The Wolf and The Wolverine book 3: Promises Of Morrow

Chapter 14: Rising Heat

"Logan I won't let you go alone!" I shouted as I watched him walk around the house gathering parts of his uniform from the X-Men. "I'm not going alone, I'm taking Barton with me." That shut me up for the moment. "Logan what about keeping us safe? You said yourself-" "I know what I said." He cut me off, remorse and guilt in his eyes. "If we didn't move here Hayley would be at home right now arguing with her family." He slung a bag over his back as his shoulders squared. "This is our mess. I'm going to get her back."

Everything else was a blur after I said goodbye to him that night. I was afraid. Him dying wasn't a fear of mine, it was never coming back. Creed had a way of breaking Logan a few different ways. I didn't want to know what would happen to Clint and Logan. They left at sunset that night. After I had gone through the motions of taking a hot shower, drinking tea, and reading a bit before I went to bed. I didn't sleep well that night.

_

Clint had followed Logan as he tracked the brothers through the Canadian wilderness. The stink of their motorcycles leading the two former heroes to their dimly lit camp of drunken bikers. "Let's move in after they start falling down," Clint suggested adjusting his bow and a few arrows that he'd had left from the city. "My plan exactly," Logan replied as they stayed low on the ridge. Some time passed as they listened to the bikers cuss and do stupid crap through the night, sometimes they heard Hayley fiercely fighting against Creed, after which he'd haul off and smack the girl across the face and Victor would walk out into a silenced camp. Though that never lasted long as they start talking and partying again. This went on for several hours until a few started to fall down drunk, or they decided it was time to hit the hay.

"Now's a better time than ever Wolvie." Clint poked at Logan with his nickname, that besides me, Logan hated everyone calling him. Logan grabbed his shoulder and pulled Clint back. "I have something to ask of ya' first." Logan's tone was stern, serious, and sober. Clint had either only heard him serious, or angry. This had caught him off guard and made him stare at Logan. "Shoot Logan." Logan's cowl was pulled over his face, covering any expressions, making him seem more stoic. "Promise me, that if anything happens to me, that you'll take care of Red, and the baby. I can't die, but if I get taken down, or something whatever else like getting shot into a dimension somehow. Promise me you'll be there for her like I would. She deserves better, and she got me. Raise that kid how I would, and make sure my wife doesn't cry, or I'll have your hide." Logan's voice hadn't been so grievous, at least from the time that Clint had known Logan. Clint nodded a bit before answering. "I promise I'll take care of her. Though, won't let you get off so easily from raising that kid." He jabbed Logan in the ribs. Logan sneered a bit at that. "Don't get too comfortable Barton. He warned with his usual growl overcoming every word.

_

Like a bad dream, I found myself waking up, and Logan wasn't in the bed. I rubbed my face staring into the darkness as I looked over and saw the moonlight streaming through the curtains. Feeling the feet of my child skim under my skin I got up and placed a hand on my back then on my stomach. I was due any day now, and Logan was on baby watch before any of this had happened. The guilt of not saving, or at least helping Hayley burned in my chest like a dying star. I was so heartbroken that all I could think of was the reasons I should've risked everything and helped her. Then I felt the foot again as if my baby was reminding me. I gave a half-grin as I sighed. I went to the window, drawing the curtains open. My eyes widened, as a black shadow swallowed me up and a white toothy and fanged smile returned by my scream of horror.

_

The camp was relatively quiet now and that put Logan more on edge than ever. Clint felt it too, though they were already halfway through the grounds as they stood in front of Victor Creed's tent. The flaps of the tent were loose and waved in the gusts of wind. Unsheathing his claws slowly, Logan crept into the tent, the glint of the adamantium almost glowing in the pitch black of night. There was labored breathing from inside the tent. They struggled and sounded like they gurgled as they took a breath. Clint clicked a mini flashlight on, shining it in the direction of the breathing. It was of course Hayley. Her head hung almost to her lap. Her face stained in her own blood as she was gagged and tied to a pole in the center of the tent. Logan didn't waste any time cutting away the rope which bound her hands. Picking her up and holding her barely conscience form they walked out of the camp unnoticed. This Gave Logan a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, it was never this easy.

_

After Wolverine and Hawkeye dropped Hayley off at the general hospital of the trinity area They both went back to the house. The whole time Logan was dead quiet, which in turn set Clint on edge as well. "Is there a reason why you're so chatty?" Logan gripped the steering wheel and kept his eyes glued to the road. "Somethin's not right. It's never that easy. Creed has somethin' up his sleeve I just-" The thought hit him like a train. "I'm a damn fool." He stepped on the gas as dirt flung from the tires of the truck as his pace became hurried.

It wasn't long until Logan got home and saw the house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. That is until he stepped out of the truck. The smell of blood hitting his senses like when you walk into a meat market. The scent of copper and the warm feeling of that scent followed. It made Logan panic and enraged at the thought of Creed doing anything to his unborn child and wife. Though, he didn't smell him anywhere.

Logan burst through the door entering the dark house. Blood was trailed through the living room, the thick smell permeating the space. Logan swallowed as he could feel fear and anger rising up. One by one he checked the rooms. Blood in some of them, others not. Although there didn't seem to be any struggle, especially where the blood was. it was mostly on the floor, in drops or like in front of the bathroom a small puddle. "Logan!" A shout came from the bedroom. Scared, pained, and a bit of a sob. His claws retracted as he swung the door open.

_

The pain was incredibly unbearable. My water broke after I had woken up from that nightmare and Labor had set in. It wasn't like the books said. I wasn't slowly progressing. I was in pain from when my water had broke till Logan walked through the door. I sobbed as I tried to get ahold of myself. "I don't know what's wrong!" Panic was evident in my voice as he looked at me with a stoic face but worried eyes. My nightgown was stained from my hips down in red. My arms wrapped around my midsection as I rocked back and forth on the wooden floor, straining to keep from screaming in pain and panicking even more. Logan's shock had worn off long enough for him to kneel next to me and realizing what was happening. "It's going to be alright." Was all he got out as he scooped me up in his arms and placed me on his side of the bed which was free of blood and the fluid of my water. "CLINT!" Logan shouted back to the man who'd stayed on the porch. He clambered down the hall with his heavy boots and met Logan in the back room. "What's, holy mother of-" I felt the heat rising in me again as another wave of pain rose to its peak like a powerful ache and squeeze. "NOT THE TIME BARTON!!" I snapped and immediately moaned after in pain gripping the bedsheets. "What am I supposed to do?" Clint asked frozen. "Watch her, I need to walk the house again."

Logan did just that, claws out, and everything as he checked every closet and corner of the house. Meanwhile, Clint gave me his hand, and I squeezed. The heat I'd felt coming from my body was intense, the pain was unlike anything I could describe. Being experimented on was a cakewalk compared to this. I did my best to breathe slowly and deeply but that was always interrupted by the next contraction which would have me almost screaming and howling in pain. Logan came back soon after, taking Clint's place at my side. "There's blankets down the hall, get some towels." He said seriously as his other hand rested on my cheek while he brushed the hair from my face. "You're doing great." Was all he said in a low and worried voice.