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Hi everyone this is my first fanfic so I really I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own any X-Men characters.
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It was well past midnight, but Logan couldn't seem to fall asleep. He always had problems sleeping, but since Jean's death, it was nearly impossible. After tossing and turning in bed for a couple of hours, which seemed like ages, he decided to go into town for a drink. After wandering for a while and with a little bit of luck he found a bar still open. Hi dropped his bike into the rack, lighting a cigar before walking inside.
The smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke drifted throughout the small place. Packed with people the clientele consisted mostly of middle-aged men drinking their problems away, much like what Logan intended to do himself. Nearly everyone was facing the small stage at the back of the bar where a woman was standing, a microphone stand in front of her.
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming here tonight." her voice echoed through the speakers.
She was in her late twenties with shoulder length chocolate coloured hair, wearing ripped jeans with a loose-fitting black t-shirt. Those were the only details Logan observed from where he was standing.
The melody of "Demons" from Imagine Dragons rang out from the speakers as she sang. She had a beautiful voice, but it wasn't enough to keep Logan's attention for long. He was only there to drown his sorrows in a glass of beer, despite knowing it was futile. He turned around and reached for the counter, raising his hand to get the bartender's attention.
"What can I get for you, sir?" the bartender asked.
"A beer," Logan answered.
"Anything in particular?"
"Whatever you've got back there's fine," Logan answered, his voice gruff with impatience
The bartender picked up a glass, pouring beer into it before he placed it in front his customer.
"Here's your drink, sir."
The bartender noticed Logan's stare glued to the stage.
"She's good isn't she?" he said, trying to make conversation.
"She's not bad," Logan replied.
The intensity of the woman's voice had broken through his indifference, surprising him. She sang from her soul like if the song was about her own demons.
"When you feel my heat,
Look into my eyes.
It's where my demons hide,
It's where my demons hide.
Don't get too close,
It's dark inside.
It's where my demons hide,
It's where my demons hide."
"What kind of demons could a woman like her have?" he whispered to himself, thinking of his own, as the song ended.
"Thank you again everybody!" the woman thanked the cheering crowd. "Enjoy the rest of your night and I'll see you next week." She waved goodbye and disappeared backstage.
After twenty minutes or so she came out and approached the bar's counter, shrugging a jacket over her small frame.
"Hey girl, you nailed it!" the bartender exclaimed when he saw her coming.
The woman stood just beside Logan, giving him the opportunity to examine her from head to toe. She was pulling her dark hair into a loose ponytail, oblivious to the strange man who couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. He noticed that her hair wasn't just simply the colour of chocolate, but an array of different warm shades of brown.
"Thanks, Josh. I loved it." She said with a shy smile in the corner of her mouth.
"Want something to drink?" Josh asked, his elbows planted onto the grimy bar as she chatted with the woman.
"No thanks. I need to go home. I'm exhausted! Can I have my check please?" the woman asked, her voice sweet as she talked with the man.
"Sure, wait here..." Josh, the bartender, said as he walked into an office behind the counter.
Logan was still glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She was what many people call petite, which, to him, made her look sweet and friendly. He took a sip of his drink, trying to think of a way to start a conversation with her.
"Nice voice," he finally said.
"Oh, thank you." She answered, her cheeks turning red, making her light freckles more visible.
Usually, she would try to end the small talk here to avoid any uncomfortable situations that might occur, but not this time. To her surprise, she felt comfortable and safe enough talking to the man beside her.
"Do you come here often?" she asked, trying to get the conversation going.
"From time to time, to get some fresh -"
"Hey, Megan, here you go." Josh interrupted walking out of the office and gave her an envelope.
"Great! Thank you, Josh. See you next week." The woman named Megan said as she put the envelope in the pocket of her jacket and turned back to Logan.
She gazed at him for a moment. Her mind fighting between staying a little longer or heading off, but despite the temptation, she decided it was better to go home.
"Have a nice night," she breathed, giving Logan a large smile. She didn't wait for an answer before walking away.
Logan's eyes followed her out of the bar and as the door closed behind her, where he noticed another man also staring at her while talking on the phone. Logan sensed something off about him and listened in to hear what the man was saying.
"She left. Don't screw it up. Remember we need her alive." The man hung up his phone and left the place.
Logan turned quickly in his seat, tossing a few bills onto the bar before pulling his leather jacket on.
Outside, Megan headed towards the bus stop, two streets away from the bar and walked into a small alley to take a shortcut. The area was deserted and dark, but she was too deep into her thoughts to get creeped out.
She smiled, thinking about the man she spoke with at the bar. He was quite her type, and it had been a while since the last time she met a man she felt comfortable around. It was odd for her to think so since only a few words had passed between the two of them. Her smile faded away as her heart filled with regret. She should have stayed to at least ask his name or see if he would come again next week.
"So we meet again..." a cold voice sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts. She stopped, looking around to see who spoke, but at the same moment, two silhouettes appeared in front of her.
"Shit..." she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest as panic took over her body.
"So, what do you think about you being a good little girl and come with me without a fight?" the man behind her continued.
"If I were you, I would leave her alone." Logan's voice demanded as he appeared behind the first man.
The man laughed, "This is none of your business. There's three of us and one of you."
Logan smiled and unsheathed his claws, a growl ripping from his throat.
"Interesting," the man answered to Logan's threat.
He then turned to his men. "You two take care of this thing. I will take care of the girl."
The two men obeyed and charged against Logan as their leader approached Megan. Before the man got close, she reached towards her ankles and pulled out two daggers.
"Why are you making things so complicated?" he asked her.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Megan demanded, holding her daggers in front of her defiantly.
Her breathing was heavy and her hands firmly squeezing the daggers' handles. She had been trained from a rather young age in combat, but situations like this were daunting. When her adversary tried to seize her right hand, she was faster. She retracted her hand and struck, cutting the man's face.
"You little bitch!" he screamed, holding his bleeding cheek. "I had enough of this crap. You are going to come with me." The man threatened, pulling a gun from his jacket and aiming it at her. "Put down your little toys."
There was nothing her daggers could do against a bullet and she had no choice but to let go of them. She let them drop to the ground, the sound of metal hitting concrete the only noise which echoed throughout the small alley.
She was staring deep into the man's eyes when three claws penetrated the man's chest.
A gunshot echoed through the street, the shock of the attack making his finger pull against the trigger. Logan retracted his claws, letting the man's body fall to the ground and his eyes raised, locking on a confused woman holding her left shoulder covered in a spreading crimson stain.
"Shit!" he yelled, catching Megan before she fell to the ground.
She looked up in Logan's eyes to help her keep herself calm, but her vision blurred. She could feel the blood running down her shoulder, but the pain was too intense for her to understand where the bullet hit her.
Logan laid Megan down and took out his cellphone.
"Hang in there. I'm calling for help." Logan told her, his fingers dialling across the keypad as he noticed Megan struggling to stay conscious.
"Don't pass out on me. I need you awake." Logan said in a desperate effort to keep her conscious. His free hand shook her body as he listened to the dial tone continue ringing on the phone.
"I'm trying... I..."
Megan tried to focus on Logan's voice to stay awake, but she gave up to the pain and closed her eyes, her head rolling to the side.
"Damn it! Come on, pick up." Logan growled, nearly tossing the phone as he shook Megan, trying to rouse her.
A woman's voice finally answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Storm, I need your help..."