"Why can't I go?" Jennifer growled, anger written all over her face.

"Only Max and Zero are needed for this," Professor X said, his voice calm as ever as the boys moved off to one side. "You and Jinx will stay here and train together."

There was a long, tense pause as Jen scowled at me as if it had been my idea.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered. After a moment, she made eye contact with the professor, and they both looked focused; I knew they were discussing something silently. I kept quiet, until Jen scowled even worse than before, turning on her heel and walking off.

The professor smiled at me sadly. "She'll come round in time," he told me without moving his lips. "Keep an eye on her," Professor X continued silently. "I know you don't get along, but Jennifer does not have the same trust in Batman as you do in Logan. Watch her for me,"

"I will," I thought, and he smiled. "Where are the boys going, if I can know?" I indicated Max and Zero, who were still talking amongst themselves.

"One of our own has gone missing. I'm trusting the boys to bring her back," his smile wavered. "Now, if you excuse me," he said the last sentence aloud, and returned to the other two.

I watched for a moment, until Max looked at me and smiled. I smiled back weakly, then turned to leave. If it was just going to be and Jennifer, I was going to enjoy my alone time while I could. I headed for the pool, humming to myself, enjoying the quiet.

"Hey, Eve! Wait!"

I sighed, slowing down. Obviously Jen was set on destroying my plans.

"What do you want?" I turned to glare at her, hoping a dirty look might put her off. Nope, she just smirked. Too much time with Max and Zero; she'd become a master at stupid smirks.

"I thought we could have another sparring match. Nobody around to stop me beating the shit out of you."

I was tempted to tell her I'd rather stab my own eyes out with Logan's claws, but I stopped myself. For ages I'd wanted to wipe that smirk off her face. Now was my chance.

"Fine," I snapped, and strode on ahead toward the training room. The second Jen was in the room, I appeared behind her, hitting out and knocking her off her feet. She retaliated quickly; turned to kick my feet out from under me. But I was already on the other side of her. I grabbed one of the quarterstaffs used for combat, handling it just like Zero had taught me. In a smooth, fluid movement Jen leaped toward me but I caught her in the chest with the staff, sending her crashing onto the floor.

I struck out again, but she grabbed the end of my weapon and tugged hard. She'd thrown me off my balance. I stumbled and Jennifer kicked out; her foot connected with my chest with force, and I fell backwards as she got to her feet.

The staff had been knocked out my hand; it was too far for her to reach as well though. But she was already reaching to her belt. I moved immediately behind her, crouching, then zipped from place to place. Jen growled, taking small objects out of a pouch and flinging them at me as I teleported place to place. One got me in the shoulder, ripping open a small but shallow wound. Blood trickled out; I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Want to give up?" Jen sneered at me. I glared back, going back to flitting place to place. "Too scared to fight, Jinxy?"

I laughed silently at her. She thought I was picking places at random, but she was mistaken. When I came to a stop, teleporting myself to the highest point in the room, I had picked up all the bat-shaped blades she'd thrown at me and forgotten about. Her eyes widened as she caught on a second too late.

All of the blades were flung at her at once, and I followed straight after, knocking her off her feet and holding her to the ground. One of the blades was lodged in her arm, and another had cut open her cheek. I smirked at her.

"Give up, Batgirl?"

"I think she does."

I turned, releasing Jennifer, who got to her feet shakily while wiping blood off her face. We both stared at Batman, who was standing in the doorway with a small smile on his face.

"I'll take it from here, Jinx," he nodded at me and I suppressed a grin.

I glanced once at Jen, who was brushing herself off. Batman stopped me as I went to leave.

"Nicely done," he said in a low voice, patting my shoulder, before turning to his apprentice. The smile left his face, and my mood lifted.



I walked slowly back to my room, humming to myself.

"Hey, Jinx!"

I stopped again, wondering why everyone seemed so hell bent on disturbing me today. Sighing, I turned. A tall woman with blond curls ran over to me, smiling. I recognized her, but couldn't place her name.

"I'm Raven."

"Oh, you were there on my first day!"

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I don't really associate with the others much, but I know Logan's a friend."

"Well," I thought back to earlier today. "I guess he is."

"There's no guess about it," she laughed. "Trust me, if you're not friends with him, you'd know," Raven smiled crookedly, lifting her t-shirt just high enough for me to see three white scars on her side.

"Logan did that?"

"We don't get on so well, it's safe to say. But, trust me, as long as you've got him to keep any eye on you, you'll be fine."

I watched her leave, and I hoped she was right.