Redemption

Chapter Eleven

My first day at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters started with a bang. Charles made me help him with his class, which was helping the kids use their powers. Halfway through the lesson an X-men I had never met before (Nightcrawler) burst in and said Charles needed to settle something, leaving me in charge.

I managed to get the kids to practice their powers in pairs without blowing something up. I took a deep sigh of relief as I watched the kids work. Then the alarms went off.

"Someone broke into the school!" someone yelled.

The students jumped up and ran to the door, clearly knowing what to do. I followed them, desperately hoping that I didn't have to take charge. Then Charles' voice boomed through the school.

"Staff find the intruders. Students please calmly exit the building in the manner you have been taught to do."

There were yells of 'There are more than one intruder?' and 'What if they find us and we don't have a teacher with us?' Desperate to get out of their line of fire, I slipped away. Charles did say staff, and he had made it clear that I'm not a student.

Speaking of Charles, I found him wheeling down a hallway toward me.

"There you are Daken!" he said. "I've been looking for you. Follow me."

He wheeled past me and I obeyed, following him. We rounded a corner to see Nightcrawler and Storm were being pinned up against the wall by two ominous looking intruders. There was a third one. He turned when we rounded the corner and sent something at Charles, jamming him and his wheelchair against a wall.

"Xavier!" Storm yelled and struggled, but it was no use.

The third intruder turned on me and charged. I dodged their attack and pushed my claws into his chest with a nice uppercut. He collapsed to the ground. The other intruders didn't want to free Nightcrawler or Storm but also wanted to stop me. I could smell them from here, their fear. I could use it. I smiled. The two intruders dropped the X-men and ran.

"How did you do that?" Storm asked.

"Let's just say I'm scary," I said, going to Charles and pulling him from the wall. "Are you alright?"

Charles nodded, "Are you?"

"Of course I'm fine, what are you —?"

I looked down. Sticking out of my chest was a big shard of metal. I hadn't felt it go in. I turned to see the intruder I had stabbed struggling on the ground. He must have been the one to stab me. But I didn't have to kill him. He died within 10 breaths of stabbing me.

I felt Charles' hand on my shoulder.

"Let's get you to the infirmary," he said.

"I'm fine," I said. I grabbed the front of the metal and with one pull and a lot of pain, it was out.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Nightcrawler asked.

"Unfortunately I'm related to Wolverine," I said, "so yes, I'm fine."

The last of the intruders either ran or were killed. The students were brought back and everyone convened in the school's front yard. Everyone looked fine. Storm and Nightcrawler were a little bruised, Beast had a black eye, Cyclops had a bleeding lip, and Wolverine was fine, he had gotten a few cuts but those had healed in a matter of seconds. Xavier looked a little shaken up but he was fine.

"I am glad no one was harmed," he began. "We don't know who the intruders were or why they had come."

Scott raised his hand, "Why did some run? It's unlike the intruders who break in here to run."

"For that," smiled Xavier. "I'd like to thank our newest recruit."

Everyone looked around.

"He not only saved the lives of Storm and Nightcrawler," said Xavier, "but he also saved mine."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Some of you have met him, others have not had the chance to meet him." Xavier met Logan's eyes. "I know the X-men would have chosen for him not to be here." 

"Who is he?" someone yelled.

"Where is he?" someone else yelled

"He's in the infirmary," said Xavier. "He suffered some major blows, but it's nothing his healing factor can't fix."

More murmurs. People looked at Logan.

"His healing factor?" Wolverine said. "Who is he, Xavier?"

Xavier smiled sadly, "You'd best come with me."

Logan followed Xavier through the school. He had stopped asking questions but he stayed on edge. Who was this mysterious person with the healing factor? He ran through his kids in his head. Laura's still healing, Gabby isn't a man, Daken would come here even to save his own skin . . .

They arrived at the infirmary. Xavier stopped at the door.

"Grace yourself, Logan," was what he said when he opened the door. 

Logan walked in. His heart stopped beating.

Daken looked up, stitching up a big gash in his chest. Logan saw the wound went all the way through his son's chest.

"Here," said Logan, walking over. "Let me help."

Daken didn't object as Logan helped him stitch up.

"I'll leave you two alone," said Xavier, closing the door behind him.

There was silence.

"When did you get here?" Logan asked.

"Today," Daken said.

"I'm sorry about Gabby," Logan said. "I didn't mean for her to stab you."

Daken was silent, he had finished stitching. So had Logan.

"I'm so sorry about your claws," Logan continued. "I'm sorry about Romulus, I'm sorry about your mother, I'm sorry about everything."

Logan felt tears in his eyes.

"I just wish we could be normal. I wish we wouldn't fight, I wish we wouldn't hate each other." Logan's voice caught in his throat. "I wish I could have my son back."

Daken turned and hugged him, "I love you dad. I'm sorry."

Logan hugged him back instantly, "I love you too."

If you're wondering, this isn't a ploy. I'm not playing my dad. I actually missed him. It's good to have my dad back. I really needed that.