The mansion slept. But the peace surrounding the students was superficial. The entire mansion was collectively holding it's breath, just waiting for the inevitable, the return of someone who would almost certainly ruin everything. It was close to 3am when he arrived. Soaked to the skin, with his hair plastered to his head. No one was there to greet him, but he hadn't expected anyone, no one knew where he'd been, what he'd been doing or even when he'd return. He prefered it that way. After dumping the 'borrowed' motorbike in the garage he snuck round to the back of the mansion. When he reached the kitchen door he extended a metal claw and sliced right through the lock.

"Logan"

"Ororo"

The pair looked at one another. The slender dark skinned woman, and the short, muscular man. Clear blue eyes met intense dark blue ones.

"How's it goin then? How are ya?"

"I am fine Logan, have you visited alkalai lake again?"

"Yeah, 'found nothing though"

"I had better be getting back to bed, I have classes to teach in 4 hours"

"G'night"

"I will see you in a few hours Logan"

The abrupt conversation was over almost as soon as it started. Logan sighed. There was always a slight tension between the two of them and he wished he knew why. After thoroughly examining the fridge for a beer and yielding nothing, he headed upstairs for a change of clothes and hopefully some sleep.

LOGAN

He was abruptly awakened by a loud psychic message. My office - as soon as possible, if you would be so kind. He recognised the voice as The Professor's. He groaned. This early in the morning he was lucky if he could move, let alone make the long trek to te professors office, on the other side of the building. Come on Logan pull ya'self together, ya've bin' through worse than this. Having shrugged on a T-shirt and some grey jeans, he made his way, barefoot, to the professor's office.

"LOGAN!!"

He recognised the voice and turned, bracing himself for what was going to be a ribcracker of a hug. He was correct. the hug he recieved from Rogue just about knocked him off his feet.

"Ah've missed ya Logan"

"Yeah, I can see" she was still tightly wrapped around him.

"Oh, sorry" she released her vice-like grip on him

"So how've things bin' what've I missed"

" yeah its been good, not much has happened, it's been pretty boring without ya Logan"

"Always is." he paused, and remembered his engagement "hey look I gotta go meet the professor, but I'll catch ya later"

"Sure, see ya" Rogue ran off down the corridor, presumably to spread the word that he was back.

He had hardly gone another few paces before a second Voice screamed.

"WHAT?? HE'S BACK.?? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO??"

This time Jubilee's hug caught him unawares and he had to fight to stay on his feet.

"What the hell took you so long!?"

"Yeah nice ta see ya too Jubes." He glanced at his smashed watch, "Ya got the time?"

"Yeah it's 5 to 8, Why - "

"Shit" He interjected " Sorry Jubes I gotta get goin'. The professor wants ta see me 'bout something"

He continued down the corridor as he tried to calculate just how late he was. The professor had awakened him at about 7:30 so that meant he had better get there in the next 5 minutes.

"LOGAN!!"

Inwardly he sighed as he realised he would be held up further. Yet another one of the seemingly many students dependent on him. Kitty Pryde "Hey halfpint where ya bin'. I bin' back a whole 4 hours an haven't seen ya that can't be right"

"Oh my god Logan we were all so worried when you took off like that -"

"Yeah well I had stuff to do" Logan interjected quickly. He wanted to get the conversation over with as soon as possible.

"But you could've told us where you were going"

"You'da tried to stop me "

"Where did you go?"

Logan tapped his nose."secret" He whispered and tore off in the direction of the professor.

He set off at a sprinting pace and had almost reached his destination when -

"Hey Mr. Logan"

Logan recognised the voice's owner as one of his self defence students, Bobby Drake. "Yeah"

"It's good to have you back, Cyclops has been taking your self defence classes"

"What?!"

"Yeah, I know, I doubt he's ever been in a real fist fight, he keeps lecturing us on tactics and shit"

Logan stifled a laugh "well gotta go" he yelled running off toward the Professor's office. "Oh and Bobby."

"Yeah"

"Language, please"

Dear god, I'm becoming more and more like an authorative, responsible adult with every day in this dump, Logan thought to himself. Still he had nowhere else where he felt so at home, other than the mansion.

It was 20 past 8 by the time Logan finally tore into the Professor's office, "Something you wanted to see me 'bout Chuck -"

He stopped. Sitting alongside the professor were Cyclops, Jean, Hank, Warren, Betsy and Storm.

"I aplaude your audacity Logan, but your punctuallity clearly needs some work"

"I can't help it. I didn't realise I was so loved by ev'ryone here." his words had a sarcastic edge.

The professor carried on regardless of his words."So as I was saying, now Logan has made an appearance I can begin. Recently I have recieved psychic contact with something. The messages appear to come from a mutant but the power it displays is phenomenal and well beyond any mutant I am aware of. Furthermore I haven't been able to place this mutant with cerebro despite my best efforts. I know only a few things about this mutant, he calls himself Merlin, and he is impossibly old. The messages I have recieved from him always concern two things, the location of this school and whether I could consider taking on a further 7 mutants. Last night I replied to Merlin and explained the location of the school."

"So do you want us to locate them Professor?" Cyclops's tone was annoyingly sincere.

"No I doubt that would make much difference Scott. I merely gathered you here today to warn you of our possible new arrivals. I apologise for keeping you so long"

"So we may go begin our first class?" Ororo spoke up for the first time.

"Please"

The group began to leave. Logan was just going through the door when the professor called him back. "Actually I was wondering if I might have a word Logan"

"Look, if it's about the lateness - "

"No Logan. I was just wondering if I could talk to you about your teaching responsibilities"

"Huh?"

"Well, I am keen to introduce a new languages facility into the school and I was wondering if you would consider teaching"

"What? Why the hell have I gotta do it?"

"I never said that you had to do it Logan. However you speak seven languages and you have the least busy timetable so forgive me for thinking of you."

"Fair 'nuff. I'll think 'bout it"

"Thank you Logan"

As he walked out the door he yelled back "I'm not promising ya anything though"

"Teach languages, he's gotta be kidding" Logan muttered to himself as he continued along the corridor back to his bed.

"They say talkin' to ya'self is the first sign of craziness sugah" Logan turned and the speaker revealed herself.

"Rogue, shouldn't ya be in class"

"On ma' way. Whats all this about ya' teaching languages"

"Chuck says I'm the best person for the job, 'not sure I agree. Hang on, stop distracting me, ya' should be in class by now"

"But-"

"Go, now"