�

Regina could hear him stomping through the house, his breathing labored, telling her he was mad. She crouched down, trying to disappear into the floor behind the couch. She had her shield up so he couldn�t smell her, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he found her.

�Where are you Gin?� he roared, �I know you saw him. Mark told me all about it.�

Regina cringed when she heard the man�s name. She had known Mark for almost three years now, and she didn�t like him anymore now than she did when she first met him. He was always trying to get something from her, and most times he went through Victor to get it. His attempts at this usually only got her more broken bones.

�GIN!!!�

His roar broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the all to real present. Oh how she wished she could just sink right through the floor. Why did she stay here? Why did she keep putting herself in harm�s way?

Suddenly the couch she was hiding behind was tossed across the room landing against the far wall with a loud crash. She looked up to see her brother staring down at her, his amber eyes filled with anger and hatred. His large hand snaked out and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her into the air. She gasped for breath as his grip tightened around her throat, cutting off her air supply. An evil grin split his lips as he pulled her closer to him, his face only inches from hers.

�What did you say to him?� he growled, �What did you tell him?�

�N...nothing,� she croaked.

�Don�t lie to me,� he roared and threw her against the far wall.

She hit the wall about halfway up and slid down it till she was lying on the floor gasping for breath. She heard Victor walk over to her, and felt him pick her up yet again.

�Please,� she said, �I didn�t do anything Victor. Honest, I didn�t do anything.�

With another roar, Victor tossed her into the other wall. This time her head hit the wall first, her body falling limply to the floor as the darkness crept into her vision. The last thing she saw was Victor glaring at her from across the room.

* * * * * * * *

Regina sat straight up in bed, the memory of the dream still fresh in her mind. It seemed so real. Her body even believed that it was real, she ached all over. Her head hurt, her mouth was dry, and her body felt as if it truly had been tossed in several directions.

Gingerly she got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom where she flipped on the light and started to run some water in the sink. She grabbed a washcloth off the rack and got it wet, then ran the cloth over her face removing the layer of sweat her dream had left behind. When she finished she looked up into the mirror and gasped at what she saw.

There were large bruises on her neck, and another along the side of her face. The dream had not been a dream, it had really happened. She fought the tears that threatened to come. She couldn�t do this anymore. One of these days he was going to kill her, she knew it. She had to get out of here, and she had to do it tonight.

With the little energy she had left, she used her powers to create a dampening field around herself and the entire house. All around her she heard the sounds begin to dwindle, then cease completely. It was like walking through a silent movie, no sound at all. This was the second of her powers to manifest itself the night her parents died. The first had been her shield, which had saved her life. Unfortunately she had not been able to do anything for her parents.

She turned and limped out of the bathroom and back into her room. She got dressed as quickly as she could, grabbed her keys and her purse, then made her way down the hall and out the front door. The Jet Black Dodge Viper sat silently in the driveway, it�s sleek body seemingly out of place against the hard lines of the surrounding houses.

In the complete silence, Regina opened the door, got in and then put the keys in the ignition. She watched the lights on the dash come on, then she turned the keys further to start the car. She watched as the single remaining light went out, telling her that the engine had been started. She liked the sound of the engine when it started, but she couldn�t afford that right now. If Victor knew she was leaving he would kill her for sure, especially when he found out where she was going.

Logan�s appearance at the club the other night had told her one thing, he still cared what happened to her. Which also meant that his offer still stood, a place to stay that was safe, a place without fear of Victor. She wasn�t sure she could take it, but she had to do something.

Without another thought about it Regina put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway, headed for Westchester, and the only person she knew could help her.

* * * * * * * *

Jean was on her way up to bed for the fifth time that night when she heard someone knock on the door.

�I�m never gonna make it to sleep tonight,� she said softly as she descended the stairs to the door.

With a small sigh, she turned the handle and opened the door. Jean almost gasped at the sight of the woman who stood on the other side. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a loose white sweater that looked like you could fit two of her in it. Jean�s eyes were drawn to the woman�s face where a large purple bruise dominated her left cheek. There also appeared to be some bruises around her neck.

�I...is Logan here?� she girl stammered.

Jean was taken aback a bit, but she recovered quickly and invited the girl inside. As she started to close the door she caught site of Gambit coming down the hall.

�Gambit,� she said, �Can you run upstairs and tell Logan that he has a visitor?�

Gambit simply nodded, but as he walked past them, he caught a glimpse of the girl. Recognition flashed across his face, and he made a mad dash up the stairs. He knocked on Logan�s door, just to get a curt, �What?� from inside. He opened it to find Logan standing next to the bed, his shirt in one hand as if he was just getting ready for bed.

�I tink ya betta come down here,� Gambit said, �Dat girl from de club de oder night is here ta see ya, and she look beet up, bad.�

Logan growled, then put his shirt back on and headed down the hall after the Cajun.

Jean had taken the girl into the kitchen and offered her something to drink, but she had refused.

�Her throat probably hurts too bad to drink anything�, Jean thought.

She was about to ask her a question when Logan stormed into the kitchen. The girl stood straight up and stared at him, shame in her eyes.

�Flammin hell Gin,� he hissed, �Cajun, go get Hank. NOW!�

Gambit disappeared down the hall again, after muttering something about being a messenger boy. Jean looked over at the girl who looked on the verge of tears, then back at Logan.

�What happened?� Logan asked.

�He found out about lunch yesterday,� Gin said softly, �Mark told him.�

Logan growled again, and Gin involuntarily flinched.

�I�m gonna kill that little weasel,� Logan said, then he walked over to her, �Does he know where you are?�

Gin shook her head.

�When I left he was sleepin,� she said, �I used the dampening field to sneak out.�

He took her hand and then looked at Jean.

�I need to get her down to the Lab so Hank can look at her,� he said, �Can you get Chuck and have him meet us down there?�

Jean nodded, then went to get the professor.

�This time it has to be fer good Gin,� he said, �No turnin back, no goin back. If you do he�ll kill you.�

�You need me there Logan,� she said, looking up at him, �I can give you information that no one else can. I can�t just up and leave.�

�And you can�t stay.� he said forcefully, �He�s gonna kill you one day.�

�As long as it is only me then I can live with that...�

�I can�t,� he said.