Disclaimers: Splash

Sorrow After Sins:

Part 3

Do you laugh when I fall?

Sabretooth stood against a wall. All around him, fires, shouting, and the ratatat of gunfire filled his ears. He didn't move, he didn't know if he could. He no longer knew if what he saw was real or not. The pain crept into him, but it wasn't enough to bring him into the glow of his rages, it was more than enough to make him question everything.

He saw, or at least thought he saw, the black jet the X-Men use all the time, minutes ago. That jet was just the thing he had needed. The 7 guards that once surrounded him had been distracted, leaving Kitty alone. Off they went to fight the intruders. Kitty's strength was depleted as he ran away from them, unnoticed by any guards. Against the wall is where he rested with hardly enough strength to make it to the next building that lay only 20 feet away. He had to force himself to ignore the intense pain for a chance at escaping this hell hole. It was the only thing his instincts demanded, and that's all Kitty was running on, raw survival instincts.

*

Wolverine rounded the first of two warehouses near the Genoshian slave-camp's loading docks. His keen sense of smell had picked up a very familiar scent. Expecting to find a murderous hell-bent psychopath any second, he popped his claws. SNIKT! Six adamantium claws that stemmed twelve inches from between each knuckle, three on each hand, they were Wolverine's most feared assets, and he liked it that way.

Wolverine stalked around a new corner heading to the wide lane between the two warehouses, his alert senses told him trouble loomed ahead. Wolverine was prepared for that, he liked trouble, but he wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted him. At the other end of the building, leaning heavily against the tin siding, stood none other than Victor Creed, more commonly known as Sabretooth.

Wolverine growled as he slowly, cautiously, crept towards his long time foe, who looked like he had just climbed out of a trash bin. As Wolverine got closer he got a better look at Sabretooth and noticed that he was in very bad shape. To Wolverine, the thought of someone stuffing Sabretooth into a blender, turned the thing on high, then poured him out came to mind. Suppressing a chuckle at the mental image Wolverine stopped a few feet from the dazed man. It'd been well near two full years since anyone had seen tooth or claw of Creed. Wolverine wasn't too keen on finding his enemy here, in some sort of mutant slave camp, he wasn't really glad to see Creed period. Wolverine would rather of found Sabretooth decapitated and decomposing.

Looking into the large distant black eyes of Sabretooth, Wolverine couldn't help but shudder. Something was wrong, the blood that covered Sabretooth distracted Wolverine's nose. But, the way Sabretooth looked, from blood covered feet to vacant eyes, Wolverine knew something was more than just a little wrong. Waving a clawed hand in front of the taller beast's face, the black eyes didn't follow the shiny silver, nor did Sabretooth flinch as Wolverine lightly touched the other man's shoulder. If Creed saw anything or felt anything he never acknowledged it. It was unnatural for Sabretooth to be so distraught. Wolverine retracted his claws with a SNIKT!

Wolverine took in the pitiful condition of his foe standing in the shadow of the warehouse. Burnt, bloody, and hopefully that was mud caked hair. Face was cut and swelled, his beard also matted and dirty, shredded clothing full of blood hung loosely from Sabretooth's smaller frame. Sniffing, Wolverine concluded that most of the blood was Sabretooth's, as well as the man hadn't showered in months. 'Phew Creed, what did you get into?' Wolverine thought. The undertone of fresh blood caught Wolverine's attention. Creed was still bleeding; it ran down his body, mostly soaking his legs deep crimson. Sabretooth wasn't healing what so ever.

"Creed?" Wolverine croaked hoarsely as he stared at the man, who looked so fragile, so lost, so contrast to everything Sabretooth was or rather is. Wolverine knew that Genosha had been in political turmoil for the last few years, it increased after some dispute over an Iraqi plane crash. He didn't know how much Sabretooth was apart of the dispute if even at all, but Wolverine was positive that whatever trouble the big feral man had got into with Genosha, it was now over.

The itch behind each knuckle from the claws hidden beneath the skin burned to be popped, to slice up his long time enemy but Wolverine held back. Before the X-Men, he wouldn't have given it a second thought, but now after years with the X-Men and years of being fed Charles morals that have crept into his head, it wasn't Wolverine's style anymore. It took a few minutes but finally Sabretooth turned his head to stare blankly at Wolverine.

Wolverine watched as Sabretooth slowly and tentatively put one foot in front of the other, taking one small step at a time. Testing each foothold, Sabretooth walked with a profound limp to Wolverine. Wolverine watched as big vacant eyes stared off while sniffling. Wolverine doubted Creed could even smell as blood slowly oozed over his lips. A red light flashed under Sabretooth's chin. 'Inhibitor collar. No wonder he ain't healin'.' Logan thought to himself as Sabretooth limped past him, then stopped. Turning Sabretooth stood and reached out for Wolverine. Sabretooth's blood-soaked hands ran themselves down the yellow spandex uniform of the X-Men. So careful did the callused hands touch Wolverine's shoulders, as if it were valuable china.

"Real?" The hoarse dry voice of Creeds asked.

"I better as hell be real." Wolverine snapped back, flipping the hands off of his uniform. Wolverine smirked, the look on Creed's face was priceless.

Sabretooth swayed slightly then grabbed onto Wolverine's uniform once more.

Wolverine grabbed Sabretooth's shoulders as the big man sank to his knees, his hands hugging the X-Man's waist, then his head lulled heavily against the yellow spandex clad leg. Wolverine tilted his head contemplating if this was Creed's way of asking for death, but then Wolverine then noticed the slow soft breathing; Sabretooth had slipped into unconsciousness.

Rogue's scream echoing off the aluminum siding of the storage buildings brought Wolverine back to the task at hand.

****

Storm with her arms raised above her head shouted, "Winds I summon thee! Take this filth out to sea!" Strong hurricane winds dove down from the skies and swept guards of the Genoshian government out into the crashing waves of the sea, that the base was on the shore of.

About 50 Genoshian workers, or in more appropriate terms, 50 Mutant slaves retaliated on the guards and praised the X-Men. A few of the mutants fled however. Wolverine was assigned to herd them up for liberation.

Cyclops fired his red eye beams at a sentinel determined to snuff out all mutant life forms. The big robot's head shot off and crashed far away into a Genoshian government building. The body fell crashing down on top of an empty medical building within the compound. Explosions rocked as various chemicals rose to the sky in billows of thick black clouds. A yellow canister with the picture of a clown face plastered on it, shot up into the sky and crashed just meters from the Blackbird. The yellow canister leaked its contents into the air, invisible to the naked eye, but powerful to any dry humored person.

Jean screamed as she fought a guard meters from Cyclops. The guard she was fighting had placed an inhibitor collar around her neck. She turned around and gave him a good heel in crotch. From behind her, a red beam of light slammed into the guard's chest. The man went sailing across the beach and landed with a triumphant splash in the ocean.

"Wolverine!" Rogue's voice shouted across the destroyed compound.

From the shadows of the warehouse emerged Wolverine, over his shoulders being carried like a lamb was a very banged up Sabretooth.

"Whaddaya want darlin'?" He grunted hoisting the prone body of Sabretooth up some.

Storm flew down from her sky bound position. "Is he alive, Wolverine?" She asked as her feet touched the hard earth.

" 'Fore he passed out, yup." Wolverine grunted as he walked to the Blackbird. The yellow spandex clad X-Men carefully placed Sabretooth down in a corner. Blood covered Wolverine's shoulders, back of his neck, and hands.

The rest of the X-Men piled on into the jet as the Genoshian slaves had been freed and fled the island already.

"You planning on doing something with him?" Jean questioned Logan.

SNIKT! SNIKT! Wolverine popped his claws.

"Yeah getting some answers." He growled. Three adamantium claws stuck against the Genoshian inhibitor collar. The sound of metal against metal rang out in the cockpit. Wolverine growled, as he sliced at the collar once more. "RRRR Dammit!"

"Wolverine, what is the matter?" Storm asked as she walked over to the crouched mutant.

Wolverine stood up and face Storm. "Did ya happen ta get the collars off the other mutants?"

No one responded.

Wolverine chuckled.

Jean tugged at hers, she then burst out laughing.

Storm giggled as she took her seat at the front of the jet, for the long journey back.

*

Wolverine crouched in the back of the Blackbird. With the bright lights of the interior there was no hiding in shadows the horror that plagued Sabretooth's body. What Wolverine didn't see back at the compound he now saw in the Blackbird.

The pitiful sight of Sabretooth, huddled back into a corner with practically every bone in his body showing, huge black eyes staring frightened. Hair extremely filthy and matted. If one didn't know it was blond, one wouldn't know it now. Sabretooth's face slack of emotion other than fear; the swelling of his jaw and the large bruises on his throat took away the hollowness that his face would have had without them. Bruises and infected cuts plagued Sabretooth's filthy body. Wolverine reached out slowly taking a hold of Sabretooth's shoulder, who in turn tried to cram himself further against the wall. The man once known for fierceness whimpered like a lost pup. Wolverine took his hand back and stood up as the blood soaked into his boot treads. The rest of the X-Men ignored Wolverine and their passenger.

It seemed odd to him, that they giggled and talked about the latest battle as if it had been a training session rather than a mission. Wolverine got a faint whiff of laughing gas. Shrugging it off, he listened to the conversations up front while watching Sabretooth cower. To Wolverine it looked like they all seemed a little hyper, then as if out of boredom, the Blackbird's crew started to talk about how the school had too many students and not enough X-Men as teachers.

The topic then turned when Cyclops looked back at Wolverine, who looked puzzled at them all.

"When will he wake up?" Cyclops asked from the pilot's seat.

"He's pretty much awake now." Wolverine replied, looking down at the cowering Sabretooth.

"Bet you he'll claw you once he gets his bearings." Jean giggled.

Furrowing his brow, Wolverine smirked dangerously. "Twenty dollars says he claws me in ten minutes."

"You're on." Cyclops said taking the bet.

"Count me in." Came Rogue's voice.

"Me too." Jean nodded, then giggled as they all started to laugh.

*******

The Blackbird landed in the X-Mansion's underground hanger. Wolverine stayed inside the Blackbird waiting for some help to get Sabretooth up, as the rest of the X-Men headed out the door. Wolverine kept his distance as the scent of fear rolled off Creed in waves. Keeping an ear to the door, Wolverine heard Beast's voice greet his comrades as they disembarked the jet.

"I expect your mission was a success?" Beast inquired.

"Not one bit my hairy blue friend." Jean's voice giggled.

"A failure?" Xavier's voice gasped.

Storm giggled "We freed all the slaves."

"We missed taking off their collars though." Scott chuckled finishing Storm's sentence.

Wolverine heard Xavier's voice ask. "Who is our guest?"

Scott seemed to sound normal to Wolverine when came the reply. "Sabretooth."

Wolverine didn't realize that he had stopped paying attention to Sabretooth, until a sharp pain raked across his leg. Wolverine growled in surprise as he looked down at the frightened but angry Creed.

"Right on time. Looks like we all owe Wolverine." Storm's voice giggled once more filling Wolverine's ears.

" That was 20 cents each right?" Jean's humored voice asked.

"No, no 20 buttons each." Rouge giggled.

Wolverine marveled to himself about her, she had grown so much in the last few years.

"It was 20 lint balls and don't you forget it." Scott's voice rang out mocking Wolverine's own voice.

As Laughter filled the hanger Wolverine swore he was going to get one eye back for that one.

"I am afraid I am going to have you in my lab Jean. I can't seem to get this collar off." Wolverine heard Beast sigh.

"Oh not to worry Hank. Figure it out on your other patient then please call me down." Jean said.

"We have classes to attend. " Storm said as footsteps echoed in the hanger.

"Are you sure we teach them sugar?" Rogue asked as a door opened.

"Maybe we should just attend them and *learn* how to act mature." Scott laughed as someone started to run.

Jean giggled loudly as more running steps sounded finally fading away as a door swung shut.

Wolverine stood in the entrance of the Blackbird, the door leading out of the hanger bumped against its padded frame. Two claw marks ripped in his yellow spandex costume stood out on his leg.

"Logan, are you alright?" Beast asked seeing the blood on his comrade.

"Oh dandy Hank, I just happen to be owed 80 dollars." Logan muttered as he pulled back his Wolverine mask.

"Sounded like 80 lint balls, to me, Canucklehead." Iceman, also known as Bobby Drake, said.

Wolverine chuckled. "Shut up."

Xavier's hover chair moved towards the jet. "Mind bringing your guest out, Logan?" He asked.

Wolverine motioned for Beast to help. The two vanished into the jet.

Beast followed Logan into the Blackbird.

"Oh�my" Hank, more known as Beast, muttered in shock as he saw the large eyes of Sabretooth, the fear in them, the condition of him, the blood that was slowly staining and soaking his legs. Hank followed the blood trail, the most part of it stopped� or more apt, started at the man's thighs and crotch, the rest trailed down his chest and back, as well as a deep gash to his head.

Wolverine stood back watching the blue furred mutant.

"Logan, what did you do to him?" Beast asked stunned as he stared into the two black eyes of a frightened, not man, but animal.

"I didn't do shit, I found him like that." Wolverine snapped.

Beast paused. "What did you all happen to get into?"

"Laughing gas, all over the whole place." Wolverine said.

"Nothing beats a happy slave." Hank sadly commented.

********

Medical Laboratories ER and adjoining OR.

Hank McCoy also known as Beast had his hands full trying to stabilize the man more known for his psychotic rampages and snarling disposition, rather then the ductileness Sabretooth was displaying now. As Hank prepared the surgery table he heard the rest of the X-Men depart down the hall for their next mission. Hank was half way through sewing the huge gaps of skin together on Creed's body when he heard Jean in the next room prepping some more patients, she herself would have to work on. Hank sighed as he finished with a count of three hundred and two stitches. Hank had yet to bandage and hook Sabretooth up with more blood and IV's. Upon completing his task of stabilizing Sabretooth enough to have him in the intensive care, Hank knew it would be weeks before any results would be visible. If Sabretooth were to survive, Hank worried what his mental state would become, and how much the mansion could take of claws ripping apart various walls. Well, that is, once Sabretooth's healing factor kicked in, Hank figured it should take roughly a day. How wrong he was.

Jean and Hank both had Sabretooth hooked up to various machines. Creed was breathing on his own, however he didn't seem to be getting enough oxygen. They had him hooked with plastic tubes in his nose to force Oxygen into his lungs. The fifth unit of blood dripped into the man, as did various IV's filled with anti-toxins and antibiotics. A heart monitor beeped steadily as Creed often jumped from one number to the next, falling into cardiac arrest once already. A brain monitor hooked up to Creed to, more for the soul reason to calm Jean down for she could not get a good reading on Creed. Sabretooth indeed had become very weak and fragile. Broken bones, fractured ribs, pulled muscles, dislocated shoulder and hip, blisters and hemorrhoids. Hank decided to look on the bright side, at least Creed had slipped into a coma and not been aware of the surgeries that Hank performed, and what still had to be done.

After a month, Creed came out of his coma, weeks after that he finally became stable enough to be bathed in the bathtub, however Hank worried as to the reason Sabretooth's healing factor never kicked in or when it would, that is, if it would.

Hank helped Creed sit up in the bathtub. Water splashed down on the blond man from the showerhead above. But Creed never acknowledged his wetness. With a pair of scissors in one hand, Hank proceeded to cut the matts out of Creed's hair. With the temptation of shaving Creed's head, Hank managed to cut the knots out, and style the blond hair somewhat. Creed's front bangs dipped down to the bottom of his jaw, while the back was shaved and trimmed below the base of his skull, exposing the neck. The blond hair was angled from mid bang up to the shorter hair in the back, then back down mid-bang. McCoy also managed to shave Creed's beard off along with the muttonchops. It wasn't easy for Hank to relive Creed's flesh of the filth, but he managed. All the sponge baths, Hank had to give Creed seemed to give very little light as to Creed's full damage. But now with the filth gone and running towards the drain, Hank was able to see that the infections had spread and started to once again feed on the healthy flesh around several wounds. That meant another trip to the table to remove that infected skin. The good news for Hank was that most of the other minor wounds looked much better than when the man first came in. Hank smiled to himself as Creed wiggled his toes, splashing the water slightly. Creed seemed to be somewhat fascinated with the water and his pale skin. But Creed didn't move anything other than his toes.

"Alright Creed, stand up." Hank said.

Creed froze.

"Come on Creed, stand up." Hank repeated.

Creed didn't move.

"Kneel?" Hank asked as he ran a cloth down Creed's back.

Slowly Creed started to shift, and with Hank's help, he kneeled in the bathtub gripping the wet porcelain sides.

Hank proceeded to finish washing his patient. Creed started to whimper and shivered as the cloth ran lower on his body.

Hank didn't say a word as he ran the rag over the castration marks. Finally the task was done.

"Get up." Hank said tiredly.

Once again, Creed didn't move. Rolling his eyes Beast stood up and lifted the now 197 pound cat out of the bathtub, a very difficult task to start with and it became more difficult as Creed started to squirm.

Once again Creed was back on the operating table. Hank along with Jean, worked on Creed. After removing more infected skin, Hank stitched the open wounds up, bandages where placed over them to keep Creed from scratching. Each of Creed's fingers, but his left hands thumb and his right hands thumb and pinkie, were bandaged up. His nail like claws had been pulled out. Jean found the K9's on his bottom jaw had been pulled out also.

"Hank," Jean started.

"I know, I know." McCoy muttered, he didn't need to be telepathic to know the other doctor's question or thoughts, he thought them when he first washed Creed down enough to see what was wrong. They put a hospital-type blind up in the center of the infirmary, hiding Creed from anyone who had to be admitted.

************

Xavier sat in his leather chair behind his big red wood desk. Ever since Creed's untimely admittance to the lower level of the school, Hank had noticed that Xavier had been tense and frustrated. Storm, Scott, and Logan stood around along with Hank in the spacious office.

"How is the patients?" Storm asked Hank.

"Sabretooth seems to be the most distraught one. Other than that, very well" Hank replied.

"How is he fairing?" Xavier asked he seemed deeply troubled. His furrowed brow, his fingers making a steeple, the gathered worried along with their mentor.

"He is..." Hank paused looking at Logan waiting for an objection.

Logan just raised his brow, also curious.

"He is showing slight signs of improvement. "Hank said.

"What about the others?" Scott inquired.

"Very minimal. Mostly shaken from the Sentinels capturing them. And a few admitting to nightmares and fears from the conditions of the labors, but other than that only a few bumps and bruises. Nothing to Creed's extreme." Hank sighed.

"How bad is Creed?" Logan asked.

Hank paused. "Worse than I think even you could imagine, Logan." Hank admitted.

A brief pause came over the room. Xavier, Storm, and Scott started to talk about the patients, Hank watched as Logan walked out, then he too joined the conversation.

*******

Beast sat at a computer terminal going over Genoshian's prison files. Nothing had been written up as to the conditions of mutant prisoners, but there was also no mention of Sabretooth or Creed. Going on prison description of individuals, McCoy found that Sabretooth had been named Kitty, as well as a political prisoner for two years and three months.

Henry McCoy read halfway into Kitty's file when he heard the whimpering from the far corner. It was a soft low pitch rumble mixed with a higher pitched whine, thrashing soon followed. Hank stood up and proceeded to the darken corner of the infirmary. Hank peered around to see Sabretooth thrashing around trying to get himself free from the bindings. Hank walked into Creed's vision line.

"Hello there, Sabretooth. Or should I say Kitty?" Hank joked but frowned when his patient didn't respond. Big, black eyes stared into Hank's brown.

"Don't like being tied up do you, Creed?" Hank asked walking to the foot of the bed Sabretooth was strapped to. There was no response again. Hank untied the restraints to Creed's feet, then leaned over to undo a hand restraint when a foot connected weakly into his lower abdomen.

Hank backed up.

"That doesn't do much other than tickle." He said gloomy.

Hank walked back to his desk in the glass office and continued to read the Genoshian files on Kitty. He ignored the whimpering and occasional thrashing from behind the far blind. Hank looked up as the infirmary's doors opened and Dr. Jean Grey started towards her shared office.

Jean strolled in to the infirmary, her long red hair flowed elegantly behind her. Opening the glass door, she entered the office area she shared with Henry McCoy MD. The two desks faced each other in the glass office that sat in the side wall of the infirmary.

"Hank." Jean smiled acknowledging her colleague.

"Jean." Hank smiled back.

"How is our prize patient today?" Jean asked walking behind her desk, opening a top drawer she pulled out a hair tie.

"He is awake and moving." Hank replied.

"Moving? That's an improvement. Has he recognized anything yet?" Jean said with arms over her head, wrapping a small elastic around her hair.

"Not that I am aware of, he tried to kick me, but it was probably just a response to someone close to him." Hank replied setting down the beige folder, closing it. "I suggest you read over his file Dr. Grey, it is disturbing but provides some clues to his current state of mind."

"Brief me please, Henry." Jean smiled shuffling papers around on her desk.

"They didn't have a name for him until months after he became a captive. They finally called him Kitty, after pulling his bottom fangs out, no reason stated for the dentistry. He had a female cell mate that Kitty had been accused of raping and killing, the report used that as an excuse for removing all claws they could." Hank paused. "Shall I continue?"

"No, thank you Hank. His name is Kitty." Jean nodded her face a little paler than when she came in.

Hank nodded as he watched the red head stroll back out of the office space and over to the intensive care unit.

Jean noticed Creed didn't creep back as she approached the bedside. She smiled, reaching out touching the weak man's shoulder gently.

"Hello there. Do you recognize me?" Jean said rubbing the man's shoulder tenderly.

Creed shook his head 'no' slowly.

"Alright, that's ok, I am Jean Grey, a doctor." She said soothingly. "No one is going to hurt you anymore. I promise, you are safe and in good hands."

Jean watched as Creed moved his head away not fully trusting her.

Jean didn't let her smile falter or her hand lose its gentleness as she let her mind skim over her patient's thoughts.

"I don't expect you to trust anyone for a while." She paused as she caught a sudden thought from Creed.

"Don't worry, you won't ever have to go back to that place again. You're faraway from Genosha now; you're in the United States, New York. No one from there will ever hurt you again. I promise. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Jean asked, her eyes tender and concerned.

Creed nodded yes slowly.

Pulling a chair from the wall beside Creed's bed she sat down.

"What's your name?" Jean asked.

No answer.

"Would you like to be called Kitty?" Jean asked warily as she recalled the reports.

Creed slowly nodded his head yes.

"Alright Kitty, do you talk?"

Kitty shook his head no.

"Are you a mutant?"

Kitty nodded yes.

Jean smiled "Great." she pleasantly said.

"Now, think on this one please. Do you wish to live?" Jean asked slowly looking into the frightened black eyes.

Kitty nodded his head slowly. His instincts screaming at him to live, even though most of him felt like he had died already.

"Alright, then I shall make sure you get everything you require and inform the staff to keep you on the best of care available. I will be back shortly to take a look at your wounds." With that Jean rose, put the chair back and strolled around the blind out of Kitty's site.

*************

The robins sang as they greeted the early dawn. Fresh buds on the bare tree branches, bushes and hedges added the smell of spring to the air. The air still had a slight nip lingering from the winter months, a light coat was all that the spring days required outside. Xavier rolled down the stone garden path, the multi-millionaire, founder of a school and institution, idealist, dreamer and founder of the X-Men. Charles Frances Xavier took in the new spring day dawning. All his troubles, worries, hopes, and fears vanished from his always working mind, this moment was his. One selfish moment to take in the sun rise from the garden not yet with flowers or bees, just the birth of mother nature from her cold winter nap. Xavier smiled.

Yes, no matter what goes on, or how much things seem to change it ends up time and again, that everything returns to a familiar normal, whether it be natures cycle, schooling, migrating birds, even politics, they all float back to familiar normality.

Logan stretched out on a low laying tree branch. His arms propped against the bark pillowing his head. One bare foot dangled down limply as the other stretched along the branch. The scent of Xavier floated into the wild man's nose. Between the tree branches with only small buds, the pink dawn sky provided the nicest backdrop to the songs of the robins that flew against it. Logan looked down at Charles rolling below also looking at the spring sunrise.

"Nothing like the first sunrise of the season is there, Chuck?" Logan grunted looking back to the horizon where the sun would soon be dancing over.

"No, there isn't, Logan. And a good morning to you." Charles Xavier greeted.

"Morning." Logan grunted.

The two stayed in silence till the pink turned to purple then faded into blue as the sun made its appearance creeping over the horizon. Once the breathtaking moment was over and the yellow ball of fire met the tree line. Charles turned to Logan. "In case you are curious, Sabretooth's health is improving very slowly."

Logan looked down at the man in the wheelchair. "Yeah, Jeannie said that, but he doesn't know who anyone is."

"He doesn't even remember his own name, Logan. I was hoping you would spend some time with him." Charles said tilting his chair's joystick around.

"You crazy?" Logan grumbled.

"No Logan, just hopeful." Charles called back.

Logan watched the back of the chair till it turned around a well-trimmed hedge.

"Babysit Creed?" Logan snorted, taking a cigar out from his shirt breast pocket, lighting it, he grunted in disgust.

*****

Logan found himself in the infirmary later that day. Looking around he wondered what ever possessed him to come down here, then he remembered as soon as Jean strolled out of her office wearing a tight, short, purple dress that clung to her shapely form, her long white lab coat flowing behind her.

"Logan! I didn't expect you to come down here." Jean said genuinely surprised.

"Didn't plan on it Jeannie." Logan grunted looking around at the few patents still sleeping and hooked up to various pieces of medical equipment.

"Well since you are down here, would you mind seeing the prize patient?" Jean with her thick moist red lip drawn up in a smile asked.

Logan shrugged, right, the second reason he had wandered down, curiosity.

"Why not?" Logan grunted as he followed Jean and her wiggling ass to the far corner of the infirmary and then behind a dark blind.

Two huge black eyes full of fear greeted Logan once he crossed behind the blind. Logan looked at Creed laying on his back with IV's and monitors hooked up to him.

Logan growled. "He ain't healin'."

"No, he won't for sometime yet. I have not yet isolated the problem as to why though." Jean sighed rubbing the frightened creature's hair as he stared at Logan.

Logan stood there silently looking over Creed who had a dark blanket up to his mid chest. Logan ignored the stare and studied the bandages wrapped around Creed's fore arms, chest, and around his head, blood seeping through the gauze by the left temple. Blond locks that looked hilarious in the new hairstyle were still stained slightly red. 'Add glasses and he'll look like one of the geekiest body builders.' Logan chuckled to himself, then realized Sabretooth was probably naked under the blanket.

Logan watched as Jean caressed Creed's hand and growled slightly.

"Kitty has made a lot of progress Logan, it's only been a few months, large improvements won't be obvious for months still."

Logan blinked trying to register what Jean just said.

"His name is Creed." Logan muttered as he watched Creed turn his head to look at Jean, then back to staring at Logan.

A low gruff "mew" came from his Kitty's mouth.

Logan and Jean both looked at him funny.

"He talked." Jean said stunned.

Logan guessed she didn't expect him to talk for a long while yet.

"His name is kitty..." Logan mused watching Creed rrr Kitty shift slightly.

"Logan, would you excuse us? I need to change Kitty's bandages." Jean pleasantly requested.

"Huh? Yeah, sure." Logan grunted leaving the two, it didn't sit well with him leaving her alone with that.

"You recognize him ? No? It's alright, he won't hurt you." Logan heard Jean softly coo to Creed. Maybe Logan didn't have anything to worry about, maybe, but he still didn't like it. Logan left the infirmary.

*

Logan was sitting in the kitchen along with Scott as they ate cold roast beef sandwiches in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, the two hardly ever said more than three words to each other out side of missions.

Between bites Scott muttered. "Why haven't you killed the psycho down stairs yet?"

Raising his brows Logan looked at Scott with his mouth stuck between chews, forcing himself to swallow Logan managed to reply. "Chuck promised to send me to Genosha if I tried anything like that."

Scott Summers chuckled at that.

Logan studied Scott. "Why ya wanna know? Jeannie spending more time with him than you?"

"She won't shut up about him. Kitty did this, Kitty did that, Kitty stood up. It sickens me, so what if he doesn't know where the hell he is. She treats him like an infant!" Scott snapped annoyed.

Logan stood up with the sudden loss of appetite, putting his sandwich down he walked to the kitchen door that lead out side. The calm afternoon sky on the other side of the door didn't help suppress any memories.

"This could be his second chance." Logan grumbled feeling eyes on his back followed by harsh barks of laughter from Scott. Narrowing his eyes, Logan turned around and stalked up to the all mighty Cyclops.

"Ya think its funny not knowing!?" Logan growled holding back his claws but squeezing his fingers into a fist.

Scott paused in his laughter. "Only when he deserves it." He replied.

Logan growled and swung his fist at Scott. Scott went down hard, crashing against the cold kitchen tile flooring.

"I hope that hurts when ya come to." Logan snarled as he slammed open the screen door, heading outside.

Something kept nagging at the back of Logan's mind, he just couldn't figure out what it was exactly. Walking out the screen door, Logan headed for a bar to think.

Hanging a flyer on a bright orange paper, bold black letters seemed to jump off the page screaming the words.

'Lost Kitty

"Toothy"

Found,

Call X'

There were only four flyers that hung in different bars that Sabretooth used to frequent. Walking out of the last dive Creed went to, Logan headed for one of his own watering holes. Logan walked into a seedy place, mind you it was much cleaner than any of Creed's hangouts. Blue smoke hung thick in the air clinging to everything like a second skin. A few men were playing pool, a few people sat in various seats drinking and smoking, and some girls danced as the radio played some heavy metal tunes. Logan took a seat at the bar, his cowboy hat tipped down slightly.

"Regular?" The bartender asked his familiar customer.

Logan grunted "Yup" as he placed some cash on the counter, enough for twenty-two drinks.

The barkeeper scooped up the money and placed the first of many drinks in front of his customer. Logan pulled out a chew root from his cow-skin jacket, slicing the end off, he then lit the stodgy, the flame redden as he inhaled. Pulling an empty ashtray towards himself, Logan set down his cigar then took a swing of the booze. Logan stayed in the bar all night letting his senses drown in the alcohol and thick smoke, unfortunately his thoughts didn't drown as fast as his senses.

*

Far away cross New York City, two people stood by a phone, one holding the receiver to her ear.

"Any answer?" A medium built man with a British accent, in a shiny black trench coat with dark jeans cladding well formed legs that looked as if they could jump over the Sears tower, asked.

"None. Busy" A soft lulling voice sneered from juicy red lips.

"Damn. 'Ow are we gonna know if it's Sabertoof or not?" The man asked tugging at one of the tuffs of dark green hair sticking out from under his hat.

"If I knew Toad. I wouldn't be calling, now would I?" She snapped, hanging up the receiver and retrieving the coin.

"Call again." Toad encouraged.

"One more and that's it." The female with blood red hair said, her long white dress glistened under the street light.

********

Storm, also known as Ororo Munroe, and Logan sat at the kitchen table, she drinking her herbal tea, and he with a bottle of beer, the two lightly chatted.

"I am surprised at how calm you are about Sabretooth being in the building." Ororo commented.

"Ya well it ain't like he's worth my time laid up, and out of it. I seen dying dogs with clearer minds than him." Logan grunted.

"Not worth your time? Why's that?" Ororo inquired as she set her cup down.

"He ain't got no healin' factor, darlin'. All them years fighting each other with a healin' factor gave a certain degree to each battle. We coulda killed each other 100 times over and then some, without it." Logan said taking a drink of his beer trying to believe what he just said.

"If it were anyone else, would you still feel the same?" Ororo asked curiously as she brushed a lock of white hair from in front of her face.

"Dunno, first time I ever heard o' mutations turning off on their own." Logan grunted as he set the brown bottle on the table.

"When Sabretooth regains his mind, will you be fighting then?" Ororo asked once more picking up her teacup.

"Maybe." Logan grunted.

"What about when he's better?"

"Darlin', when he's all better I gonna be kicking his ass out the door." Logan boasted as Scott walked into the kitchen.

"Who's ass?" Scott inquired walking towards the coffee-pot beside the phone.

"Creed's." Logan replied.

"Good evening Scott." Ororo greeted.

"It'll be good when the phone stops ringing." Scott grumbled pouring his coffee into a mug.

"It's only been a couple of weeks." Ororo attempted to offer.

"Two weeks and I only ripped three phones off the wall, It'll be four come Wednesday." Scott's dark humor resorted back with uncommon bitterness.

"Didn't know ya had it in ya, Scooter." Logan grinned, as he caught a glimpse of Scott's healing bruised jaw.

"Unfortunately no one has asked for a blond tabby with shaggy hair, black eyes, and 7 foot something height." Scott said taking a drink of the coffee.

"I never knew Toothy was such a popular name." Ororo commented getting up from her chair.

Logan snorted. "Toothy? How many damn people called their cats 'Toothy'. Call a cat Fluffy, not Toothy." Logan reasoned as the phone rang.

"You know. I really hate that thing." Scott growled as it rang again.

Storm giggled as she slipped her cup into the dishwasher then departed the kitchen.

Logan laughed as Cyclops whirled around grabbing the cradle with both hands, obviously wanting nothing more than to rip it off the wall again.

"Just answer the damn thing!" Logan snarled.

Scott took a deep breath and answered the fucking phone one more time.

"Hello?" Scott said into the speaker of the phone calmly but annoyed.

"A blond tabby with dark eyes, black paws and chest?" Scott paused looking at Logan.

Logan raised his eyebrows and whispered. "Weight, height."

"About how much would Toothy weigh?" Scott asked hoping this was the call.

"18 kilograms, no sorry. You too. Bye." Scott disappointedly hung up the phone.

"It was close." Logan said.

"Ya right." Scott growled as the phone rang again. Scott picked it up again.

"Hello? A grey and black Persian? No there is no cat here. Stop calling!" Scott yelled slamming down the phone onto the cradle.

"That was uncalled fo..."

"SHUT UP!" Scott snapped storming out of the kitchen.

Logan's roars of laughter followed Scott as he stalked down the hallways.

**

Scott Summers waited in his bed alone, naked under the white covers he saw as red threw his ruby red quartz visor. The light beside him was turned on as he skimmed the pages of a book he wasn't actually reading. At 11:30 p.m. He finally gave up, putting the book down, turning off the lamp, he tried to sleep. The clock turned 1:00 am when the bedroom door opened. Jean finally walked into her shared bedroom. Tip toeing, she silently undressed in the dark, brushed her teeth, then slipped under the covers careful not to disturb her husband.

"You're late" Scott Summers coldly informed his wife as he turned on the lamp beside him.

Jean sat up in bed. "I know I am, sorry, Scott."

"Jean." Scott started as he sat up looking at her. "I want you to stop babying that psycho path."

"Scott!" Jean gasped. "Since when did you become selfish? I will not stop 'babying' him, as you put it. He needs medical help Scott, as an X-Man, I thought you would know that. We help others, not leave them to die."

"Look Jean. He won't die. He has a healing factor, or don't you remember that?" Scott snapped.

"He doesn't Scott. All his mutant abilities have been suppressed completely by the prolong use of the inhibitor collar. I will not turn my back on a patient just because you want me to!" Jean snapped getting out of bed.

"Jean get back in bed." Scott ordered.

"No." She angrily said slamming the bedroom door on her way out.

Scott lay back down in bed. "Damn" he muttered to the still room.

******

Logan noticed Scott and Jean had stopped sleeping in the same room, he thought nothing of it till the third night. Deciding to make his move on Jean, he wandered down to the infirmary where he knew Jean had been spending a lot of time with Kitty. Logan chuckled at calling Creed that. Shadow Cat had been upset when she over heard the teachers talking about a Kitty other than her. Everyone reassured Shadow Cat that it wasn't permanent, she could live with it. None of the kids knew they had an enemy below their school and Xavier would keep it that way, Logan knew the man's style.

Jean sat on the edge of her desk inside the glass office, in her hands she appeared to be reading contents in a folder. Hank sat behind his desk, talking to her. Logan approached the door and knocked. Hank was the one to wave Logan in.

Opening the glass door the chilly air from the AC unit sent a pleasant shiver up Logan's spine.

"Hello Logan, have you decided to come and make us an offer we couldn't refuse?" McCoy chuckled darkly.

"Um, eh?" Logan said confused.

"Just ignore him Logan, Hank is just upset that Scott tried to get the two of us out so he could kill Kitty." Jean muttered not looking up from the file.

"It's always the one you least expect." Hank muttered as Jean put her finger in the folder.

"Here we go Hank." Jean started reading from the file. "Sterilization is now being administrated to those mutants in all Genoshian Republic prisons. The males having vasectomies.."

"Vasectomies?" Logan asked interrupting Jean's speech.

Jean and Hank both looked at Logan.

"Yes Logan," Hank started "Vasectomy is male sterilization by the surgical interruption of the vas deferens, the two sperm-transporting tubes that lead from the male testes to the ejaculatory duct. This procedure prevents sperm cells from reaching the semen storage structures, called seminal vesicles, where glandular secretions form semen. As a result, the semen becomes sterile and is unable to cause pregnancy. Because vasectomy does not affect hormone or semen production, sexual activity of the male is not hampered."

"Almost 500,000 vasectomies are performed annually in the United States. It is usually performed under local anaesthesia in a physician's office. In the past, a small incision requiring sutures was necessary, but a new no-scalpel vasectomy is becoming the standard procedure. In this technique each vas deferens is secured just beneath the skin. A sharp-tipped instrument pierces the skin and stretches it to a small opening from which the vas deferens is then lifted out and cut. The ends of the vas deferens are blocked either by legation or cautery. The tiny skin opening does not require a suture and this produces bleeding, bruising, hematoma, and infection. After a vasectomy, the male is not sterile until sperm that has already been stored in the seminal vesicles is flushed from the system. This generally takes about 15 ejaculations. Reversal of vasectomy may be possible by micro-surgery, although not all men regain fertility. Changes in the vas deferens system, the length of the vas deferens removed, and the time since vasectomy influence success."

Logan stood there with his mouth a gap. Not grasping a single concept of whatever Hank just said.

Jean shook her head as she continued to read from her folder, picking up where she left off. "The females, rather than nursing hysterectomy patients, are having typical tube-ties. The results have been far more successive on the females, due to it being effective immediately. The males on the other hand, are no longer allowed to be out of prison unless the vasectomies are successful. Thoughts of moving this operation to the workers and political prisoners has not been overlooked and is still in the process of assessment." Jean finished.

Hank nodded. "That would explain their lack of hesitation to experimentation Sabretooth."

Logan cleared his throat. "Experiment?"

Jean and Hank turned to Logan as if they forgot that he was still there.

"I am afraid he will have to tell you Logan." Jean simply said.

Logan grunted walking out of the office space. If Jean was looking up ways to neuter, He really didn't want to be around her, let alone try hitting on her. Logan decided to let Scooter keep her, just to see if she neuters him. Not passing the opportunity up, Logan sneaked a peek behind the blind.

Huge, frightened, black eyes looked at Logan.

"Boo." Logan smirked walking to the foot of the hospital bed.

Black eyes blinked then a slow wary smile crept onto the chapped lips.

"Remember me?" Logan chuckled as Creed started to wiggle his toes.

Creed shook his head yes.

"What's my name Creed? I mean, Kitty?"

"Logan." Kitty replied in a weak low whisper that Logan had to actually strain to hear.

Logan moved to the side of the bed purposely ignoring the chair. He bent over and snarled near Kitty's face.

"Ya remember what I done ta ya?" Kitty didn't reply, just stared back with that frightened expression.

Logan stood up and stared to leave.

"Logan�" Kitty muttered.

"What?" Logan grunted.

"How long?"

"Ya been gone two and a half years, Sabretooth." Logan muttered.

"Don't call me that, dun like it." Kitty grumbled softly.

Logan shrugged and walked away. Jean and Hank didn't even look up from their paper work as Logan left.

Logan started to find himself more often than not in the infirmary, talking to Jean or Hank, and when no one else was around, Kitty. One way conversation with head nods, shakes, and blinks for answers. Sometimes Kitty talked. Logan grumbled to himself as he stood by Kitty's bedside, looking over the pitiful looking man.

"Kitty?" Logan grunted seeing if he was awake. 'There I go now, calling him Kitty, something must be wrong with me, I call Creed, Kitty, and been spending time with him. Maybe it's just my way of being there, I been in his shoes before, not knowing, not understanding, but it took 15 years before I even found this place, 15 years..., So I hated Creed, yeah sue me, we hated each other, but I still wouldn't wish that 15 year gap in life on anyone..., but Omega Red, that steel octopus can have 15 years of his brain extracted, that is.... if you can find his brain!' Logan snarled at himself unaware of anyone else near him.

Someone behind Logan cleared his throat.

"You will have to wait till he is healed before I will allow you to continued your private feud." Logan turned trying to cover up his surprise.

Hank stood just inside the blind.

"He still isn't healing." Logan grunted waving a hand over Creed.

"What an observation, Logan. Becoming a doctor now?" Hank sarcastically replied.

"No, that's your department. I'm just waiting till he can stand up on his own two feet." Logan snapped defensively.

"You have a while to wait still, Logan." Hank replied coolly.

Turning on his heel, Logan then stalked out of the infirmary. The large steel door to the infirmary opened, then closed behind him.

Darkness, total deep darkness, no scents, can't smell. No sounds, throbbing pain. Can't see, what I can is extremely blurred, distorted. Hands, cold hands, lots of them caressing me. All over, my chest, my back... lower. I moan. Cold hard steel crash against my skull. I curse. Hands continue to tug at me, someone slips a finger up my ass, disgusted...I moan again, it felt good once, it was followed by two more. Cold steel strikes my head again. I curse. I go to swipe at one, chain holding my arms in place. I curse. Lips, kissing me. My throat, someone nipping at my shoulders. Tongues running along my erect penis. Oh god it felt good. Warm� wet. I moan. Steel bashes against my leg. I curse. Steel crashes against my back, then again my sides, I feel my ribs give way. Not puncturing a lung, thankfully. Hands, grabbing me. Someone unchaining my arms, they had been chained over my head. Too numb, coldness. Hands start

striking me, touching me, caressing me. I am forced to kneel, no... no� anything� no......

Hank and everyone else in the lower levels of the mansion jumped when they heard the scream. It was a mix of a howl and a cry filled with pain, hatred and fear.

Creed had bolted sitting right up on the cold bed. The sheet falling to his lap. His eyes wide and confused, the bright lights blinding him. His heart thumping erratically in his chest. Few deadly claws gripped the side of the bed. The screaming stopped but the growling continued. Drops of perspiration slipped down his brow.

Hank slowly approached Creed. While the other patients had too peeled themselves off the ceiling.

The hair on Beast's neck and back remained on end.

Hands.. warm.. furry.. real.. no smells.

Hank held his breath. "Creed." Blank eyes stared wide into space. Hank slowly put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Kitty." Hank repeated.

Logan burst into the infirmary followed by Scott and Rogue.

"What's going on?" Wolverine growled popping all six of his claws.

Hank ignored them all.

"Creed, can you hear me?" Henry McCoy said softly to his patient.

Creed didn't move. Hank put a hand on his chest and slowly pushed him down. Creed obeyed lying back down, Hank pulled the blanket back over Kitty's bare chest.

Cyclops paused. "What happened Hank?"

"I don't know. " Hank admitted as he checked Kitty's pulse. Everything was leveling out. Wolverine slowly approached Sabretooth. Wolverine sniffed, smelling the disinfectant in the room along with Creed.. His claws retracted.

Rogue opened her mouth but didn't say anything as Wolverine's hand reached out and touched Creed's. Wolverine blinked.

"Christ." He muttered turning away and walking out of the room.

No one said anything. The others filed out.

Hank continued to check on Kitty, hours after the sudden unexpected outburst, Creed didn't move. His eyes closed but he didn't fall back asleep. Just bit on his bottom lip sometimes and dug his claws, what he had left of them, into the metal bed. Hank had added morphine to the IV, it didn't seem to help. Kitty stayed in the tense state of near shock for three days before he opened his eyes and blinked actually looking and focusing on Hank's face.

Hank was leaning over Creed re-bandaging the abrasions on the side of his head.

"Well good morning, or more apt, good evening." Hank greeted warmly as he finished up.

Kitty grunted but didn't reply.

Hank moved back. "You gave us all quite a scare."

Kitty gave Beast an odd look not grasping the meaning.

Hank continued. "You woke up screaming, then went into a state of shock. You haven't moved or reacted to anything for three days now. Logan was at your bed side for half a day."

Kitty's eyes followed Hank's movement.

"Lo'an?... I ...alive." Kitty said working his jaw, his voice low and dry.

"How unfortunate for us all." Beast muttered leaving Kitty alone.

***********

end part 3

TBC in 4

Whipblade 2001 2002