�Logan.�

Logan turned at the sound of the Professor�s voice. He stood in the hall outside of the Med Lab waiting for Hank to finish with Gin. When he saw the Professor, he pushed off from the wall and walked down to meet him.

�What happened?� Xavier asked.

Logan sighed. He had told Xavier about Regina just after he had run into her again. So far they were the only two in the Mansion who knew about her and who she was, but Logan knew that was about to change.

�He found out I had lunch with her yesterday,� Logan said.

�How bad is it?�

�Don�t know. Hank�s still lookin at her.�

Logan glanced down at the door to the Med Lab, silently wishing he knew what was going on. Xavier followed his line of vision, his thoughts echoing those of Logan�s.

�Do you think she will stay here?� Xavier asked, even though he already knew the answer.

Logan shook his head.

�She insists we need the info she can get us,� he said, crossing his arms over his chest, �She won�t stay here.�

�Maybe not,� Xavier said, �But I doubt she will go back either.�

Logan looked at him. He wished he could believe that. She had gone back so many times, but then none of the previous beatings had been this bad. He allowed himself a moment of hope. Maybe, just maybe....

�Well,� Xavier said, interrupting his thoughts, �Let�s go talk to her.�

Logan nodded, then followed him down the hall to the Med Lab.

* * * * * * * *

�How many are broken?� Regina asked.

Hank turned and looked at her, his large brown eyes hiding any emotion.

�Amazingly none,� he said, �However, three of them are fractured. Had your assailant not stopped when he did you would have most likely sustained a punctured lung as well as three broken ribs. You are indeed quite lucky.�

Regina smiled. She didn�t feel lucky, she felt like a walking punch bag. Everything hurt, and she had bruises everywhere. She would take a broken bone or two over this any day. She looked up when she heard the door open and smiled softly at the Professor and Logan, trying to hide the pain she felt. She had always smiled through everything hoping that it would make things better, but lately it didn�t seem to work as well as it used to.

She watched as Xavier went over to talk to Hank, and Logan came and stood next to her.

�How bad?� he asked.

�Three fractured ribs,� she said with a shrug, �Nothing I haven�t been through before.�

She flinched as pain shot through her body, every muscle protesting the simple move of her shoulders. She had never hurt this bad after one of Victor�s beatings.

�You can�t go back,� Logan said.

She smiled up at him. He cared so much, but he would never show it. That was just him. Keeping it all bottled up inside, never letting it out unless it was in one of his berserker rages. That was how he kept it all under control. She didn�t understand it, but it seemed to work for him.

�No,� she said, �I can�t. But I can�t stay here either.�

�Then where?� he asked.

She shrugged. The club had a small living space in the rear near the offices, but she would not stay there either. It would be too easy for Victor to find her. There was the cabin though. Victor didn�t know about it, in fact no one did.

�I have a place,� she said softly, �I�ll be fine Logan, trust me.�

With that she got up and walked over to where the Professor stood talking to Hank. They did not understand what was at stake here. Magneto was up to something, she knew it by the reports she had gotten lately. They needed her on the inside to get the info they would need to stop him. She knew that Logan didn�t understand her sacrifice, but that was ok. As long as she knew, and as long as it made a difference, it was worth it.

�Professor,� Regina said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Charles Xavier turned around to face her, his eyes soft.

�I need to go,� she said, �Victor will be looking for me. I do not want him to find me here. It would be bad for all of us.�

Xavier looked at her and nodded. He knew she was right, even though he wished she would stay.

�Be careful,� he said.

�I will,� she smiled, �And thank you.�

Without another word to any of them she turned and walked out of the room.

* * * * * * * *

Mike stood behind the bar cleaning and putting away the glasses from the night�s business. He looked up as the door opened and almost dropped the glass he was drying.

�What the hell.� he said, jumping over the bar and coming toward Regina.

She put up her hand to stop him as she crossed the now empty dance floor toward the stairs to her office.

�I�m fine,� she said, �Has he been here?�

�No,� Mike said, his eyes following her across the floor, �I aint seen him since you threw that other guy out a week ago.�

�Good,� Regina said with a smile, �Can you do me a favor?�

Mike looked up at her, a smile crossing his face.

�Anything.�

�If he does come in here looking for me, throw his ass right back out again.�

The smile on Mike�s face broadened.

�You have my word on that,� he said as she disappeared through the door into her office.

She tossed her keys and purse on the desk, then went over to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink. She didn�t turn around as she downed the glass of scotch, she didn�t have to. She knew he was there the minute she had stepped into the room.

�He is starting to get careless,� he said, his voice deep.

�It took you this long to notice?� she hissed.

She put the glass down and turned to look at Magnus as he stood next to her desk. He was dressed in street clothes, which kinda surprised her. She had never seen him in anything but his fighting outfit.

�How did Charles�s people treat you?�

�Same as usual,� she said softly, �Tried to get me to stay.�

�Why didn�t you?� he asked, his voice becoming dangerously low.

�Cause the last thing I need is to have them looking over my shoulder every ten minutes,� she lied.

Magneto stepped forward and grabbed her by the arm, his figures digging into her skin even through the fabric of her sweater.

�I know more than you think I know Regina,� he hissed, his accent all but lost in his anger, �I am simply warning you. The next time they offer you protection, you should take it. I may not step in and stop Victor the next time, and I will not stand for traitors. If one more piece of information mysteriously finds it�s way into Charles� hands, Victor will be the least of your worries.�

He released her, then without another word turned on his heal and left the room, leaving Regina alone with her thoughts.