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Life carried on at its regular pace, for Logan the last three months had been a blur of mixed feelings. Mostly he just felt sad. He was happy that his friends and his family were doing well. It just killed him that he couldn’t be part of their happiness. This baby was the first pregnancy he had been around for the whole time, but despite being there he didn’t get to be part of everything. He was just the captive audience. He had to sit idle and watch as Aurelia dealt with all the changes on her own. During the day she had the management of the pub and friends and family around her to support her as she went through this. But he was the only one there late at night to watch her hug his pillow or his old leather jacket that hung in the closet and cry. No one else saw her walk into the nursery that she and Sarael had ever so carefully put together and just curl up in the overstuffed rocking chair and sing while gently rubbing her stomach.

Today during her appointment with Mikali they were finally able to get a good enough ultrasound to give a gender. They were having a daughter, their little Roselyn Elizabeth. The name held great meaning to Logan. Roselyn may be a family name for Aurelia, but the shorthand of Rose was what tugged at Logan’s heart. He didn’t name either of his older daughters Rose before, but when they were born he didn’t even fully remember his life back in Alberta. It hadn’t been till his path crossed with John that his mind was willing to unlock those old memories. Logan felt it was fitting that his youngest daughter should be given the name of the first girl he ever cared for. John was the one that had suggested the middle name of Elizabeth. It was their mother’s name, a sentimental touch but less sentimental to Logan given how distant she had been to him after John ‘died’.

That night there was a small celebration of the news that it was going to be a baby girl. After everyone else had gone John managed to hang back. “Aurelia””, John called walking into the kitchen where Aurelia was cleaning up from the impromptu celebration. “What’s up John?”, Aurelia asked managing to right herself despite the size of her belly which had grown quite a bit over the last few months. “Well as you know the restoration on the estate is ongoing. But well recently they started work on my mother’s chambers. I was rather astounded to learn that her hope chest was still there with all its contents. So I have a gift for my niece from that hope chest.”, John said taking a small box from his jacket pocket with a silk white ribbon holding it closed with a bow. Logan watched curiously, his interested had spiked at the mention of their mother’s hope chest.

“Um alright.”, Aurelia said taking the small box and opening it. She held out a simple locket that had carefully been polished, but the copper had still patinaed with age making it look even more interesting that if it was a fresh bright copper. On the front of the locket was just a simple ‘H’. “It’s very beautiful John. Are you sure about giving her this? What happens if you and Sarael have a daughter”, Aurelia asked running her thumb over the locket. “Of course I’m sure. There are a number of items in my mother’s hope chest that I can pass to any daughter or daughters I may have. Open the locket and you’ll understand why this has to go to her.”, John instructed. Logan leaned just enough to see what the locket held. “Is that?”, Aurelia asked looking at a sepia toned portrait of a woman holding a baby. “Yes that’s James. I remember the day that picture was taken. Father took it himself. And as you can see she’s wearing the locket. Our family had made their fortune in copper which is why it’s made of it. And the H..”, John explained. “Is for Howlett?”, Aurelia questioned. “Partially, it’s also for Hudson.”, John finished. “Hudson?”, Aurelia questioned. “That was our mother’s maiden name. Viper knew that because it was the great-great nephews of our mother that started the Weapon X program which made James into the Wolverine.”, John explained.

Aurelia ran her finger across the glass that protected the picture and smiled. “Elizabeth was very lovely. And who’d have thought Logan would have been such a cute baby.”, Aurelia commented with a smile. “Hey, you’ve seen my kids. Of course I was a cute kid. Where do you think they get their good looks?”, Logan defended. “It’s great John. Thank you. I’m sure she’ll love it when she’s old enough to wear it. Till then I’ll keep it safe for her.”, Aurelia said placing it carefully back into the box. “I should go catch up with Sarael. Good night.”, John said giving Aurelia a hug goodbye. With John gone Aurelia walked back to the nursery which was neutral in its design since they hadn’t known the gender before that day. Aurelia set the box carefully on top of the dresser before sitting in the overstuffed recycling rocking chair. Logan watched from the doorway as Aurelia absent mindedly rubbed her stomach. He watched as she smiled. “Hush now little Rose. I’ll sing to you. Tonight I’ll sing you a new song.”, Aurelia said still rubbing her stomach.

Logan sat down and closed his eyes waiting to hear the song of the night. “Little baby, hear my voice. I'm beside you, O maiden fair. Our young Lady, grow and see your land, your own faithful land. Sun and moon, guide us to the hour of our glory and honor. Little baby, our young Lady Noble maiden fair.”, Aurelia sang softly. Logan didn’t know this song but it was lovely. He just leaned his head back and listened as Aurelia continued to softly sing the song to their unborn daughter. As he let himself just drift listening to the song he felt a pull he hadn’t felt in many months. Something was pulling him away. He felt tightness in his chest and reached out clutching his chest. It felt like he was being split in two. “Aurelia...”, he said opening his eyes, but the nursery and his Aurelia were fading away as was the song. Everything was going blurry. “Aurelia…what’s going…on.”, he said blinking while still holding his chest. Slowly the pain in his chest disappeared and the world came back into focus. As he looked around it was easy to see he wasn’t in the nursery anymore. “Where am I?”, he questioned

Logan pulled himself up realizing he was at least in a forest. The doorway he’d been sitting in had been replaced by an old oak tree. His blue eyes darted around trying to figure out what happened, and where he’d been taken. “I need to get back to Aurelia. I’m not going to miss this baby be born like I did all the others.”, he said slamming his fist against the tree, but it went right through. “Alright so wherever I am I’m still not apparently real.”, he commented. He cocked his head to the side look at the tree he’d found himself under. “There are claw marks and..”, he said leading closer to sniff at the substance staining the tree. “Blood.”, he concluded. He looked intently at the marks. “They look like marks from a wolves claws, but not a natural wolf.”, he said thinking on this. “Aurelia!”, he shouted starting to look around. “Is she injured? What happened? Where is the baby?”, Logan said starting to look around even more. He spotted a set of tracks. “This way.”, he said before racing through the forest following the prints left in the leaves and mud.

It had been a long time since he’d run through a forest like this; it felt natural to him as he jumped over fallen trees and small brush to follow the tracks. He still wasn’t sure where he was. The only things he knew was that Aurelia was bleeding and in her wolf form. He stopped when he finally found her. A large red wolf had curled up in some underbrush having decided that was her den. Logan approached cautiously, not that he was afraid she’d do anything, heck she couldn’t see him so that wasn’t a concern. No his caution was his uncertainties of wanting know what had happened. As he got closer he could see that she’d been cut in a few spots, not too deeply so it would heal alright. He watched as she licked the wounds like any other animal would. As he watched her he realized where he was. “I’m in that other world. And you’ve gone feral. Fantastic. Where’s John? Why isn’t here around to keep you safe.”, Logan said looking around.

“Think back what was the last thing you remember happening in this world.”, Logan said tapping his temple. “Her and John had faced off against Wanda. Wanda stabbed Aurelia. Oh god the last time I was here was when Rose died before we knew she was even a Rose.”, Logan concluded. “Oh god I’ve been gone for so long here. I don’t even know if Aurelia ever came back or if John found her after she ran out.”, Logan said starting to pace. He’d spent the last months so focused on Aurelia and Rose in the other world. It’s not like he’d forgotten this world, no it still haunted him. But it was because of this world he didn’t want to leave the other; he didn’t want to risk anything happening to Rose and Aurelia there. There was a small crack of a twig in the distance and both Logan and Aurelia’s head turned to look in that direction. “OH LITTLE WOLF!? I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO PLAY?! COME ON OUT AND LET’S FINISH THIS!”, a familiar voice cackled in the distance. “Wanda…”, Logan growled.

Aurelia moved deeper into the underbrush. “At least you know you are too injured to fight her.”, Logan said glancing back to Aurelia. But as he looked at her he got a good look at her eyes. He’d seen that look in a wolf’s eyes long ago in a forest like this. He’d retreated into the forest to live like an animal the day his first Rose died. He’d faced off against a pack of wolves and he’d seen that look in their eyes. It wasn’t fear, it was anger and hunger. Whatever was left of the woman he’d loved was small and buried deep inside the dire wolf before him. “You aren’t digging in to hide. You are digging in to ambush her.”, Logan said with a sigh. “Aurelia, I wish you could hear me or see me. I’ve been in this position before. I became an animal and lost my humanity for so many years. Please don’t retrace the broken path I forged as a young man.”, Logan pleaded. Again he heard the subtle breaking of a twig, Wanda was getting closer.

“OH COME ON AURELIA! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HAS CHASED ME ALL OVER THE GLOBE THESE PAST EIGHT MONTHS! YOU WANTED THIS FINAL BATTLE!”, Wanda shouted. “Eight months? It has been a long time since I was here.”, Logan commented. “ I ‘TOOK’ YOUR LOVE, LOGAN, I KILLED YOUR BEST FRIEND SARAEL, THEN AS A CHERRY ON TOP I KILLED YOUR CHILD!”, Wanda continued trying to use her venomous words to lure Aurelia out. “YOU’VE WANTED THIS SINCE THAT NIGHT ON THE ROOF OF THE PRISON. AND I’VE WANTED THIS TOO. YOU KILLED MY LOVE, YOU CAUSED THE COLLAPSE OF MY ACOLYTES! “, Wanda shouted getting closer. “NOW FACE ME!”, Wanda shouted as she blasted away some shrubs with a hex.

As Wanda stepped out Logan got a good look at her. She didn’t look all that good either. Her hair and grown out to near her shoulders and it didn’t look like she’d worked on keeping her black and purple hair as it was now it’s natural dark brown, almost wavy like Lorna’s hair except the color of course. Her eyes looked crazed and bloodshot as if she hadn’t slept in days. Which given how she talked about Aurelia having tracked her across the world for eight months she probably hadn’t slept well. Since really how could anyone sleep well knowing that out there somewhere was a large angry wolf wanting nothing more than to rip out your throat? Her clothes looked as disheveled as she did. This was neither the Wanda he had known nor the Wanda he had seen in the other world.

This Wanda was a stark contrast to the other world. In the other world Wanda was still very collected. She was still even scheming against the X-Men by breaking ground on her ‘Lehnsherr Academy’ just a week ago. Sure to the public eye she was just an entrepreneur and the younger half sister of President Dane, whose term was coming to an end. She could put up the innocent ‘educator’ façade all she liked by Logan and the X-Men knew her true self. And looking at the Wanda of this world he could see just how deep the madness ran. He’d seen her on the cusp of madness at the prison with each day he refused to break under her torture. But what he saw before him she didn’t just fall into madness it was like she had dived head first into the deepest darkest part of her insanity.

Logan’s claws popped out as Wanda started getting closer. Forgetting that he can’t be see and he can’t affect anything he stood in front of the bushed which Aurelia was under as if he could protect her from Wanda. “This feels kind of familiar. I got here by standing between you and the woman I love. Hell I don’t even know how much of the woman I love is left in that wolf, but I gotta try.”, Logan said taking a stance ready to attack. “Please, universe let me do something. Let me protect her somehow.”, he pleaded. But it didn’t matter once Wanda was in the right position Aurelia leapt out and bite down hard onto her shoulder gnawing at her. Wanda fell back under the weight of Aurelia as she’d been caught off guard. “OUCH!!!!”, Wanda screamed in pain as Aurelia continued to bite down on her neck.

Logan could do nothing to stop the fight. He wanted nothing more than to just get involved and either help Aurelia kill Wanda or at the least ensure that Aurelia didn’t get killed. That was his greatest fear as he watched the two struggled on the forest floor. They’d already lost Rose in this world; he couldn’t bear to lose Aurelia too. Wanda had managed to strike a blow with a hex into Aurelia’s side causing her to release her grip on Wanda’s shoulders. “Get off me..”, Wanda painted shoving Aurelia away. Aurelia skidded to a stop and winced, letting out a small cry of pain, as she tried to get back onto her four feet. “Aurelia..”, Logan said turning his head to look at her. “You’re really hurt. Please don’t fight her now. Run, heal before you face her.”, Logan pleaded. “I know I’m not one to run from a fight, but you don’t have my healing factor. I don’t have to back down or run from fights. You do. Please, live to fight another day.”, Logan continued his words going on heard.

Wanda started to laugh as she managed to get to her feet, holding onto the bleeding wound left by Aurelia’s fangs. “I’m going to kill you wolf.”, Wanda panted out of breath. Logan’s head swiveled to look back at Wanda as she started to stumble forward bringing her hands up for another hex blast. “I’ll send you to hell where I probably sent Logan.”, Wanda cackled. Aurelia pulled herself to her paws, just barely, and started to growl. In Wanda’s hands a hex ball had formed and she went to throw it directly at Aurelia. “STOP!”, Logan yelled lunging at Wanda, his mind not caring or even thinking about his lack of existence. He couldn’t just let Wanda kill Aurelia. He had to try to do something. As he shoved at Wanda, he fell straight through but as he hit the forest floor he managed to actually grab Wanda’s ankle causing her to stumble and the hex ball just missing Aurelia’s head. “What the..”, Wanda said in anger. “I won’t miss next time.”, Wanda said shaking it off as if it was just from fatigue.

Logan scrambled back to his feet looking from Wanda to his hand. “I…I interacted with this world. Alright let’s see if I can do this again. I need to focus everything I have. “, he said popping his claws back out. “I won’t let her kill you, Aurelia. I can’t let you die.”, Logan said taking a stance behind Wanda. He swung out again and again trying to claw at Wanda, but whatever had happened before wasn’t happening again. “Why!? Why do you fuck with me? You make me watch all of this, but why? What does this do? What are you trying to prove to me? Is this really just my own personal hell like Wanda said? Did she send me to hell? Because I really believe it. You show me all this pain and suffering here in this world and in the other you show me great joy but in both situations I can’t be part of it. I can’t do anything to protect the woman I love. I can’t do anything to be there for my new daughter. How long am I going to have to suffer this torment as a spectator in the lives of others?”, Logan shouted falling to his knees in frustration.

Aurelia took advantage of Wanda’s miss and lunged at her once more this time going directly for the neck. Wanda screamed in pain as she fell back to the forest floor. “Oh please let Aurelia win this. Maybe then she can go back to herself..”, Logan said hopeful. He watched as the two continued to struggle. Wanda struggled as she tried to pull Aurelia’s fangs out of her neck. Wanda. Wanda just managed to pull free from Aurelia’s vice like grip and held her hand firmly over the wound in her neck. “I’m not letting a pathetic shapeshifter mutant take me down. I am Wanda Maximoff, daughter of Erik Lehnsherr. I will not die at your filthy paws.”, Wanda snarled glaring at Aurelia who was trying to get back to her feet for another attack. “Jesus Christ who are you the Black Knight? Are ya going to say ‘it’s just a flesh wound’ next? Just die already Wanda.”, Logan shouted. He wanted this battle to finally be finished and Aurelia to be the victor. Perhaps if this Aurelia could find some piece he could return to the other world before Rose is born. He didn’t want to miss the birth even if he couldn’t fully be there.

He watched at both were short of breath, their bodies had taken quite the beating. Wanda was now bleeding from her left shoulder and the right side of her neck. Whereas Aurelia was still bleeding from her various knife wounds and probably had broken ribs. Wanda tore some of her shirt and wrapped it around her neck to try and stop the bleeding. “That’s not going to help you. She got you good, and I don’t know how far we are from civilization but I’m betting that even if you leave now you’ll have bled out before you get there.”, Logan said shaking his head. Wanda raised her hands once more putting everything she had left into creating a new hex ball. Aurelia not wanting to risk Wanda not missing lunged at her once more and sunk her teeth back into Wanda’s already bleeding neck. It was a matter of a second as Logan could hear the breaking of Wanda’s cervical vertebrae and the blast of her hex ball hitting Aurelia in the chest. It felt like slow motion as he watched on, unable to do anything, as Aurelia was blasted into the air and landed with a hard thud into the thick trunk of an oak tree. “AURELIA!”, he yelled dashing to her. He reached to try and touch her, but as always his hand went straight through. He glanced across the clearing and watched as the rising and falling of Wanda’s chest stopped. “You did it. She’s dead.”, he said turning to Aurelia. As he looked at her he could feel the tears forming in his eyes. He wasn’t a man who cried easily. It took intense and painful situations to bring him to tears. The last time he’d cried was the day that Charles and the team were shot down over the Atlantic. And now he was crying again.

Aurelia had nothing left in her and transformed back to her human form for the last time. “I did it. I finally did it Logan. Now it looks like I’m going to see you again and meet our baby…”, Aurelia said her voice soft and broken sounding like each breath caused her pain. “No…no…you can’t die. Please don’t let her die.”, Logan said reaching for her face. “I’m not dead Aurelia. I’m right here. I’m here with you. You can’t go.”, Logan said shaking his head. Not wanting to just have his hand pass through her, he ran his hand inches from her cheeks wishing he could hold her just once more. He leaned down and softly kissed her lips, his lips not fully touching hers. “There was no woman I loved greater than I love you. “, Logan whispered. He sat there on the forest floor next to her body and as a spring breeze swept through the trees it took with it her last breath. Logan brought his legs up to his chest and just held them there resting his face into them, his tears staining his jeans. “Why do the ones I truly love have to die?”, he whispered. “Please just take me back, take me back to where they are live. I want to go back to where Aurelia is alive and where Rose is due to be born.”, he said his voice cracking as he buried his face into his legs.

Description
Life carried on at its regular pace, for Logan the last three months had been a blur of mixed feelings. Mostly he just felt sad. He was happy that his friends and his family were doing well. It just killed him that he couldn’t be part of their happiness. This baby was the first pregnancy he had been around for the whole time, but despite being there he didn’t get to be part of everything. He was just the captive audience. He had to sit idle and watch as Aurelia dealt with all the changes on her own. During the day she had the management of the pub and friends and family around her to support her as she went through this. But he was the only one there late at night to watch her hug his pillow or his old leather jacket that hung in the closet and cry. No one else saw her walk into the nursery that she and Sarael had ever so carefully put together and just curl up in the overstuffed rocking chair and sing while gently rubbing her stomach.

Today during her appointment with Mikali they were finally able to get a good enough ultrasound to give a gender. They were having a daughter, their little Roselyn Elizabeth. The name held great meaning to Logan. Roselyn may be a family name for Aurelia, but the shorthand of Rose was what tugged at Logan’s heart. He didn’t name either of his older daughters Rose before, but when they were born he didn’t even fully remember his life back in Alberta. It hadn’t been till his path crossed with John that his mind was willing to unlock those old memories. Logan felt it was fitting that his youngest daughter should be given the name of the first girl he ever cared for. John was the one that had suggested the middle name of Elizabeth. It was their mother’s name, a sentimental touch but less sentimental to Logan given how distant she had been to him after John ‘died’.

That night there was a small celebration of the news that it was going to be a baby girl. After everyone else had gone John managed to hang back. “Aurelia””, John called walking into the kitchen where Aurelia was cleaning up from the impromptu celebration. “What’s up John?”, Aurelia asked managing to right herself despite the size of her belly which had grown quite a bit over the last few months. “Well as you know the restoration on the estate is ongoing. But well recently they started work on my mother’s chambers. I was rather astounded to learn that her hope chest was still there with all its contents. So I have a gift for my niece from that hope chest.”, John said taking a small box from his jacket pocket with a silk white ribbon holding it closed with a bow. Logan watched curiously, his interested had spiked at the mention of their mother’s hope chest.

“Um alright.”, Aurelia said taking the small box and opening it. She held out a simple locket that had carefully been polished, but the copper had still patinaed with age making it look even more interesting that if it was a fresh bright copper. On the front of the locket was just a simple ‘H’. “It’s very beautiful John. Are you sure about giving her this? What happens if you and Sarael have a daughter”, Aurelia asked running her thumb over the locket. “Of course I’m sure. There are a number of items in my mother’s hope chest that I can pass to any daughter or daughters I may have. Open the locket and you’ll understand why this has to go to her.”, John instructed. Logan leaned just enough to see what the locket held. “Is that?”, Aurelia asked looking at a sepia toned portrait of a woman holding a baby. “Yes that’s James. I remember the day that picture was taken. Father took it himself. And as you can see she’s wearing the locket. Our family had made their fortune in copper which is why it’s made of it. And the H..”, John explained. “Is for Howlett?”, Aurelia questioned. “Partially, it’s also for Hudson.”, John finished. “Hudson?”, Aurelia questioned. “That was our mother’s maiden name. Viper knew that because it was the great-great nephews of our mother that started the Weapon X program which made James into the Wolverine.”, John explained.

Aurelia ran her finger across the glass that protected the picture and smiled. “Elizabeth was very lovely. And who’d have thought Logan would have been such a cute baby.”, Aurelia commented with a smile. “Hey, you’ve seen my kids. Of course I was a cute kid. Where do you think they get their good looks?”, Logan defended. “It’s great John. Thank you. I’m sure she’ll love it when she’s old enough to wear it. Till then I’ll keep it safe for her.”, Aurelia said placing it carefully back into the box. “I should go catch up with Sarael. Good night.”, John said giving Aurelia a hug goodbye. With John gone Aurelia walked back to the nursery which was neutral in its design since they hadn’t known the gender before that day. Aurelia set the box carefully on top of the dresser before sitting in the overstuffed recycling rocking chair. Logan watched from the doorway as Aurelia absent mindedly rubbed her stomach. He watched as she smiled. “Hush now little Rose. I’ll sing to you. Tonight I’ll sing you a new song.”, Aurelia said still rubbing her stomach.

Logan sat down and closed his eyes waiting to hear the song of the night. “Little baby, hear my voice. I'm beside you, O maiden fair. Our young Lady, grow and see your land, your own faithful land. Sun and moon, guide us to the hour of our glory and honor. Little baby, our young Lady Noble maiden fair.”, Aurelia sang softly. Logan didn’t know this song but it was lovely. He just leaned his head back and listened as Aurelia continued to softly sing the song to their unborn daughter. As he let himself just drift listening to the song he felt a pull he hadn’t felt in many months. Something was pulling him away. He felt tightness in his chest and reached out clutching his chest. It felt like he was being split in two. “Aurelia...”, he said opening his eyes, but the nursery and his Aurelia were fading away as was the song. Everything was going blurry. “Aurelia…what’s going…on.”, he said blinking while still holding his chest. Slowly the pain in his chest disappeared and the world came back into focus. As he looked around it was easy to see he wasn’t in the nursery anymore. “Where am I?”, he questioned

Logan pulled himself up realizing he was at least in a forest. The doorway he’d been sitting in had been replaced by an old oak tree. His blue eyes darted around trying to figure out what happened, and where he’d been taken. “I need to get back to Aurelia. I’m not going to miss this baby be born like I did all the others.”, he said slamming his fist against the tree, but it went right through. “Alright so wherever I am I’m still not apparently real.”, he commented. He cocked his head to the side look at the tree he’d found himself under. “There are claw marks and..”, he said leading closer to sniff at the substance staining the tree. “Blood.”, he concluded. He looked intently at the marks. “They look like marks from a wolves claws, but not a natural wolf.”, he said thinking on this. “Aurelia!”, he shouted starting to look around. “Is she injured? What happened? Where is the baby?”, Logan said starting to look around even more. He spotted a set of tracks. “This way.”, he said before racing through the forest following the prints left in the leaves and mud.

It had been a long time since he’d run through a forest like this; it felt natural to him as he jumped over fallen trees and small brush to follow the tracks. He still wasn’t sure where he was. The only things he knew was that Aurelia was bleeding and in her wolf form. He stopped when he finally found her. A large red wolf had curled up in some underbrush having decided that was her den. Logan approached cautiously, not that he was afraid she’d do anything, heck she couldn’t see him so that wasn’t a concern. No his caution was his uncertainties of wanting know what had happened. As he got closer he could see that she’d been cut in a few spots, not too deeply so it would heal alright. He watched as she licked the wounds like any other animal would. As he watched her he realized where he was. “I’m in that other world. And you’ve gone feral. Fantastic. Where’s John? Why isn’t here around to keep you safe.”, Logan said looking around.

“Think back what was the last thing you remember happening in this world.”, Logan said tapping his temple. “Her and John had faced off against Wanda. Wanda stabbed Aurelia. Oh god the last time I was here was when Rose died before we knew she was even a Rose.”, Logan concluded. “Oh god I’ve been gone for so long here. I don’t even know if Aurelia ever came back or if John found her after she ran out.”, Logan said starting to pace. He’d spent the last months so focused on Aurelia and Rose in the other world. It’s not like he’d forgotten this world, no it still haunted him. But it was because of this world he didn’t want to leave the other; he didn’t want to risk anything happening to Rose and Aurelia there. There was a small crack of a twig in the distance and both Logan and Aurelia’s head turned to look in that direction. “OH LITTLE WOLF!? I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO PLAY?! COME ON OUT AND LET’S FINISH THIS!”, a familiar voice cackled in the distance. “Wanda…”, Logan growled.

Aurelia moved deeper into the underbrush. “At least you know you are too injured to fight her.”, Logan said glancing back to Aurelia. But as he looked at her he got a good look at her eyes. He’d seen that look in a wolf’s eyes long ago in a forest like this. He’d retreated into the forest to live like an animal the day his first Rose died. He’d faced off against a pack of wolves and he’d seen that look in their eyes. It wasn’t fear, it was anger and hunger. Whatever was left of the woman he’d loved was small and buried deep inside the dire wolf before him. “You aren’t digging in to hide. You are digging in to ambush her.”, Logan said with a sigh. “Aurelia, I wish you could hear me or see me. I’ve been in this position before. I became an animal and lost my humanity for so many years. Please don’t retrace the broken path I forged as a young man.”, Logan pleaded. Again he heard the subtle breaking of a twig, Wanda was getting closer.

“OH COME ON AURELIA! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HAS CHASED ME ALL OVER THE GLOBE THESE PAST EIGHT MONTHS! YOU WANTED THIS FINAL BATTLE!”, Wanda shouted. “Eight months? It has been a long time since I was here.”, Logan commented. “ I ‘TOOK’ YOUR LOVE, LOGAN, I KILLED YOUR BEST FRIEND SARAEL, THEN AS A CHERRY ON TOP I KILLED YOUR CHILD!”, Wanda continued trying to use her venomous words to lure Aurelia out. “YOU’VE WANTED THIS SINCE THAT NIGHT ON THE ROOF OF THE PRISON. AND I’VE WANTED THIS TOO. YOU KILLED MY LOVE, YOU CAUSED THE COLLAPSE OF MY ACOLYTES! “, Wanda shouted getting closer. “NOW FACE ME!”, Wanda shouted as she blasted away some shrubs with a hex.

As Wanda stepped out Logan got a good look at her. She didn’t look all that good either. Her hair and grown out to near her shoulders and it didn’t look like she’d worked on keeping her black and purple hair as it was now it’s natural dark brown, almost wavy like Lorna’s hair except the color of course. Her eyes looked crazed and bloodshot as if she hadn’t slept in days. Which given how she talked about Aurelia having tracked her across the world for eight months she probably hadn’t slept well. Since really how could anyone sleep well knowing that out there somewhere was a large angry wolf wanting nothing more than to rip out your throat? Her clothes looked as disheveled as she did. This was neither the Wanda he had known nor the Wanda he had seen in the other world.

This Wanda was a stark contrast to the other world. In the other world Wanda was still very collected. She was still even scheming against the X-Men by breaking ground on her ‘Lehnsherr Academy’ just a week ago. Sure to the public eye she was just an entrepreneur and the younger half sister of President Dane, whose term was coming to an end. She could put up the innocent ‘educator’ façade all she liked by Logan and the X-Men knew her true self. And looking at the Wanda of this world he could see just how deep the madness ran. He’d seen her on the cusp of madness at the prison with each day he refused to break under her torture. But what he saw before him she didn’t just fall into madness it was like she had dived head first into the deepest darkest part of her insanity.

Logan’s claws popped out as Wanda started getting closer. Forgetting that he can’t be see and he can’t affect anything he stood in front of the bushed which Aurelia was under as if he could protect her from Wanda. “This feels kind of familiar. I got here by standing between you and the woman I love. Hell I don’t even know how much of the woman I love is left in that wolf, but I gotta try.”, Logan said taking a stance ready to attack. “Please, universe let me do something. Let me protect her somehow.”, he pleaded. But it didn’t matter once Wanda was in the right position Aurelia leapt out and bite down hard onto her shoulder gnawing at her. Wanda fell back under the weight of Aurelia as she’d been caught off guard. “OUCH!!!!”, Wanda screamed in pain as Aurelia continued to bite down on her neck.

Logan could do nothing to stop the fight. He wanted nothing more than to just get involved and either help Aurelia kill Wanda or at the least ensure that Aurelia didn’t get killed. That was his greatest fear as he watched the two struggled on the forest floor. They’d already lost Rose in this world; he couldn’t bear to lose Aurelia too. Wanda had managed to strike a blow with a hex into Aurelia’s side causing her to release her grip on Wanda’s shoulders. “Get off me..”, Wanda painted shoving Aurelia away. Aurelia skidded to a stop and winced, letting out a small cry of pain, as she tried to get back onto her four feet. “Aurelia..”, Logan said turning his head to look at her. “You’re really hurt. Please don’t fight her now. Run, heal before you face her.”, Logan pleaded. “I know I’m not one to run from a fight, but you don’t have my healing factor. I don’t have to back down or run from fights. You do. Please, live to fight another day.”, Logan continued his words going on heard.

Wanda started to laugh as she managed to get to her feet, holding onto the bleeding wound left by Aurelia’s fangs. “I’m going to kill you wolf.”, Wanda panted out of breath. Logan’s head swiveled to look back at Wanda as she started to stumble forward bringing her hands up for another hex blast. “I’ll send you to hell where I probably sent Logan.”, Wanda cackled. Aurelia pulled herself to her paws, just barely, and started to growl. In Wanda’s hands a hex ball had formed and she went to throw it directly at Aurelia. “STOP!”, Logan yelled lunging at Wanda, his mind not caring or even thinking about his lack of existence. He couldn’t just let Wanda kill Aurelia. He had to try to do something. As he shoved at Wanda, he fell straight through but as he hit the forest floor he managed to actually grab Wanda’s ankle causing her to stumble and the hex ball just missing Aurelia’s head. “What the..”, Wanda said in anger. “I won’t miss next time.”, Wanda said shaking it off as if it was just from fatigue.

Logan scrambled back to his feet looking from Wanda to his hand. “I…I interacted with this world. Alright let’s see if I can do this again. I need to focus everything I have. “, he said popping his claws back out. “I won’t let her kill you, Aurelia. I can’t let you die.”, Logan said taking a stance behind Wanda. He swung out again and again trying to claw at Wanda, but whatever had happened before wasn’t happening again. “Why!? Why do you fuck with me? You make me watch all of this, but why? What does this do? What are you trying to prove to me? Is this really just my own personal hell like Wanda said? Did she send me to hell? Because I really believe it. You show me all this pain and suffering here in this world and in the other you show me great joy but in both situations I can’t be part of it. I can’t do anything to protect the woman I love. I can’t do anything to be there for my new daughter. How long am I going to have to suffer this torment as a spectator in the lives of others?”, Logan shouted falling to his knees in frustration.

Aurelia took advantage of Wanda’s miss and lunged at her once more this time going directly for the neck. Wanda screamed in pain as she fell back to the forest floor. “Oh please let Aurelia win this. Maybe then she can go back to herself..”, Logan said hopeful. He watched as the two continued to struggle. Wanda struggled as she tried to pull Aurelia’s fangs out of her neck. Wanda. Wanda just managed to pull free from Aurelia’s vice like grip and held her hand firmly over the wound in her neck. “I’m not letting a pathetic shapeshifter mutant take me down. I am Wanda Maximoff, daughter of Erik Lehnsherr. I will not die at your filthy paws.”, Wanda snarled glaring at Aurelia who was trying to get back to her feet for another attack. “Jesus Christ who are you the Black Knight? Are ya going to say ‘it’s just a flesh wound’ next? Just die already Wanda.”, Logan shouted. He wanted this battle to finally be finished and Aurelia to be the victor. Perhaps if this Aurelia could find some piece he could return to the other world before Rose is born. He didn’t want to miss the birth even if he couldn’t fully be there.

He watched at both were short of breath, their bodies had taken quite the beating. Wanda was now bleeding from her left shoulder and the right side of her neck. Whereas Aurelia was still bleeding from her various knife wounds and probably had broken ribs. Wanda tore some of her shirt and wrapped it around her neck to try and stop the bleeding. “That’s not going to help you. She got you good, and I don’t know how far we are from civilization but I’m betting that even if you leave now you’ll have bled out before you get there.”, Logan said shaking his head. Wanda raised her hands once more putting everything she had left into creating a new hex ball. Aurelia not wanting to risk Wanda not missing lunged at her once more and sunk her teeth back into Wanda’s already bleeding neck. It was a matter of a second as Logan could hear the breaking of Wanda’s cervical vertebrae and the blast of her hex ball hitting Aurelia in the chest. It felt like slow motion as he watched on, unable to do anything, as Aurelia was blasted into the air and landed with a hard thud into the thick trunk of an oak tree. “AURELIA!”, he yelled dashing to her. He reached to try and touch her, but as always his hand went straight through. He glanced across the clearing and watched as the rising and falling of Wanda’s chest stopped. “You did it. She’s dead.”, he said turning to Aurelia. As he looked at her he could feel the tears forming in his eyes. He wasn’t a man who cried easily. It took intense and painful situations to bring him to tears. The last time he’d cried was the day that Charles and the team were shot down over the Atlantic. And now he was crying again.

Aurelia had nothing left in her and transformed back to her human form for the last time. “I did it. I finally did it Logan. Now it looks like I’m going to see you again and meet our baby…”, Aurelia said her voice soft and broken sounding like each breath caused her pain. “No…no…you can’t die. Please don’t let her die.”, Logan said reaching for her face. “I’m not dead Aurelia. I’m right here. I’m here with you. You can’t go.”, Logan said shaking his head. Not wanting to just have his hand pass through her, he ran his hand inches from her cheeks wishing he could hold her just once more. He leaned down and softly kissed her lips, his lips not fully touching hers. “There was no woman I loved greater than I love you. “, Logan whispered. He sat there on the forest floor next to her body and as a spring breeze swept through the trees it took with it her last breath. Logan brought his legs up to his chest and just held them there resting his face into them, his tears staining his jeans. “Why do the ones I truly love have to die?”, he whispered. “Please just take me back, take me back to where they are live. I want to go back to where Aurelia is alive and where Rose is due to be born.”, he said his voice cracking as he buried his face into his legs.