[OP: "Time After Time"-- Cyndi Lauper]

While all this had been going on, Storm and Logan had been on the way to Canada.

Normally that kind of drive would have taken a day or two at least, but Storm cut time out of it by flying them part of the way, and then just renting another car.

So it only took about 4 hours after that, and it was just getting to be dusk when they arrived at the mountains in question.

All that time, Storm had not said what her tip was.

Logan had asked probably at least thrice, but been met with denial.

"I get the impression ya might be angry," he finally said dryly.

"What would give you that idea?" Storm said sarcastically, but it wasn't really her thing to play games the way some women do, so she didn't really leave him time to answer. "Abandoning the team at a time like this is something I normally would never do. At the moment, the only reason I came is because it was either this or perhaps a worse alternative."

"I'd have been fine. And I don't need people to worry about me and try to protect me. Save that for the kids."

"Perhaps that line will work on someone else," Storm said stiffly. "But not on me."

Silence.

Well...what was there to say to that?

"No one thinks I can take care of this," Logan complained finally.

"Better question: Why do you always feel the need to do these things alone?" Storm said. "When you would not let any other member of the team do so?"

"All right, enough questions." Logan didn't like this. "How about silence?"

He got such total silence in response that he wished he hadn't said it.

Storm might not be the same kind of petty as other people, but she certainly could take you way too seriously with a vengeance.

Logan figured out after a few hours that Shine had put Storm up to this purely for two reasons:

One, she was a busybody who wanted to mess with people's heads in order to get them to "learn" something.

And two, she knew Storm would effectively make it impossible for him to do his usual thing of ignoring the situation.

Logan knew that any other member of the team wold have just given in to him, even if they didn't like it. But Storm wouldn't. Churlishness didn't work on her--and neither did the cold shoulder.

If anything, it just made her scarier because she could dish it back worse.

Logan found the whole thing kind of intimidating after a while...

Still...why did she insist on coming at all? Just out of anger? That didn't seem right.

"All right," he finally said, before they had arrived at the spot in question, but not far from it, "I give up. Why did ya come? Really."

"We're talking now?" Storm said. "I wondered how long it would take."

Storm really had picked up Shine's habit of sassing people.

"It's a real question," Logan said. "What did Likstar put ya up to? I know she did it."

"Shine did express some concern," Storm said. "But she didn't make me come. She left it up to me to decide what to do."

"Which is just another way of sayin' she guilted ya into it."

"No, guilt had no part in it," Storm said firmly. "Shine is not a bully. She knows I have trouble with accepting too much responsibility. But actually, I don't feel responsible for this at all."

Her tone implied that might not be such a good thing for Logan.

"Great," Logan said. "That's not an answer. You're just goin' to make me keep askin'? That's not like you."

"No, usually it's not," Storm said. "But after the way you have avoided my questions the past few days, I'm not so inclined to just answer yours."

Burn again.

"This is not just about Frost finding some memories, is it?" Storm continued, after a pause. "Something else happened. It has to do with me, that's all I know. I've given it some thought the last several hours, and I see why Shine put this idea to me. You're trying to run from it. I don't know why. It seems out of character.... And we're not letting you. Normally I don't meddle with people, but this time around I think she's right, and I intend to wait this out until I get the truth."

She shot him a warning look. "It also offends me that you don't apparently have the confidence in me to be forthright about it. I thought we were friends."

"It's not about confidence," Logan said. "She...didn't say anythin' else about it?"

"She said that I didn't do anything," Storm said. "I assume she thinks so because she knows what the cause of this has been. But I can't figure that part out. So for now, I'm not sure."

"She's meddlin', all right," Logan said. "It's none of 'er business what's goin' on."

"It might not be," Storm said. "But she took you under her wing, Logan. Why do you think she did that? Was it to leave you to your own devices?"

"I'm sayin', some things a person has to do for themselves."

"You know...I've heard that many times," Storm said. "And most of those times were from you, come to think of it.... That's a very American idea. Where I come from, people usually rely on the counsel of others to decide anything, especially things as big as this. I have come to value the idea of independence somewhat, but I think it lacks something also. All things need balance. Where is the balance here, Logan? I think no one on the team would have been angry if you had just asked one of us to come, instead of making us force it on you."

"It wasn't anyone else's business."

"But it was Frost's, apparently, to get involved," Storm said.

"Is that what this is about? Ya don't trust Frost, think this could be a trap?" Logan said.

"I have no idea.... Shine didn't think so," Storm said. "But she did think it could be dangerous...and there's something she said that I think you should hear. Might as well be now."

She paused.

"What?" Logan got impatient.

"She said that she's known what it's like to not remember, even for just one day, and it wasn't a good experience for her," Storm said. "One I haven't shared, but I'm sure it wouldn't be. She said it would drive a lesser man mad."

Logan wondered if Shine really said it that way.

"But she also said that it's unlikely all of your memories will come back," Storm said. "And that...at some point you have to decide to be all right with not knowing. And not caring."

Logan was silent.

"Still, she wasn't against this idea," Storm said. "I think she's trying to be fair. She didn't talk you out of it."

"She couldn't have," Logan said.

"I think she knew that," Storm said. "But you know, Logan, Shine loves you. Not, of course, that way, but the way we all care about Jubilee or the other kids.... She does not want you to harm yourself."

"I don't need some 24-year old to worry about me. Anyone'd think she's the older one from how ya all talk."

"I'm not sure wisdom needs an age, Logan. Do you believe that God empowered them to come here and help you?"

"I don't see any other way to look at it," Logan admitted.

"Then it's strange you didn't ask for their counsel before you did this." Storm was killing. "Almost as if you knew you wouldn't like it. You're running from them. From help. Like you always do. I just don't understand why."

Logan had no answer.
He didn't say anything till they got to the mountains and stopped the car.

"I don't see anything," Storm said.

"Doesn't mean it's not there." Logan sniffed.

Walking around the spot a little, they came around a groove in the mountain, and finally they saw it.

A cabin.

"Just like Frost showed me," Logan said. "Looks similar."

He sniffed...

"It looks empty," Storm said.

Logan walked up to it anyway.

Storm followed, looking around warily.

 She found some signs of burn marks on some rocks. Ancient ones, probably, but...

Next to the cabin there was what was left of a barn also, that seemed to have been on fire.

Logan came out of the cabin. 

"No one's there," he said. "But the place matches up.... There was a fire too, just like what she showed me."

"That was in another dimension, Logan," Storm said, somberly. "You have no memory of whatever it was she showed you. Literally. It's true, it may be similar here. But it's empty."

"Yeah...no girl," Logan said. "She's not here..."

"What girl?" Storm said.

"There was a girl.... Frost said 'er father got taken by Weapon X," Logan said. "I guess I knew 'im. Frost didn't know any more, though. The rest of it must have been something the other Wolverine didn't tell 'er. I remembered more memories of that force, a while back...with that video tape...but I don't remember any of 'em havin' a kid. Not that they would have known. So..."

"So we have no way to know who it would have been," Storm said. 

"I might be able to sniff 'em out," Logan said.

"After all this time?" Storm said. "The house would be too weathered, I'm sure."

"Not the house maybe, but if there was some item around here maybe..." Logan said.

"Even if you found something...what would it really tell you?" Storm said. "Nothing. We don't know that the events here are really parallel."

"I have to at least know one way or the other. Or try."

"And if you can't know?" Storm pressed. "What will you do, Logan? Just be haunted by this forever?"

"Maybe I will!" Logan was losing his temper.

He went back inside.

Storm sighed, but then she followed.

It was pretty empty inside.

"If there was a little girl," she said, "she couldn't have stayed here alone, if her parents were gone. That could be why it's empty. Surely she would have gone somewhere else."

"Yeah," Logan said, "maybe."

He was looking through cabinets.

Storm looked in the few other rooms. They seemed empty.

The info Shine had told her was weighing on her mind, like a burning coal. Whether she should share it or not...

Maybe if they just went back to the mansion...

But no, that wouldn't be enough. Frost might pick out some more leads, and this whole thing would start over again.

Storm wasn't going to tell Logan this, but she'd figured out why Shine gave her the information for another reason.

Leverage.

As sneaky as it would sound, Storm thought Shine had actually done the wisest thing.

Otherwise, the only person with anything to offer was Frost. Now, at least someone they trusted had something to weigh against it. Logan would have to decide...

If Frost was playing some game with them, Shine was one step ahead of her. Storm thought.

She appreciated Shine's cleverness at such times.

But Shine had entrusted her to use this advantage wisely on her own, and she wanted to be clever enough herself with it to make good on that kind of trust. So, when was the best time to talk about it?

Walking around one of the bedrooms, Storm stepped on a plank oddly, and it sounded hollow.

Curiously, she pried it up and found one of those hidden compartments for valuables some people put in their floorboards.

She also found something in it.

If the theory that a little girl had been here was true, Storm had to guess that whenever they moved her out, she just hadn't known about this. It must have been the father's room.

Carrying the box into the living room, she said, "Logan, I think I found something. But it's locked."

"Huh." Logan saw.

"It was in the floor," Storm said. "The man who lives here must have put it there. It could just be money though."

"Worth a shot." Logan used his claws to pry it open. 

There were some valuables in the box, but also some photos and papers that must have been for safe-keeping--a birth certificate, etc.

Logan sniffed at it.

"This is familiar..." he said. "I know that.... It's Maverick."

"Maverick?" Storm said blankly.

"One of the Weapon X.... He's still alive," Logan said. "But he'd not remember this place...but I guess that answers the question of which of us it was. If I knew where he was, I'd tell 'im to come here, check it out."

"And would he?" Storm asked. "Or would he rather bury the past? It's almost poetic that this was hidden in the ground.... Maybe it should stay there."

"What if he does have a family?" Logan said.

"Perhaps he'd want to know," Storm said. "But would they? He wouldn't remember them."

"Even if he remembers a little," Logan said, "he should get the chance, shouldn't he?"

"Perhaps you're right, Logan." Storm shrugged. "But it's a long shot, not knowing who to look for..."

"At least it's a shot at all," Logan said.

Storm bit her lip.

"Still, it doesn't tell me anythin' else about myself," Logan sighed. "Well, Frost said it might not. It's just one piece. At least I know Wolverine didn't kill the guy..."

"I didn't realize that was a question," Storm said.

"Always is," Logan muttered.

Storm began to feel a little guilty.

"Might as well take this," Logan said. "In case I run into 'im again."

Another quest, no doubt.

"Logan, perhaps I should finally just tell you this," Storm said, slowly. "Shine's lead...it's more like this one would be for Maverick. Only for you."

"What?" Logan suddenly got very tense. "Like what?"

"She told me where you were born," Storm said. "I have no idea how she knew it.... How does she know anything?"

"Where?" Logan stepped closer.

"Alberta," Storm said. "Here in Canada."

"That's...not too far..." Logan said

Relatively speaking. It was Canada.

"One more thing," Storm said. "She said it was in the 1800s.... You're around 100 years old."

Silence.

* * *

Logan took a while to get his head around that.

"I knew that had to be close, but still..." he said.

"Which...might mean there's nothing left to find," Storm said. "The family could have moved. They could be dead...so it's...no guarantee."

"There'd have to be some record," Logan said. "Anythin' else?"

"Yes, one more thing," Storm said. "She told me your real name."

Silence again.

"So what is it?" Logan said.

Storm knew if she said it, there'd be no stopping him.

But there was no stopping him anyway, she supposed.

"James Howlett," she replied. "An odd name, to me, but it sounds fairly normal for this culture."

Logan frowned. "It doesn't sound familiar at all..."

"I imagine after all this time, it wouldn't, even if you knew it already," Storm said flatly. "My own last name hardly sounds familiar anymore to me.... But...it's a lead."

"That's more of a lead than I've ever had," Logan said. Then he looked angry. "I can't believe she knew somethin' like that and didn't tell me!"

"Perhaps there was a reason for that!" Storm said sharply. "What if she knew you wouldn't like what you found?"

"That's my decision to make!" Logan shot back. "I'm goin' there. Ya want to go back, go right ahead."

"No, I will not do that," Storm said. "She told me that for a reason. You're not going alone."

"What if I don't think that's such a good idea now?" Logan said.

"This is why I didn't say it before," Storm said. "I knew you'd do this as soon as you didn't need my help anymore."

That cut deeper than his claws would have.

Logan was struck speechless.

Storm had no idea how badly that had stung, she was just angry and worried at the same time.

However, before either of them could try to smooth things over, they heard another sound coming from outside.... It sounded like a chopper.

"What...?" Logan muttered.

Storm went to the window and looked out. "Someone is landing in the yard."

She peered at the logo on it. "That looks like government insignia...Weapon X--"

"Get back!" Logan yanked her back. "They'll see ya! Keep quiet and get down."

"And what are you going to do?" Storm said.

"They must have spies out here or somethin'," Logan said. "Must be lookin' for me. So I'll lead them away, and you get back to the car and run for it."

"That is a terrible plan," Storm said.

"These people are dangerous, Storm," Logan said.

"And that is the same reason why it's a terrible plan," Storm said. "If you think for one second I am going to abandon you--and how would I do that anyway? They're in the front yard."

"That's why I'd lead them away first, and it's the only chance," Logan said.

"Or we could do this." Storm's eyes turned white.

Outside, winds picked up.

"What the h---...? It was clear a second ago," someone yelled.

"This place is spooky."

"Never mind that. Find Weapon X now, before he slips away."

Storm thought she remembered where the copter was sitting, and, with a swoop of her hands, she made a gust knock it aside.

Panicked yelling ensued as they ran to set it aright.

"It's a ghost!" one of them said. "I'm telling you, this place is haunted."

"Oh, get a grip, Private!" someone else yelled at him. "Just focus on catching those mutants."

"That's not goin' to get us out of here," Logan said.

"Give me a moment," Storm said through gritted teeth.

The wind increased and started knocking people over and down the hill towards a natural stream.

"All right, now," Storm said.

They dashed out of the cabin, still carrying the box.

Storm had dispensed of most of the soldiers. The only remnant was a few of them who had gone around the other side of the house and were still there.

Seeing two people running out of it, they fired at them.

Luckily, Logan saw them in time to dodge and shoved Storm out of the way. If he got hit, it wouldn't matter for long.

Storm waved her hand, and wind blew their guns out of their hands.

"It's another mutant!" they yelled. "Code Alpha!"

Lightning struck the ground in front of them and set it on fire.

This much effort was making Storm feel tired fast.

"Make that a Code Omega," one of them yelled. 

But their radios probably weren't working that well with the static now in the air.

Fog rose up out of the ground.

"I trust you can still find the car," Storm said.

"Let's just go." Logan grabbed her arm and ran for it.

No one saw them, and they made it to the car and got out of there fast.

Storm made sure they still had cover for at least three miles before she let up and leaned back, breathing hard.

"Well...I hope that was worth it, Logan," she said.

"That was too close," Logan said.

"Yes, it was," Storm said. "I wonder what would have happened if I was not there."

She didn't say that probably no one else but her could have gotten them out from there that efficiently and with little injuries against such numbers.

"Now they'll be lookin' for you too."

"I highly doubt people like that didn't already know about the X-men," Storm said.

"This is why I prefer to do this stuff alone," Logan said, wincing. "Ah...darn it, those punks..."

"Logan, are you bleeding?" Storm suddenly said, in alarm. "Why didn't you say so?"

"It's not bad, and someone had to drive this piece of junk. Can't do two things at once."

"Pull over right now!" Storm said. "That's an order."

"An order?"

"Yes, technically I outrank you. Don't make me stop this thing by force," Storm warned.

Logan pulled over.

"I'll be fine," he growled.

"I knew this was a bad idea," Storm said. "And of course, the first aid kit was in the other car. I should have brought it."

"It'll be fine," Logan said. "Barely a scratch."

"Even you need some time to heal, Logan," Storm said, "before passing out. Well...there's not much to do except this." She tore off some of her cape. "You had better apply pressure. I will drive the car. We can't wait for them to catch up."

Logan saw she wasn't going to be argued with, so he did as she said.

Storm was still mad, but she didn't nag about it further, just drove as fast as she dared on the uneven roads.

She tried to contact the others with her com-link, but it was out of range...and the other car was the one with radio adjustment for it. Abandoning it was starting to look like the wrong call.

"We'd better just find a phone," she said.

"Why?" Logan said. "This was just part of the risk of the trip."

"Because they should know if we have a government troop looking for us," Storm said tightly. "At least for me. You may not care."

"If I'd been alone, they wouldn't have suspected the X-men at all," Logan said.

"And if you'd been alone, they might have killed or recaptured you," Storm said. "Those guns didn't all look like regular bullets to me. Suppose they had tranquilizers? Do you think before you do anything, Logan?"

But then she bit her lip. "That was uncalled for. I apologize. That was unnerving, is all...but it's not like we knew..."

"You're really worked up about this," Logan noted...but not angry, surprisingly.

"It was not on the list of things I wanted to do today," Storm said. "Not that it ever is..."

Logan laughed bitterly. "Just another day in my life."

Silence for a moment.

"I suppose it must be frightening to know these people may be after you still," Storm said, finally. "I didn't think of that. I'm sorry.... Is going to these places wise, though...? What if they are waiting?"

"I doubt they'd be waitin' in Alberta.... Still..."

"Don't even say it. I'm not going anywhere."

"Fine." Logan finally gave up. "If you're comin', let's stop talkin' about it."

"By all means. Let's talk about how we're going to be making a stop at a store first and getting some actual first aid supplies and making a phone call," Storm said. "I don't know this area very well, but I assume there's a highway that will take us to civilization again."

"Yes...the road to that highway is in a few dozen miles," Logan said. "Get used to drivin'."

[Storm to Logan be like:

https://youtu.be/Q06kOyqUoPQ

[Iyanla Saying "Not On My Watch."]

[Somehow them being together is funnier than I would expect from two such serious characters.... Guess they still kind of play off each other.]

* * *

After a pit stop, Storm tried to call the Mansion. She got a busy signal.

At the time, the phone was tied up because Kitty was already on it, hearing about the whole thing from the others and being advised to cut her home visit short, since they had no idea who might be swapped next.

That would be fun for her to explain to her parents.

But since Storm didn't get an answer, she just decided to try again later.

Somehow the mood in the car was better, though.

Maybe they were just the kind of people who needed a good near death experience to cut the tension, but now that they'd both just accepted the situation was what it was, they didn't argue anymore.

Logan just put stuff on the radio--or didn't, by turns, since they moved in and out of range.

Storm suggested they just fly part of the way to Alberta also to save time, but they'd have to return the car. Miraculously, despite all that, it was still in good condition.

They did so.

And another rental truck later, they were still on the way, with a few hours still to go.

Logan had pretty much healed up in that time, since he was resting and not straining himself further. Which he wouldn't have done if Storm hadn't told him he'd better or she was stopping the car.

[Chalk one up for Storm and not Jean for that.]

"Who ever said she didn't like to be in charge?" Logan grumbled about it but didn't put up much of a fight.

Actually...all that time not doing anything gave him lots of time to think...unfortunately for him.

Would any other woman he knew have done this? That was something that he kept coming back to.

He took off a lot. He wasn't usually followed. Other than by Jubilee one time...reckless kid.

But Storm had taken charge of this situation...admittedly, probably better than he would have.

And, all things considered, though she was mad, she wasn't doing it out of spite. And she'd gotten over being mad pretty quickly.

 That was what had always made them better friends...

And that's all it had ever been. Storm would have done the same for anyone. He respected that. They had that in common, even.

But here it had been used again him...and what annoyed him about it was how little it would have annoyed him, if this hadn't been exactly what he was avoiding.

Of course, he hadn't thought he was avoiding it, up until halfway through the trip it kind of hit him that he must have been doing that. Storm had said it, after all.

It was true.

Looking back at what Frost had said, Logan suspected she might have set this up on purpose. She probably knew what was going on--she was a telepath. She had said something about what he'd decide, after all.

Maybe it was a test. What would you pick? Facing it, or taking the out of chasing after old ghosts instead?

Shine's advice, delivered second hand, was to just...learn to accept that he wouldn't always know.... That might as well have just been saying that he needed to move on. Stick with the X-men.

So what was this trip about anyway? What would he learn? Would it change anything? Or would it change nothing...?

Finally, he said, "Storm?"

"What?" Storm had been silent for a long time now.

"Maybe I should have asked this before...but did Likstar say anythin' else about it? The past?"

"She said that it might not be something you'd want to know, I think," Storm reflected. "That you have been many men...but in her opinion, she thinks in some ways they have all been the same. That certain things about a person do not change...but that not remembering why that is...makes it difficult to accept. It sounded better when she said it, but that's what I remember."

"That sounds like 'er," Logan muttered. "Makes me wonder what she thinks is waitin' at the other end of this."

"Even if it was good and not bad," Storm said, "perhaps her thought is the same. It is enough to know who you are now and not wonder who you were before. I'm afraid I just do not understand. Why do you need to know this past self? The connections with people are gone now."

"Because," Logan said, "with all the things I do remember doin', that bother me, I think I must have done a lot of things I wouldn't be proud of. I was a killin' machine for that group that came after me...who knows what else. In 100 years, none of what I remember was ever peaceful for long. Mostly, I was a monster."

Saying that felt weird... They never talked about this before.

Storm thought about it.

"A monster?" she said finally. "That's an interesting way to put it. Used for your power, all this time. Brainwashed, memories stolen. But that makes you the monster? And not the people who did those things to you?"

"I could have chosen it. Some people said as much," Logan said. "What kind of person would choose it?"

"The same kind who would choose to go back to it just to find out what happened," Storm said. "I don't know what happened back then, Logan, but I know what you would do now. You would make such choices to spare other people or to become stronger, thinking it was for the right reason. If that was not true, isn't the fault on the side of those who lied about it? Isn't it true that Sabretooth was one of them also?"

"And look at him."

"Yes, look at him. You are two completely different people. But I think the Professor made it clear. He has always been the way he is. Memory or not. And is he any better now? No. Perhaps he's not all bad, but he's evil enough to harm innocent people. I can easily believe he worked for those people and didn't care about it. But I can't believe that of you, then or now, so I know it must have been a lie. Things are so distorted that we may not know for sure. They cover their tracks well, but the innocent never resort to such means to hide their deeds. Perhaps they just wanted to be sure you'd blame yourself. I don't know. But I know you. That's all there is to it. Shine is right."

Silence.

Logan wasn't sure what to say to that.

"You might be sure," he said. "But I know the anger I've had.... Who knows?"

"Anger is not the same, Logan," Storm insisted. "Do you think I'm just flattering you? I seriously just do not see it. I was worshiped once. I know all about how people misunderstand the use of power.... I'm...almost glad I have that Achilles heel, as Hank calls it. Shine helped me understand that. These weaknesses that we have help us remember that we're still human, however much power we have. Perhaps your problem with control isn't so different. Without it, you might not have sought help. With your ability to heal, it would be easy to just assume it was all right to go on this way...but this way, you have looked for answers and healing. Our concern isn't that it's wrong to want that, but at this point you have stopped looking because it helps, and more because you can't accept the help that has already happened. The answer is already here, Logan. What brings peace, and an end to this guilt, you already know what it is. It's not the secrets of the past. I think the peace of God is timeless, isn't it?"

She paused, then added, "I don't want to say too much about it...but whatever we find, I intend to go back to what I know is going to help me. I hope you do the same thing."

Logan glanced at her, but he didn't answer.... There wasn't a lot he could answer.

He knew...deep down, that Storm was right. He was chasing something that wasn't really going to help.

But if he could know, he wanted to know.

[And the plot thickens.]