So this is the xmen fanfic I've been starting to write wooo
I know earlier I said it was called "Stay" (like the song), but first, if I write a Wonder Woman fanfic I want to call it "Stay" and second, I heard "Happier" by Ed Sheeran again and I think for my story that song describes it better. But I might change it back. It's complicated 😂
So enjoy!

Feedback greatly appreciated 😂💕

Happier

A flash of light. A needle. Pain. Screaming. Laughter. Blinding pain...

I woke up with a start. God, that screaming again. Stryker. My head hurt behind my eyes, so I squeezed them shut. Slowly sitting up, I put my hands on the side of my head.

"Hey kiddo, you ok?" Logan's voice came through the slightly opened door that divided our beds. He opened it a bit more to look at me. I nodded.

"Yeah, did I wake you? Sorry..." He shook his head.

"I was just packing. Woke up an hour ago. You sure you're ok?" He looked concerned. It was a strange look for his normally aggressive face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I took a deep breath before swinging my legs off the bouncy mattress. "I'll go get ready." He nodded and left with the door open a crack. I sighed once more before going up to shower.

A few minutes later, I rubbed a towel over my wet hair. I had changed into some well-worn jeans and a plain white short sleeved v-neck. My necklace's silver chain hung cold on my neck. The key on it felt heavy, and the words on it heavier. I knocked on the door between Logan and mine's "rooms." We had been staying at this hotel for two weeks. It wasn't a very nice one. But I wasn't supposed to complain, something I had learned years ago.

"Hey," I said, opening it. He looked up from his stuffed duffel bag. "Should I pack now?" He nodded.

"We're going to cafe downtown after leaving for breakfast," he said.

"And then we run." I smiled slightly. He nodded again with a chuckle, another odd sight.

"Go pack, kiddo." I rolled my eyes and closed the door softly.

Throwing the towel onto the bed, I went to empty the drawers of my (meager) possessions: a couple sets of clothes, a small bag of toiletries, four books (one was a journal), a chain with tags, some money in a cheap wallet, and some photographs. If you wanted to run, you had to pack light. Logan had taught me that, even though, when we met, I had close to nothing. I slid my own duffel bag, one a bit smaller than his, from under the dresser. I folded my clothes and stuffed the books and wallet carefully between the shirts. I put the journal on the top. I slid the toiletries on the side, threw in the chain with the tags, and carefully slipped the photos into my journal. I usually didn't look at them for too long for...reasons, but one accidentally dropped. I reached to pick it up and sighed. It was eleven years ago...

We had all convinced Charles to go to beach with Hank's help. It was a gorgeous day. The ride to the beach was about one hour, and boy, did we bug Charles. He was very easily irked. It was all good fun though. Jubilee had taken the photo once we reached the ocean. It was of Scott and I, laughing. He had just said a joke, some stupid pun, but it was hilarious in the moment. We had just set up and finally relaxed. I loved the beach, the water was glistening and the sand was warm. When we went swimming, I did cool tricks underwater to make Jubilee laugh. The water has always been my specialty...

"Ok, we're leaving." Logan's voice brought me out of my flashback. I hurriedly slid the photo away, zipped up my bag, and slung it over my shoulder.

"Ready."

We locked our doors, and I gave him my key card.

"I'll wait for you," I said. He nodded and went to return the keys under the names "Ryan and Alissa Jackson." We had to change names every time we moved. Logan somehow had money to pay for the hotel rooms, but then again, they were usually pretty cheap.
I casually walked around the lobby, checking the clock, making sure my watch matched up, looking at the fake plants, things like that. A small TV blared in the corner. It was saying something about muta-wait what?! I whirled around to watch it.

"-rouble in New York! Strange people have been reported wandering around New York City causing panic! Some have suspected that mutants have risen, but we claim to disagree. The strangers have started to threaten others, but luckily, the military is on the matter! In other news, the weather is sunny with some clo-" I stopped listening after that. The military, strange people, threatening... It would be him, but the military definitely meant that Stryker was on the case, which meant he would be close soon. Dammit. I went over to get Logan who was about to turn.

"Hey Log-" He cut me off.

"Yes, Alissa?" he emphasized. I mentally slapped myself.

"Ryan! We should leave soon! Um...Betty's going to pick us up in two minutes!" I produced a laugh. He got my message.

"Thank you, miss," he said to the hotel employee. She was on on her phone and distracting waved us away.

"Sorry," I whispered as we walked.
"It's fine, just be careful," he replied back. We got outside.

"What happened?" he asked in a normal tone. We walked briskly towards downtown. Logan always walked briskly.

"I was watching the TV and there are reports of...our people...and the guy said the military is hunting them down."

"Which means him." There was one person Logan was truly afraid of, and he didn't even remember most of his time at the labs. He could only imagine what I remembered. Or what I tried to numb. 

"Yeah. So we need to move. Quick." He nodded.

"We go to the cafe, buy some food, and then hitchhike the hell out of here." I nodded but felt a bit sad. New York had always been my home, and to leave it? That felt strange. That wasn't a new thing though, to feel strange.

Logan and I made our way into downtown and found a small cafe. The cafe was a bit crowded, since it was small and it was a weekend. Weekends in trucking towns were crowded because it was their time off. Logan and I got in line to wait for some coffee for him and tea for me. Charles had gotten me into tea. Logan and I usually ate light before we hitchhiked away.

We got through the long line, ordered, and stood in the back with our drinks and my bagel. It always amazed me how little Logan ate. Some people came and went. I was almost done with my bagel when some amateur-looking truckers came in, laughing and talking loudly. I exchanged glances with Logan. Drunk. They started to talk to the waitress about what they had seen on the road and blah blah. I shut them out and continued to eat. I had just eaten my last bite when Logan suddenly put his arm around me.

"What the hel-" He pecked my cheek. Ok no...that was OFF limits. There was only one person who could do that, and he was eleven years away.... I shook my head a bit. Stop it. Back to Logan, that was REALLY weird.

I looked up and was about to say some obscenities, but then realized he was just trying to get my attention. Whoops.

"Let's go outside, 'lissa," he said loudly. I nodded and threw away my trash. Outside, I "gently" shrugged his arm off.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.
"I overheard those truckers, and his people are coming," he said in a low voice. I took a sharp breath.

"Shit."

"We need to leave. Now." He looked around for a driver to take us. There was barely anyone around because it was too early; all the driver who weren't in the cafe were either sleeping or drunk from last night.

"No one's going to take us. We didn't think this through..." I sighed.

"Well then," he cleared his throat. "We have to steal someone's truck then." I shook my head.

"No no no no," I protested. "That is against the 'No Stealing When Around River' policy." He put his big hands on my shoulders and stared at me. I felt my will crumbling even though he wasn't telekinetic.

"Rivera," he said using my full name for once. That meant he was serious. "We need to run now." I sighed.

"Fine..." He took his hands off. "This is the last and only time ok?" I really hated stealing. It reminded me of my time before I met Charles and the rest of them.

"Yep. You'll be my lookout?" I rolled up my jacket sleeves.

"Yeah."

"This way." He walked quickly, and I followed him quickly towards a useful-looking truck. Logan peered inside through the windows. I turned around to make sure no one was around. I heard him unsheathe his claws and then slice the lock off the handle. He opened the door, and I turned to see silver retracting back into his right hand. Bleugh. Those things still disgusted me a bit. I mean seriously. But it wasn't his fault.

He left the door open and started to play around with the wiring underneath a panel. I looked around the truck. No one so far.

"Got it..." he muttered. There was a click and some more cutting. I sighed. I still didn't like the idea of practically stealing someone's job.

"I'm going to go around the back," I said and started to walk around. I stretched my fingers and wrists just in case. I hadn't made a shield or really done anything with my mutation in a while.

As I rounded the edge of the truck, I saw two cars stirring up dust on the road that went into the town. Hmm..interesting. Lost tourists?

Looking closer, I saw that the cars were in camouflage. My heart began to speed up. They were here?! Already?! I hoped that their boss hadn't come along.

All these thoughts raced through my mind as I ran back to the front as fast as I could. How I wish I had Peter's mutation.

"They're here! They're coming!" I yelled. Logan stuck his head out.

"What?!"

"Cars...camo...military...there..." I panted and pointed at the road.

"Get in." I got in.

"You almost done?" I asked. I fidgeted with my necklace anxiously. He made a so-so gesture. "Hurry!"

"Calm down, RJ! I'm as nervous as you are, ok? Focus on being able to make a shield. Or something - anything! Got it?" He looked at me. I nodded. "Good."

Ok so yeah I know it sucks oops but yeahhhh
It'll be more interesting if I do publish it
I'll also publish a "backstory" kinda book called "Seventeen" or "Stay" and it'll be in the time of Apocalypse. This story is in the time of the first movie.

So yeah!

Love yall!!!