Notes: Hello! Yes, we've got another one of these. We kind of love this universe :P We're not sorry. We have THINGS TO DO in this universe. Plans to be put into action. It'll be amazing, we promise.

If you haven't finished Volume 5, "Unwilling Weapon," then you absolutely should and then come back here. But if you have… well - welcome! We're excited for a whole new set of adventures. New characters, old characters… and lots of crazy fun times :P

Chapter 1: "Easy A"

For Kurt's birthday, he and Kate had spent the entire weekend at K's little cottage together, and if they were both being honest, they would much rather have just stayed there. The view over the waves was amazing, not to mention the atmosphere or just ... the privacy and quiet.

Kate tucked the amulet Billy had given her into its leather pouch and folded it in with the rest of the clothes in the overnight bags. "You know, if I wasn't sure Annie would take our heads off for going AWOL, I'd say we should just extend our trip," she teased.

"November is going to be very hard on her nerves," Kurt said. "You know we'll be back just about in time for Thanksgiving — then Logan you know is going to disappear for the weekend at least for his birthday." He grinned wider. "They still won't say what K did to break Scott, and he won't be alone in a room with her."

"Poor, poor Annie," Kate agreed with a grin to match his. She chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Kurt's waist and leaned her head against his back. "Still. The stress baking is going to keep me from fitting in my uniform if she doesn't stop."

"You could do like our resident ferals and pretend like you don't like sweet things," Kurt teased. "Don't let them fool you. It's a lie."

"That would be a hard sell," Kate countered. "Considering who I'm in love with." She snuggled deeper into his back and just squeezed him tight. "I'm not that good of a liar."

"Don't try to be either — it would ruin my ability to spot the lies."

"Me? Lie to my sweet Elf?" Kate shook her head against his shoulders. "Never."

He twisted around and kissed the top of her head and pulled her a hair tighter before he simply teleported them back to their room in Westchester.

Almost immediately, they could hear the commotion down the stairs as the most confident of the student body were starting to gather up and brag on who they thought was going to win the bi-annual competition, seeing as the trip to the Savage Lands every semester was an endurance competition more than anything else.

"Ah, the sweet chaotic sounds of home," Kate teased, still with her arms around Kurt. "I guess we should pack for our other trip."

"There's not much packing to do, honestly," Kurt told her. "Bug spray perhaps."

"And clothes I don't mind ruining," she added.

He shook his head 'no'. "Just what clothes you wear in," he told her. "This is Logan's idea of camping."

She snorted. "Right — I just meant… I am changing into my least favorite tee shirt before we go on the dinosaur-infested field trip."

"I can help with that," he said with a grin.

She just grinned back at him. "And my least favorite jeans," she added.

"I can help with that too," he said, nodding. "Anything else you dislike that you desire to wear?"

"I'm sure I can come up with something," she said as she stood on her toes and kissed him.

…..

When the two of them did finally teleport down to where the students were gathered for the field trip — much later — they were some of the last to arrive, except of course for Logan, who had just been watching the group from the kitchen as they slowly gathered and bragged to each other.

"Better get your coffee in now, Hawkeye," he called out to Kate.

"I'm going to go through horrible withdrawals," she said dryly.

"I'll mourn for you," K said with a smirk as she picked up a freshly topped off mug and waved it Kate's way for effect.

"I'll only be able to get through it by the grace of God and an Elf," Kate said with a dramatic sigh.

K smirked and asked Kate for her phone number. "I have a very special picture for you," she promised.

Kate raised an eyebrow but gave her the number anyway. "If I have to go to therapy after this I'm sending the bill to your account."

"I only send people to therapy with my words, honey," K replied. "Words."

"You say that now, but I'm still going to send you the bill," Kate countered.

"I'll send it to Fury," K said with a smirk. "He'll take it."

"Seriously. Please. Please tell me one of these days how you broke him. You don't have to spill on Scott. But Fury? Come on."

"If I spill on Fury, I spill on Scott. It was a two-fer," K told her. "Logan laughed his ass off. You should ask him."

"But when I do, he just gets this look." Kate mimicked Logan, totally straight-faced, hands on her hips, before she broke into a grin. "Like I'm insane for even thinking something happened."

"Well — that's because he was hiding his face in shame. It really wasn't that big of a deal."

"Uh-huh." Kate grinned at her and stuck her phone in her pocket. "See you around, K. Don't break anybody else while I'm gone."

"Have fun," she said before she took a few steps and gave Logan a quick kiss. "Kill some dinosaurs."

….

They'd set up camp in a familiar clearing in the heart of the Savage Land, and the students had already been working hard for hours to make their shelters and search for firewood as the adults more or less just kept an eye out for trouble.

Logan was leaning against a large tree, arms crossed and looking far beyond where the students were searching for materials as Kate and Kurt set up their own little shelter, to the amusement of the kids on the field trip, who were whispering already about how there was only really one chaperone, since two of the adults needed their own chaperone anyway.

"What do you think — Christmas?" one of the kids, Rico — who had a long, scorpion-like tail and mandibles as well as little white wings — whispered to his friend.

Brye, a slender girl with short, black hair from Harlem who was using her ability to talk to animals to get some of the spiders to help her tie off her shelter correctly, shook her head. "No way. Mrs. Elf is all ... I mean, you saw the look on her face when Miss Lee was showing off the ring."

"So next Christmas?"

"No way, Rico. Way too long."

"Yeah, but I heard they're already engaged."

"Says who?"

"Says Miss Chavez at the Halloween party, that's who."

Brye rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and gullible is written in the stars if you look at 'em just right."

"Why don't you two quit talkin' and get back to work," Logan rumbled in their direction, and both of them jumped slightly and looked properly embarrassed before quickly picking up the pace.

"What were they discussing?" Kurt asked as he walked up to Logan.

"Nothing worth repeating," Logan replied with a little smirk. "You two get your shelter figured out, or do you need a grown up to help?"

Kurt just chuckled at his friend. "Unless you want to give Kate a hand with her 'finishing touches,' I think we should be fine."

Logan looked past Kurt to see Kate trying to make the little spot they'd picked out a bit more comfortable with big leaves and ferns. "You know you're just making it more attractive for the bugs, right?" Logan called out to her.

Kate stuck her tongue out at him. "My poor little princess backside can't sleep on this many peas!" she countered.

"Keep tales of your princess backside to yourself after the bugs finish chewing on you," he called back as Kate's phone sent her yet another notification.

Kate checked the picture message and sighed dramatically. "Your girlfriend is torturing me," she informed Logan, though she had stopped pulling leaves and ferns in — even if she didn't admit she was taking his advice.

"Not sure how she could do that from this far away," Logan replied with a little smirk, knowing full well what K had been up to.

"She's drinking coffee in my office right now," Kate complained. "There are pictures. Storm is there."

"So she's not working alone then?" Kurt asked with a grin.

"She's a freaking rabble rouser," Kate grumbled good-naturedly.

"She's harmless," Logan argued as he kicked off from his tree. "You guys ready to hunt?"

"Bring it on," Kate said with a wicked grin, the full force of which was directed at the students on the field trip. Several of them were in her archery class, and she was downright excited to see them get to put what they'd learned into action.

"No reason to go easy," Logan said her way. "Not much edible here unless you have a thing for reptiles, but — survival class is survival class. First active trail we find — we hunt." He turned to the nearest, most terrified looking student. "You're up."

The kid looked up wide-eyed before he stood up and just picked a direction, though already, Logan was shaking his head to himself as he gestured for the rest of them to follow. He waited until the class had gone a fair distance before he looked at Kate. "You do anything different here? Or would you have just picked a path too?"

Kate snorted. "Look, I may be a spoiled rich girl who rarely leaves the sanctuary of civilization? But even I can spot patterns. At least try and find something that the kids didn't trample."

"It's not about patterns," Logan said with a shake. "Look for signs by spiraling out — not just hoping you stumble onto something on a worn-down trail." At that, the kids all stopped looked around and did just that, pinwheeling out from where the adults were standing. "Gotta give 'em a freakin' neon sign," Logan muttered.

"Not everyone was born with an innate sense of Canadian Wilderness Survival," Kate teased.

"Does this look like Canada to you?" Logan deadpanned. "And if you say anything about dinosaurs, I'm gonna hit you."

Kate just grinned at him. "You'd have to catch me first, and we didn't bring your walker."

He just glared her way for a minute. "You better run."

"Don't strain anything."

"No running," Kurt said. "You know that before you caught her, I'd just have to teleport her away." Kurt was grinning as he shook his head at the two of them. "Kate. Please."

"He asks for it," Kate defended. "And besides, Grandpa Dinosaur needs the exercise."

"I'm sure he got quite enough on his mini trip to the lake," Kurt said in Kate's ear, only to get a look from Logan.

Kate didn't even see it as Logan whipped his hand up and tapped the back of her head as he passed the two of them by. "Behave or I'll leave you with the kids," Logan warned. "You know. Practice for the near future."

"You and K have something you want to tell us?" Kate countered with a smirk. "Do I need to brush up on babysitting?"

"You're the one with demon morning sickness," he replied. "I saw the photoshop crap that America sent out. Cute. real cute."

"Did she have to show you how to open the attachment for the picture set?" Kate asked. "I know it's hard to figure out new tech at your age."

He chuckled at her. "You don't even know my age."

"Nope." She grinned easily. "But I've sat in on your history class."

"And …"

"And you, my friend, have personal anecdotes from my great-grandpa's era — even if you don't say they're personal. I know these things."

"Maybe I'm just a buff," he replied.

"We're talking about history, not your arms," Kate teased.

"Why are you looking at my arms?"

"I am a Hawkeye. I notice everything — even if I don't want to. Like your horrible, horrible sense of fashion."

"Yeah? Just try to keep your eyes where they belong, for once."

Kate didn't even hesitate with an opening like that, just stepped right in front of Kurt, draped her arms around his neck, and stared up at him with a growing grin. "Well, now it's going to be hard to do any hunting."

"TIME!" Logan called out loudly, and far off in the ferns, Brye raised her hand. "You win the pool!" The tall girl did a little victory dance as Logan smirked at Kate.

"Kurt, we're getting predictable. They're betting on us now. This is distressing," Kate said, very seriously, though she shot a little glare Logan's way.

"Hey I didn't set it up, I just stepped in as proctor." He smiled a little bit at her. "Unbiased and all that."

"And you accuse us of being children," Kurt said, shaking his head at Logan.

"You are children," Logan said as the girl made her way up to them and Logan pulled out a wad of cash for her. "Don't look at me like that," he said to the both of them as they stared openly at the size of the wad. "I didn't bet on you."

Brye grinned at both of them as she took her money and laughed all the way back to where she was to begin with.

"Do you get the feeling we got invited along for entertainment purposes?" Kate whispered to Kurt, shaking her head.

"At the moment? Yes," Kurt admitted just before another of the students shouted out that he'd found a trail — and the group as a whole headed his way.

When they got to his position, they examined the tracks, and Logan set a different kid — a blonde telekinetic named Tammy who was too quiet to volunteer on her own for just about anything — to lead the hunt, staying halfway close to her as she tried to track the wild pigs that had made the messy footprints. When they finally came up to the little clearing where the pig had stopped, Logan called Kate and her little student hawkeyes up to line up for the shot.

She grinned and coached them through the breathing cycle, and just as they were finally ready to let the arrows fly, the bushes behind their quarry rattled — and a massive dinosaur stepped in and snatched the pig up in one bite.

Logan had to grin when Kate's eyes went wide and she let out a little squeak that turned into a high-pitched "Dino-thief!" as she tried to act like she wasn't totally floored by the sight of the gigantic creature in front of them.

The dinosaur was snapping, its head tipped up as it chomped the pig and then turned its sights to the people near the clearing. "Survival class," Kurt said to Kate with a grin. "Always more interesting when you're not at the top of the food chain."

She turned her wide-eyed stare to him and just shook her head at him. "Interesting… is putting it mildly," she said, her voice still higher than usual and one hand on his arm. "Running now?"

"Yes, that would be best," Kurt agreed as the kids all turned tail and took off. "Find a good spot and hide," Kurt advised the group at large while Logan distracted the giant lizard.

They didn't need much prompting at all as the group went running for bushes, trees, rocks, anything that looked like it might provide cover, as the dinosaur just snapped at Logan until it seemed to decide to go after easier prey — following the path the kids had taken, though they were well-hidden by then.

The kids stayed hidden for quite a while, considering the amount of roaring and stomping that was going on outside of their hiding spots. No one moved until Logan gave the all clear and prompted them to pick up their hunt again, unless of course, they wanted to go after the T-Rex, which Kurt promised did not taste good at all.

"You know what a T-Rex tastes like?" one of the students asked in a voice of disbelief.

"Have you met your instructor?" Kate countered with a laugh that was a little too delighted for half of the kids there before they started up the hunt again, though the students looked a lot more wary than before.

It took them a few hours, but they did find prey suitable to feed the group, and the birds they killed weren't half bad over the open fire. Kate was all but preening over her little student hawkeyes, showering them with praise for hitting not only a smaller target than the pig but a moving one as well.

The kids' plan had been to tell ghost stories by the fire, but all things considered, they were already shaken up by the dinosaurs and decided to leave well enough alone. "I thought they were joking about dinosaurs in the Antarctic," Hisako whispered to Kate. "You know — some kind of X-Men hazing or something?"

"That thing didn't look anything like they do in the movies," another student whispered in a subdued voice.

"The roar was pretty accurate, though."

"Quiet down," Logan rumbled low. "If I can hear you, they can hear you."

That got the kids to quiet down pretty fast, even earning a little 'eep' from one of them that had the chaperones chuckling. It took a little bit of time, but with all the kids terrified to make a noise, they had little else to do but reluctantly drift off to sleep — and it wasn't long before Kate and Kurt were nodding off as well.

"I'll take watch," Logan told them very quietly. The two of them settled in quickly and drifted off, snuggled up together under their little rain shelter.

Not long before three in the morning, something definitely not animal caught Logan's attention. He half-roused Kurt but didn't explain before he slipped out of the little camp toward the sound in the trees. Kurt started to wake up more fully a short time later — only to look around the campsite to find that Logan was nowhere to be seen.

He got up quietly and just waited. He was sure that his friend was nearby, as he could hear something very quiet rustling in the bushes near the trees, but he didn't call out for him. He looked around the campsite lazily, checking to see if any of the kids were awake… and simply froze when he realized that half of the kids — those nearest the edge of the camp — were just … gone. He turned to Kate and woke her up quickly before doing the same with the kids who were left and questioning them as to if anyone saw or heard anything in the pitch darkness.

As the kids were just starting to panic over their missing classmates, Kate tapped Kurt on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Where's Logan?"

Kurt looked slightly taken off-guard. "I don't know... but this is not part of the trip." He shook his head slightly. "He wouldn't do this — not in the Savage Land."

"I don't see him either," Kate said as she peered into the darkness and covered Kurt's hand with hers, grabbing a bow with the other.

"This would be easier if we'd brought the bamfs," Kurt said with a frown before he looked up toward the kids. "Everyone to the blackbird," he called out. "We have positioning systems to find our missing numbers on the plane." As the students rushed to do just that, he added under his breath to Kate, "I just hope Logan kept his comm on him this time."

"You are the man of faith," Kate muttered back as she helped him herd kids.

"Worst case scenario, we can use the scanners to search for his metal," Kurt replied. "I'm glad Scott asked for that feature."

"He's a worrier, our boss man," Kate said with the slightest of smirks.

"Still, a handy tool considering," Kurt said.

Kate just had to nod her agreement as she and Kurt stuck close to the upset kids, running for the blackbird as they kept an eye out for any more trouble. By the time they arrived at the jet, the group of kids with them was slightly less panicked, but still wide-eyed, and definitely still terrified.

Kurt went right to the comms to try and reach out, but he really wasn't expecting a response. So it was all the more impressive when the comm was answered — but not by Logan. One of the kids that was missing had picked up but was whispering so quietly, neither Kurt or Kate could figure out what they were saying over the rumbling that was coming through the comm.

The two of them shared a look, with the kids they did have standing behind them and staring wide-eyed at the radio. "GPS?" Brye asked quietly. "They do have GPS on those things, right?"

Kate tapped the side of her nose and smiled at the girl. "Smart thinking." She looked over her shoulder at the kids, who despite looking wide-eyed, definitely looked like they were ready to go. "You guys up for a little rescue mission?" she asked.

"Is this … some kind of test?" asked Rico, hesitantly.

Kate shook her head. "Not planned, no — but those are the best kind." She grinned at them crookedly. "Save your teammates — that's how I got in the business anyway. Way too much fun to tease them later," she added with a wink.

The three kids shared a look and all kind of seemed to be in agreement. "We can't really leave without them, right? So ... let's do it," Tammy said quietly in the back.

"And if you save your instructor, he has to pass you," Kurt added with a little smirk. "One of Scott's rules."

"Should we be concerned that there is a rule for that occasion or ... is that only for this class?" Rico asked.

"Yes," Kate said simply, smirking wide at him.

"I will warn you though, if you want the free pass, we'll need to work quickly," Kurt said to all of them at large. "Logan is not known for just waiting for anyone." Kurt looked to Brye and handed her the GPS tracker. "Since it was your idea, you take the lead."

She looked wide-eyed for a second before she just nodded and looked to the other two before she added, with a small smile Kurt's way, "If we have to carry him, we get an A, not just a 'pass'."

"Most definitely," Kurt agreed.

Brye led them through the Savage Lands with a concentrated sort of look on her face as they made their way toward the base of the volcano, where they were picking up a signal from Logan's comm. And while Kate and Kurt were certainly concerned about the missing kids and Logan, they both had to share a little smile when they saw how their little group was quietly encouraging each other the whole way over, with Rico promising to beat up anyone who got too close to the two girls and Brye just determinedly leading the way as Tammy had borrowed Brye's intermediate bow and kept an eye out for the whole group.

To their surprise, there were few animals moving anywhere near the base of the mountain. The rumbling volcano seemed to be chasing off most of the wildlife, which only meant bad things in the immediate future.

Brye paused in leading the little group when a particularly flighty bird seemed to be chirping at her insistently and turned back to the group with a deep frown. "We're going to want to get out of here fast as soon as we find them," she said. "The birds are saying we're all stupid for going toward the volcano."

"We should move quicker then," Tammy said quietly, though she was smirking to herself. "If saving the instructor gets a pass, losing him has got to be bad for the grades."

Kate snorted and nodded her agreement. "Automatic fail," she agreed in a teasing whisper.

When they finally did reach the base of the volcano, they tried to stay out near the outskirts of where it looked like the locals had corralled their friends — all of them tied up and caged, though there wasn't any immediate sign of Logan until Kate noticed the divot of a cleverly-disguised pit close to the cages.

"So, what do you think we should do first, hmm?" Kurt said quietly, addressing their little rescue group. "Try to talk to the locals that have captured our friends, fight them outright, or try to sneak up to them and release them?"

"Well — we have to get going, right? The birds are yelling at us?" Rico pointed out, glancing at Brye. "So — just grab our friends and run?"

"Alright, you take the lead on it then," Kurt said gesturing toward the captive classmates.

Rico looked surprised for just a second before he just nodded. "Okay ... um. I bet I can slice through the ropes if we can get Wolverine to cut the locks," he reasoned, holding up one clawed hand. "So who wants to climb in the pit?"

"I can get him out," Tammy offered with a shy little wave.

"He's heavier than he looks," Kurt warned.

"Well, I'm stronger than I look," Tammy replied, smiling softly.

Kurt couldn't help but to grin at her. "Have at it then," he told her with a wave in the direction of the pit.

The three kids shared a look and just nodded at each other as Rico scuttled over to the cages and Tammy slipped over to the pit with Brye, who looked a bit concerned that her friend might not actually be strong enough.

Tammy peeked over the top of the pit and gave a little finger wave when she saw Logan. "We're here to rescue you," she said, and though only her eyes were visible over the edge of the pit, she was smirking. "Stay still." With that, she reached out a hand, her eyes closed in concentration as Brye watched her back while she just focused on lifting Logan up and out of the pit. Though, it wasn't exactly easy with the ground rumbling with more frequency.

She faltered a few times and nearly dropped him once, but Tammy did manage to levitate him out, and as soon as she got him high enough that he could get a hand on the edge and lift himself up the rest of the way, she let out a sigh of relief and then looked over at Brye, who was grinning. "So — this totally counts as carrying my instructor. Automatic A," Tammy declared, which just got her best friend to grin that much wider.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Logan grumbled as he pulled himself out.

Brye giggled at her friend. "Mr. and Mrs. Elf said we pass if we save the instructor."

"Oh, are you callin' em that to their faces now?" Logan asked with a pointed look.

She laughed and shook her head. "No, but they're watching Rico," she pointed out, tipping her head to where Kate and Kurt were, indeed, on the other side of the clearing.

"Alright, so I'm guessin' they made this into a learning experience, right? So what do Mom and Dad want you to do next?" Logan asked, brushing off the worst of the dirt from his jeans.

"Rico says he can cut the ropes if you can cut the locks," Tammy explained. "So we came to get you."

"Alright, lead the way," Logan offered with a tip of his head.

The two girls grinned as they did their best sneak over to the cages, where Rico was waiting for them and waved one clawed hand at Logan. "Hey! So far so good," he said, sounding surprised, which had both of the girls grinning again.

Logan didn't wait for the kids to get it together before he darted over and slashed through the locks. He looked around the area in general as Rico scuttled into the cages to start cutting ropes only to realize that the locals had flat cleared out. "Might want to pick up the pace," he said quietly. "I don't think we have to sneak anymore."

Brye looked up at the volcano and let out a low whistle. "Oooh, this is why the birds said we're stupid."

The whole of the student body and Logan all glanced up as sparks started to fly. No one needed to be told to run — and before they were too far toward the exit, Logan shouted for Kurt to get to work.

Kurt didn't need to be told twice, and in a quick succession of teleports, he just started to pick up the kids and teleport them out to the blackbird — until all of them were safely back in the jet, wide-eyed and panting but grinning all the same, probably half from adrenaline.

When finally all of them were on board, they all buckled up as the wildlife began to run past them — and Kate had a time getting the plane up and out without getting hit — but they were soon on their way, circling the Savage Land as the kids got to watch the volcano erupt.

"Do we have to go back?" Tammy asked hesitantly. "Or does this count as a completed trip?"

"I thought we passed if we did the rescue," Rico said half under his breath. "Not that that's why we did it," he added quickly.

Logan just looked over at the three kids that had done most of the heavy lifting. "That's fine and good for you three — the other five?"

Kurt just shook his head at Logan with a smirk before he turned to the kids. "You don't have to go back — it's only a biannual field trip, not the end of the world," he said.

"You are taking all the fun outta this, Elf," Logan said with a little growl. But the point was thrown out of the window when Kate's phone chimed again.

"She's got Noh involved now," Kate said with a disbelieving laugh as she showed Kurt and then Logan the picture of K and Noh saluting each other with coffee and pancakes.

"Why do you sound surprised?" Logan asked.

"I thought she'd get to America first for sure," Kate said, still shaking her head. "And how'd she pry him away from the future Mrs. Varr anyway?"

Not thirty seconds later, another text came through — this one with Jubilee and America instead, their arms entwined as they saluted her with their mugs.

"I stand corrected," Kate said, chuckling.

"She put whiskey in the coffee, didn't she?" Logan asked, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't put it past her."

"Should we rescue your friends or let them reap what they've sown?" Kurt said, grinning broadly.

"Oh, they're young. They have to learn their own lessons," Kate teased.

Kurt just laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek before he turned his attention back to the kids. "Alright, pop quiz time — and everyone must answer differently." He smiled Kate's way. "What did you learn from your trip to the Savage Land?"

"That there is money to be made betting on us," Kate said without hesitation.

"You're not eligible — throws the bet," Logan shot her way, and she just rolled her eyes at him.

There were a variety of answers — most of them semi-serious, and almost all of them survival-related, though Tammy said that Wolverine was heavier than he looks and Hisako grumbled that one should never fall asleep in the Savage Land.