[Author's Note: This is a little different from my usual, which means my usual five-part guarantee does not hold. There probably won't be Rogan smut although it is very Roganish at the heart of it, and it is probably not going to have the all-loose-strings-tied-up happy ending I usually provide, although things will be moving in the right direction throughout the fic. It's just going to be five chapters or so, most of them short but a few much longer. I never thought I'd write a Logan-Jean-Scott fic or a songfic, but this idea stuck in my head and would not come out. If you're not familiar with the song that inspired this one, you should definitely check it out. It's called Right Next Door (Because of Me) by Robert Cray, from the album Strong Persuader. I'll try to post a link to the video but I know this site censors, so not sure how it'll work. I think if you type into your web address tinyurl (dot) com/strongpersuader it should work, but of course replace the (dot) with an actual dot.]

I can hear the couple fighting right next door

Their angry words sound clear through these thin walls

Around midnight I heard him shout "unfaithful woman"

And I knew right then the axe was gonna fall

It's because of me

It's because of me

He heard the change as soon as he entered the cafeteria. The usual hubbub of conversation died away, and then started again as a buzz of whispers and murmured comments. To anyone else it would have been a blur of white noise, but with his sensitive hearing he couldn't let it fade into a meaningless haze. Disjointed phrases whipped out against his unwilling ears, wrapping around him like a lash.

"...big fight last night..."

"...probably been going on for months..."

"...can you believe it?..."

He felt the tension ratchet up between his shoulder blades, but he kept his face blank and impassive. He loaded up his tray as usual and headed toward the staff table. He was the fucking Wolverine. What did he care what a bunch of twerpy tweens were talking about?

The chairs where Scott and Jean usually sat were notably empty, and to Logan's surprise Xavier had joined Ororo and Kitty and Jubilee. Logan sat down warily across from Xavier.

Ororo's blue eyes were icy with anger. "I have a class to prep," she said curtly, leaving the table before Logan was even seated.

Kitty stared at her oatmeal, her face pink. Jubilee met his eyes frankly, however, snapping her usual gum.

"Hi Wolvie," she said, with an edge behind her unnaturally cheery voice. "What's new?"

That pulled an involuntary growl from him, and he dug into his bacon and eggs with single-minded purpose.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Kits. Let's get a workout in."

Kitty practically scurried from the table in Jubilee's wake, leaving Logan alone with Xavier.

Every few moments Logan flicked his eyes up to find Xavier watching him calmly over the rim of his cappuccino.

"Somethin' to say?" he finally growled, unable to bear the silent scrutiny for even a moment longer.

"Yes, I do have something to say, Logan."

Logan threw down his fork, leaning sullenly back in his chair.

"I have a revised class schedule for you." Xavier pulled a piece of paper from his breast pocket, carefully placing it on the table in front of Logan.

"A...what?"

He warily pulled the paper closer, and then even closer, squinting at the neat type before looking skeptically back up at Xavier.

"Are you kiddin' me?"

Xavier continued to regard Logan placidly. "There are two more weeks in the semester. Scott's classes have all been reassigned now that he is on...indefinite leave."

Logan shoved the paper back across the table. "Yeah, well I've been thinkin' I might take a trip myself..."

"I'm sorry, Logan," Xavier interrupted. "I just don't believe that we can spare you at present. Your travel plans will have to be postponed. Is that going to be a problem?" The keen blue eyes were steady, and Logan was the first to look away.

Logan leaned back in his chair, his hands clenched into tight fists under the table. Hadn't he told himself that it didn't matter, that he could walk away from this place without giving a damn? And yet...

"I don't know shit about Trigonometry," he finally muttered.

"Well then, Logan," Xavier murmured serenely, pushing the paper back his way. "Perhaps you had better study."

[Please review! :-D]