**19.30 GMT-5, 21 June 2000, The Howletts' Farmhouse, South Warwick, NY, USA.**
The farmhouse kitchen was warm and filled with the smell of roast chicken. Wade, now showered and in normal clothes, shoveled food into his mouth while Laura and Ken bickered over the last dinner roll.
Logan took a long swig of his beer. Marie smiled, looking around the table.
"I was thinkin'," she began, her Southern accent soft. "We should take a holiday. A real, proper family trip. Like the good ol' days."
Laura's eyes lit up. "Disneyland!"
Ken scowled. "Universal Studios! They have better rollercoasters anyway! AND DINO!"
Marie held up a hand. "Now, hold on. We can do a theme park at the end. But I want a real road trip first. Just us, the open road, seein' the sights along the way. We'll make our way down to the theme parks, take our time on the road and then you can have your fun at the parks. A proper normal vacation! Like the other family!"
Wade, his mouth full, snorted. He swallowed hard. "Yeah. Sure. 'Normal.'" He exchanged a knowing look with Logan, who just grunted into his beer, a silent acknowledgment of the inevitable chaos.
"Did you watch those family road trip movies again, didn't you?"
"Let me have my moment, Logan!" Marie pleaded, a tear tracing down her cheek as she pointed to the gallery of mess of framed pictures on the wall. "Our last few vacations have been anything but normal. I just want one proper family photo!"
Logan sighed, following her gaze. Those were last year's portraits, where they had to deflect a squad of ninjas mid-shot while taking pictures in Niagara falls. The year before, a sea monster had photobombed their beach picture. In every single one, Marie and Logan were either desperately trying to corral their kids or were forced to fight off some unexpected threat, leaving behind nothing but a blur of candid chaos.
/It'll never be normal for us. Last year it was ninjas at Niagara Falls./
(I wonder who it's gonna be this year? Aliens? Mole people? A sentient, murderous cornfield?)
"I already lost the chance with our formal family portrait and last year's vacation, is one simple, normal peaceful picture too much to ask?"
"Alright, I can't say no to you anyway…"
"YES! ROADTRIP! I CLAIMED SHOTGUN!"
"DAMMIT! I WANT THE SHOTGUN SEAT!"
"TOO LATE LIL BRO!"
The next morning, they piled into their truck, the old camper trailer hitched behind. Logan took the wheel while Wade claimed the shotgun seat, proudly unfolding a map.
"Don't worry! My navigation skills have improved," Wade declared, though the map was already upside down. "We'll be in Florida in no time!"
"Just tell me if we're about to hit Alaska," Logan grumbled.
"Do you really don't trust me? I have traveled a lot lately y'know!"
Ken immediately seized the opportunity to mock his brother. "Oh yeah? Is that why you tried to use a map to find the grocery store last week and somehow ended up in Vancouver?"
"I WAS CRAVING TIM HORTON, OKAY! In case you forgot, I also could teleport!"
"You still didn't bring any Tim Horton's that night tho,"
"Shut up you little–"
Laura giggled, covering her mouth as she looked between her bickering brothers.
"And you're holding it upside down right now," Ken deadpanned, pointing at the map at Wade's hands.
Wade quickly flipped it over. "This is the proper traditional Australian orientation! Respect the culture!"
Marie shook her head, her smile fond but exasperated. "Boys. Enough. We are going to have a nice, normal, family road trip. And we will all try to get along. Understood?"
"Sibling bickering is also a normal family's road trip experience, Mom!"
They'd been driving for about an hour through the wooded backroads of New Jersey when Wade squinted at the map. "Okay, according to this, if we take the next left, we should—"
He never finished. A massive tree crashed down directly in front of them.
Logan slammed the brakes, but it was too late. The truck swerved, the trailer jackknifing violently before everything went tumbling.
Wade and Logan were thrown forward, their head smashing against the dashboard before they both were launched through the windshield.
Wade tumbled through the air, branches whipping at him, before coming to an abrupt stop as his hoodie snagged on a broken limb, leaving him dangling fifteen feet above the ground like a bizarre Christmas ornament.
"Dammit!" he grunted, his body already knitting itself back together.
He could see the wreck below–the truck on its side, the camper trailer cracked open and already smoldering.
MARIE
The world swam back into focus with a nauseating lurch. Everything was tilted. The acrid smell of spilled gasoline, scorched metal, and pine needles filled the air. Her head throbbed in time with her heartbeat.
"Logan? Kids?" she rasped, her voice raw.
"Mom!" Ken's voice was tight with panic.
He and Laura were already moving, scrambling over the inverted seats toward her.
A blessing and a curse, their healing factors.
They'd be sore, but whole.
Marie tried to push herself up, but a sharp pain in her shoulder and the stubborn lock of her seatbelt held her fast. "I'm stuck," she grunted, fighting a wave of dizziness.
That's when the low, familiar growl cut through the chaos, distracting all of them.
Logan was already on his feet near the overturned truck, his claws extended with a definitive snikt.
From the shadows of the pines, a mountain of a man emerged.
He was colossal, standing at least 6'9", and his eyes held a sinister, knowing gleam as they landed on Logan and then on her.
"Well, well," the giant sneered, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"Look who I found. My little brother and his pretty bride. Where's your little runts? Hiding somewhere here?"
Marie's blood ran cold. Brother?
Logan's brow was furrowed in confusion, but his body was a coiled spring.
"I don't know who the hell you are, bub, but you're about to regret messing with us."
The giant chuckled, a low, mocking rumble.
"Oh, you'll remember soon enough. The name's Sabertooth but you always called me Victor, Jimmy."
A crash from the treeline drew her attention.
Wade had dropped from the branches, landing in a crouch.
Thank god.
But her relief was short-lived.
A stunning blue-skinned woman materialized from the chaos and struck him from behind.
"Hello, handsome," the blue woman purred.
"Hey, I usually like blue, but you're just too old for me, maybe ask me again in 5 years?"
Wade's retort was cut off as he had to desperately roll away from her kick.
He popped his claws. "Alright, maximum efforts."
He was faster than she expected, his movements unpredictable.
He ducked under her swings, his claws leaving shallow cuts on her arms and torso.
"What's the matter? Can't keep up?" he taunted.
Then Sabertooth suddenly disengaged from Logan just long enough to grab Wade by the scruff of his jacket.
"Not again!" Wade yelled, and Marie's world froze as Sabertooth hurled her son like a garbage bag, sending him crashing through the canopy and out of sight.
"TEAM DEADPOOL BLASTING OFF AGAIN!!! NYADASU!!!"
Ken's eyes darted around the wreckage after shaking his head at his brother's comment as he went flying towards the woods.
"He'll be alright if he could make a comment from a cartoon while sent flying like that," Marie heard him whispering while trying to help her unbuckled from her seat.
He then saw the problem instantly–the metal buckle was crushed and wedged in its housing.
Without a word, he acted.
He simply gripped the jammed mechanism, and with a grunt of effort, his enhanced strength crushed and peeled the metal apart as if it were taffy.
Marie scrambled free, grabbing his shoulder. "Good job, baby," she breathed, her heart swelling with a fierce, terrified pride.
"Now, go find your brother! Now! Get to safety!"
Laura hesitated, her own small claws sliding out, a feral snarl on her lips. She wanted to help them fight.
"It's okay baby, we got this. Help your brother first okay!"
Ken, wasting no time, grabbed his sister's arm. "Come on, Laura!" he yelled, pulling her toward the dense woods where Wade had vanished.
Marie turned back to the fight, her own claws erupting from her knuckles.
She stood beside her husband, her gaze locked on Sabertooth.
But before she could help her husband attack the big cat, the blue woman who attacked her son earlier ambushed her.
Marie engaged the blue woman.
"Long time no see, Rogue…"
"I think you got the wrong gal, lady!"
The woman's movements were fluid, her form constantly changing, trying to disorient her.
"I am so disappointed, Rogue. I thought all those years we were together would make me unforgettable to you…"
"Shut the fuck up!"
She flew low, using her flight to add power to her kicks and to evade Mystique's strikes.
She landed a solid blow to the blue mutant's jaw, snapping her head back.
"Not so tough without your tricks," Marie spat.
As Marie pressed her attack, her opponent feinted left, then right, and in a move too fast to follow, produced a pneumatic dart gun. Thwip. Thwip.
"Huh, you didn't change at all… I am so disappointed,"
A dart embedded itself in Marie's neck, another in Logan's shoulder as he was locked in combat with Sabertooth.
The world immediately began to swim. Marie's claws retracted, and her knees buckled. She saw Logan stumble, his movements becoming sluggish. Sabertooth took advantage, landing a heavy blow that sent Logan crashing to the ground next to her.
ANOTHER PERSON POV
"Such a touching reunion," Mystique said, walking over to stand beside Victor.
Sabertooth looked down at the barely conscious forms of Logan and Marie. "Let's get them loaded up."
As he reached for them, the roar of jet engines tore through the sky. A sleek, black aircraft descended, hovering ominously above the clearing. Before Sabertooth or Mystique could react, a hatch opened and three figures dropped to the ground.
"Stand back!" commanded a man in a ruby-quartz visor, his voice cutting through the air as he raised a hand to its side.
A blinding red beam of energy erupted from Cyclops's visor, striking Sabertooth square in the chest and hurling him backwards into a thick pine tree with a sickening crunch. He slumped to the ground, momentarily stunned.
The regal black woman, Storm, raised her arms. "You have chosen the wrong prey," she intoned, her eyes glowing white. The wind answered her call, forming into a vortex that lifted the groggy Sabertooth and slammed him repeatedly into the earth before finally tossing his limp form deeper into the woods.
Mystique, seeing the tide had turned decisively, didn't hesitate. She melted back into the forest shadows, escaping while the X-Men were focused on her partner.
Cyclops and Storm quickly moved to the fallen Howletts. Jean Grey floated down, her hands already glowing with a soft, telekinetic light as she assessed their condition.
"They're alive, but their systems are crashing. The tranquilizer is laced with a powerful suppressant," Jean reported, her voice tight with urgency.
"We need to get them to the Professor. Now," Cyclops said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
With careful, efficient movements, Cyclops lifted Logan while Storm gathered Marie into her arms. Jean used her telekinesis to stabilize them as they were carried back towards the waiting Blackbird.
As the aircraft's hatch closed and it shot into the sky, vanishing over the horizon, three small figures burst from the tree line at the edge of the wreckage.
"NO! YOU BASTARDS! YOU SONS OF BITCHES! BRING THEM BACK!" Ken screamed, his voice raw, skidding to a halt as he stared at the empty sky.
"COME BACK!" Laura shrieked, her small claws bared at the vanished jet.
Wade stood panting, his chest heaving, his face a mask of fury and helplessness. He shook a fist at the horizon, his voice a venomous, breaking snarl. "OH FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!! NOOOOO!!!! FOR FUCK SAKES ITS JUST GETTING GOOD GODDAMMIT!!! FUCK YOU AUTHOOOOORR!!! MAY YOUR PILLOW NEVER HAVE ANY COLD SIDE!!!"
But the Blackbird was gone. And they were left alone.
"Well, now what…"
"We did what I always wanted to do, let's hijack a car!"
"I CLAIMED SHOTGUN!"