Legend: Thoughts = <>

Stray thoughts = ()

Flashback **

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Ok, guys, all the disclaimers apply, that means all thanks goes to Marvel

For the X-Men, I'm just making the story. And I do read all the other

Stories and they're great, keep up the good work. They inspire me!

"So, she's back and living somewhere in the city...does that mean she wants to get back with you?" I asked as we walked through the back room of the office.

"I don't know." Connor said, "She didn't say. I think she was just glad to be back in her own time."

"Who wouldn't?" I asked, "I'm just glad she's back."

"Me too. I was so worried about her." Connor said, putting files into a cabinet.

"I think she's waiting for you." I said, "I think you should have your chance."

"I don't think she's ready yet." Connor said.

"Her or you?" I asked.

"Guys," Melissa said, "Somebody's here to see you."

"Who is it?" I asked.

"You just have to see." She said, disappearing through the door.

We followed her through the door and were shocked to see Professor Xavier sitting before us.

"Hello, Pane." He smiled.

I stood there, waiting for an explanation because he was a telepath, so I figured he already knew what I was thinking.

Connor shook his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor Xavier." He said.

"Likewise." Professor smiled, "Pane."

I smirked, "I guess what in the Hell are you doing here is a stupid question." I said, "You came to tell me that I let you down too? That I should have..."

"No." Professor Xavier said, "I came to warn you of danger."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, "What is it, a Wednesday?" I asked.

Professor Xavier chuckled, "Quite." He smiled.

"Why can't the news ever be a hot guy with the body of a wrestler? Maybe even with the head? John Morrison...somebody sexy like that?" I asked.

Connor and Melissa chuckled.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I do believe that something has come upon us." Professor Xavier announced.

"What is it this time?" Who's after me?" I asked.

Professor frowned, "I'm afraid someone has hired a Mercenary." He said.

"Who'd they hire, Deadpool?" I joked.

Professor Xavier was silent.

"No, see, that was my joke guess!" I shouted, "Deadpool? Really?!"

"Deadpool?" Melissa asked.

"Wade Wilson." Connor said, "Haven't you heard of him? They call him the `Merc with a Mouth'."

"Oh." Melissa said.

"Who hired him?" Max asked.

"I am not sure." Professor Xavier said, "All I do know is that he has been hired and you are in danger."

I frowned and hopped off the desk I was leaning on, "I've got somewhere to be." I said quickly.

"Didn't you hear me?" Professor asked.

"Life can't stop because some jerk is trying to kill me." I said, "I have somewhere to be." I said, leaving.

"Where is he going?" Professor asked.

"A friend of his is getting promoted for his work he did during the whole `Mega' bull." Connor said, walking to his desk, "To me, the guy's an ass."

"Why, what did he do?" Professor Xavier asked.

I stood outside with the rest of the crowd, watching as Richard was being promoted. I was so proud of him! Even though he dumped me, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. There was music and partying. Everybody was so happy and I was too, but there was still this thing in the back of my mind...this feeling. I was being watched. I was being stalked and marked for death. I had to wonder if I was putting him as well as everyone in danger. Logan told me about Deadpool, stuff that wasn't in the files. He wasn't stable and he wasn't logical. He didn't care. He would kill me in front of all these people and go about his merry way. With my luck he would miss and kill my...Richard. Richard didn't need this in his life. Nobody did. I was brought back into reality when they announced Rich's name and he walked up to the podium and began giving his speech. He paused when he saw me and smiled. How he saw me through all those people, I don't know, but I smiled back. I listened to him talk. He seemed to be just as proud of himself as I was with him. He was definitely caught up with all the hype...I just hoped he would keep a calm head in the face of danger he was sure to face, with or without me.

"You're brave." A red-headed woman said, standing next to me. She was very pretty and her posture and attitude was so familiar.

"Can't come out in public yet, can you Myssie?" I asked.

"Don't call me that." Mystique frowned.

I chuckled, "You shouldn't stand by me, I'm a marked man." I smiled.

"And you still came out to see your little boyfriend." Mystique said, "Stupid."

"Tell me, how did that whole deal with being Professor Xavier turn out?" I smirked, "You do know he's in town."

Mystique shifted uncomfortably, "Yes, I know." She said, "But you'll never take me alive."

I looked at her, "You think I'm worried about you?" I asked.

"I think maybe you should be." Mystique said, "But not now. I'm just here to warn you."

"About what?" I asked.

"Someone is testing on mutants." Mystique said, "I can never find their base."

"Can you transform into like Sean William Scott or Paul Rudd or that Sam kid from Glee..." I said.

"No." Mystique frowned

"Because his lips are just..." I trailed.

"Did you hear what I said," Mystique asked, "Listen, they're..."

"It's Sinister." I said, "Or Lady Sinister..."

"Talk about a transformation." Mystique said, looking past me, "You should duck."

I looked around to where she was looking, up at the building across the way to see red and black and a bullet coming straight at me! I threw my hand up and stopped the bullet an inch away from my face. The crowd gasped and began to panic and run! I looked around for Mystique, but she was gone. I looked back up to make sure Rich was okay, to which he was just looking at me oddly. I took my focus off the bullet and it burst back into life and went right into my arm! I shouted in pain and retreated.

-           

"I can't believe you went." Melissa said, sitting on the edge of the desk.

"Are you okay?" Connor asked, putting pressure on the wound, "Luckily you can telekinetically take out the bullet. I can't believe you ignored Professor Xavier! He warned you."

"He's always been rebellious." Professor smiled, "It is his way, foolish as it might be."

"This guy treated you like dirt! He dumped you just because you said no to marrying him." Connor argued.

"Wow," Raiden said entering the office. She had cut her hair shorter and was wearing fresh clothes, "A girl goes away for a while and misses an Invasion, a Mutant Messiah, and a failed relationship."

"Raid," I smiled, "How are you?"

"Better than you, I see." Raiden said, "Are you okay? And Professor's here? Who's trying to kill you this week?"

"Deadpool." I said.

"Wow. Someone's pulling out the big guns!" Raiden said, "How can I help?"

"You mean it?" Connor asked.

She ignored him, "I want to help you." She smiled.

I looked to Connor, who looked hurt, "Whatever you can do, Raid, it can help." I nodded.

"Melissa, can I talk to you in the back?" Raiden asked.

Melissa looked a bit shocked, but nodded. Before the girls got to the back room, the door opened and closed and Richard walked in.

"What is your deal?" Richard shouted.

"What?" I asked, standing.

"You show up at my promotion and all hell breaks out?! It wasn't enough that you turned me down flat, now you're trying to destroy everything I've worked for?" Richard said angrily.

"I..." I stammered.

"You're ruining my life! Do you do this to all the guys who love you?" Richard shouted.

I was silent. Hurt.

"Hey, you can't come in here and talk to him like that!" Connor shouted back, "You're the one that left him!"

"After he declined a marriage proposal!" Richard said, "Who does that?!"

"Somebody who's not ready to be married." Max said angrily.

Richard sighed, "What was that? I mean, fighting crime at my..."

"Get out." Max said, "I'm tired of seeing your face."

Richard looked angrier than he had been.

"You're a dick...a very small dick." Raiden said calmly, "You heard them, get out."

"I'm sorry I said what I did." Richard apologized, "It's just that..."

"You were hurt." I said quietly, "So you decided to hurt me, the only thing you didn't know is how hurt I was already. How I've been beating myself up over my answer and how I should have said...I should have said yes."

"Pane..." Richard said sadly.

"But I didn't. You deserve a life free of all this. It's the best gift I could think of giving you." I said, "I wish you nothing but happiness, I do, but get the Hell out!"

Richard moved towards me but Connor and Max moved in front of me. Richard sighed and moved away from us.

Richard: (I'm sorry. I'm hurting. I just...)

Pane <Go.>

He nodded and moved out of the room.

I turned to Professor Xavier, "You ran a school, so you should be used to this. Welcome to One Tree Hill." I said, walking away.

Professor was silent, but politely smiled, "I worked at a school, if you'll remember." He said to the rest of the room.

In the back room, Melissa shifted uneasily as Raiden looked at her, a small smirk across her face. Raiden didn't seem as uneasy at all.

"Raiden, I..."

"You know, when I hired you, I really didn't think you would sleep with my boyfriend." Raiden said, "More like hoped."

"It wasn't intentional." Melissa frowned, "We..."

"Listen, I'm pretty much over it. I mean, there's just one more thing I have to do." Raiden said, "One thing that needs to happen between us."

"If it'll make us good again, then go right ahead." Melissa smiled.

Raiden smiled and nodded before punching her in the face, "Ow! Felt good. We're all square." She smiled.

Suddenly, there was a zip and Raiden fell to the floor, lifeless. Melissa looked to the corner to see a man in a red and black costume with a mask the same color, walking over to her.

"Well, this was certainly easy enough." Deadpool said, looking to Melissa, "Meow! I like the shirt, or lack thereof. The cleavage is...wowser. I need you to give Pane a message."

Melissa looked up to him, terrified.

-           

"Okay, he said what?" Connor asked, his arms folded to his chest, "And let's be quicker, Raiden could be dead."

"Raiden's not dead." I frowned, "He only took her so that I'd come."

"It's a trap." Max said.

"Yup." I nodded, walking over to the weapons.

"Well, you can't go alone." Melissa said frantically.

"Of course I'm going alone." I said, picking up a sword, "Who uses this?" I asked.

"As much faith as I have in you, Deadpool will kill you dead before you can remember why you're there." Connor frowned.

"I'm afraid he is right." Professor said, "Deadpool is more than a capable ally, but as an enemy, he is more than deadly."

"Raid's life is on the line." Connor said direly, "I've seen you do the impossible before, but we always lose something and I don't want to lose Raiden."

"We're not going to lose anyone." I said, sticking short knives in my straps.

"You have to have at least one of us follow." Max said.

"No, I don't and you're not going to do that!" I said quickly, casting an angry glance at them, "He's smarter than he seems and if he senses anything is off, he'll probably just kill her."

"Her? Say her name." Connor said angrily.

I turned to him, putting two pistols in the straps on either side of my body.

"Do you even have a plan?" Connor asked.

"I'm going to go in and kill Deadpool, or at least kick his ass enough that he stops the hit." I said, "He's a merc. I'm a mutant. I'm going to fight for my life."

"But..."

"It's what I do best." I said, grabbing one last gun.

"You've been on autopilot since Richard dumped you. Now's different. Now you have an actual human life on the line." Max said, "This is Raiden."

I cocked the gun and ignored his statement.

"You can't ignore this anymore!" Connor said angrily, "This danger is real!"

"It's always real!" I shouted, lowering the gun, "It's always real and it's always me who's fighting it and what in the last few years had led you to believe that I can't handle one assassin-type? For years now, I've balanced the weight of the world on my shoulders...And now, suddenly, I'm not that person anymore? I've gotten us out of worse situations!"

"But this is..."

"She's just another person." I frowned, "She's no more or less important than any other life."

"That's how you feel about her?" Connor asked, in shock.

"That's how it is." I said, putting the lone gun in the strap on my right leg.

The room was silent.

"None of you understand making the hard decision because none of you have to make it." I said.

"We don't make hard decisions?" Max asked.

"We have been busting our asses to get you back in shape." Connor frowned.

"And, as much as I hate to get on your bad side right about now, but we're a team." Melissa said, "I thought we make decisions together and work together for a better world."

I chuckled, "Most of the time we're fighting just to be here. And for what? When you can answer that question, then we can make any decision you want." I said, walking to the door.

"If she dies..." Connor said, pained.

"Then it's my fault." I said solemnly, "Part of me is hurt that you would say that and the larger part doesn't really care." I said, leaving.

"We can't let him do this alone." Melissa said, "He...he's..."

"I don't believe you've got a choice." Professor Xavier sighed, "He's always sacrificed himself for the greater good. He is impulsive, rash, unpolished, and...dedicated. He's all those things, but he's experienced, powerful, in mind and body, resourceful, and his heart knows no bounds."

"He's not himself." Connor said quickly.

Professor nodded, "Yes, so it seems. When he was here, just now, I didn't sense any change in him. He is still willing to walk into certain death for those he loves." He explained.

"What he said..." Connor started.

Professor chuckled, "He is, of course, one of the brightest minds I've encountered. And one of the most moral." He said.

"So, what does that mean?" Melissa asked, "He'll let her die?"

"Only if the world depended on it." Professor Xavier smiled.

-           

"Don't worry, mon Cherie, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not after you." Deadpool said to Raiden, who was lying on the floor, tied up and gagged. Deadpool stood at the window, looking down on the city. They were in an abandoned apartment building, which was very dilapidated and there were now roaches and rats everywhere. Raiden tried to scream as a rat scurried past her face, but was stifled by the gag. She struggled, but the maniac had prepared by roping her down. He gently moved a piece of her hair, "But then again," he said, showing her a bomb, "Anything could happen, ya know?" Raiden struggled against the ropes, trying to shout, "Sorry I had to zap your powers. But I'm a smartie-bacardi." He smiled, taking the gag out.

"You are insane!" she shouted.

"Don't, I'll have to put the gag back in." He said, "Kinky."

"I hope he kicks your ass." Raiden growled.

"Really? I'd like to see that too." Deadpool sung.

"Just wait." I said slowly, standing at the door, "I heard you've been looking for me."

"You're making this too easy!" Deadpool said with glee.

"I walked into your little trap...now what?" I asked indifferently.

"Now, we fight." Deadpool said fiendishly.

"Let Raiden go and I'll let you walk out of here." I said quickly.

"No, I think I want an audience." Deadpool said, pulling a switch.

Before I could move, something hit me in the back and sent me to the ground! I rolled over, in agonizing pain, and looked up as a foot came down at me! I moved quickly and kicked his other leg from under him, causing him to drop to the floor in splits!

"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurt!" Deadpool said, getting to his feet.

We stood now, both looking at each other. He threw a punch to which I moved and grabbed his arm, wrenching it, but he disappeared from my grasp. When I turned around, he punched me to the ground! I stood, leaning against the wall until he kicked me so hard, I went through the wall and into the next room!

"I thought this was going to be hard!" Deadpool said, cocking a gun, "The mighty Legacy and you can't even kick my ass...what a compliment."

I stood and roughly and pressed my back against the wall next to the hole. I was breathing hard, but tried to stifle my breathing. I steadied myself.

"This is the part where I walk through the hole and you pull out the big upset, isn't it?" Deadpool said, toying with me.

I closed my eyes, thinking about Deadpool's head. I thought about plunging into it, ripping it apart. There was nothing but chaos in there.

"Are you trying to penetrate the mind of genius?" Deadpool asked, "Or a mad man?"

He was silent. Something about him being silent just wasn't right. Just as I was trying to figure it out, something rolled through the hole and onto the floor in front of me. My eyes widened with realization as I jumped just in time to miss the full brunt of the explosion, but was thrown across the room and onto the floor!

"Hey! No! What are you doing?!" Deadpool shouted before I heard a barrage of gunshots!

I immediately got to my feet and ran to the hole to see cuffs on Deadpool's hands as he shot wildly into the wall! As he turned to me, I ran over to him, punching him twice before he blocked and tried to roundhouse me, but I ducked it, causing him to headbutt me and throw me into the wall! As he ran at me, I grabbed him and we broke through another wall and slid into the bathroom! As I stood, he tackled me back onto the counter, causing my back to crack loudly! He then lifted me and threw me into the mirror! I could feel the blood all over me and I grabbed a piece of jagged mirror shard and jammed it into his face. He staggered and I kicked him into the shower! He got up and ran at me, but I levitated into the air a little and kicked him so hard, he fell on the toilet seat, his neck twisted and a few teeth scattered on the floor! I gathered all the breath I could and started out of the bathroom. I made it to the main room and called for Raiden, who appeared in the corner.

"Could have used your help a minute ago." I frowned.

"Oh my gosh, you're covered in blood!" Raiden said, rushing to me and examining me, "Did you even bruise him?"

"I heal fast." Deadpool said, causing us to turn to him.

I was in shock until I remembered that he healed quickly. He raised his gun, aiming it at my head and shot. I quickly put my palm out in front of me, trying to do something and I watched as the bullet stopped midway and I flicked my wrist at it, causing it fly back at him and hit him between the eyes and he fell to the floor! I grabbed my gun and stood over him, aiming it at him.

"You can't kill me with a gun." Deadpool laughed.

"Maybe not, but adamantium bullets could make you forget everything and possibly kill you." I smirked, "You'll leave here and leave me and my friends alone. The hit is off, you got it?"

"I can't stop until I've got ya, half-tank." Deadpool said, lying on his elbows.

I clicked the gun, "You're going to stop. These bullets take a while to heal. If I shoot you in the crotch, you really won't heal." I said.

"Ah, don't use it much anyway." Deadpool replied.

I aimed at his mouth.

"Don't! That's my money shot!" Deadpool pleaded.

"Good boy." I smiled.

-           

I sat on the edge of my bed, licking my wounds. I had been bandaged up and all, but it still hurt like a bitch. It was times like this that I really missed my accelerated healing. All was well in the kingdom of Legacy. I saved the day and the girl.

"You're even more magnificent than I remember." Professor said at the door, "You would be an asset to any team."

"Sometimes I wish I was still at the mansion, I was still that little hopeful boy." I frowned.

"You are," Professor Xavier said, rolling over to me, "Everything about you hasn't changed. You're still that young man I came to love."

"I wish that and then I think about what I'd be missing here. Those people out there are the reason I do anything. Not because we're friends, but because all the good they do, I want in." I said.

"They think the exact same about you." Professor smiled, "You are their leader, for better or worse, no matter who they put in charge, you're the leader."

I smiled.

"I have to go, but please, remember my words." Professor said, "You are the one person on this Earth that could never be fooled by me and the one person I could never fool."

"My powers are turning into something Charmed...any idea why?" I asked.

"Your powers have always evolved along with your personality. Become yourself and the rest will follow." Professor smiled, "Be safe."

I smiled as I watched him leave. Become myself? Who was I?