X-Men 1 - After the Statue of Liberty battle

The saying "It's all over but the shooting" would have definitely applied to the aftermath of the Liberty Island Battle, except that the shooting had already happened; shooting, explosions, massive damage to a cherished national landmark. Scott reached the remains of Liberty's torch first, followed by Storm with Jean bringing up the rear. What they found was almost beyond description.

A hysterical Rogue sat admist the destruction, sobbing uncontrollably, with Logan, unconscious and bleeding from a multitude of injuries sprawled across her lap. Magneto, the person responsible for the destruction, lay unmoving and semiconscious at the far wall of the torch; his machine reduced to a smoldering pile of twisted metal.

The X-Men had succeeded in thwarting Magneto's plans for turning New York City into Mutant Central but now faced a whole new set of problems. The principle one being how to get everyone off of Liberty Island and away from the destruction before the authorities arrived and caught them. Storm disappeared to retrieve the X-Jet while Jean and Scott got Rogue and Logan moving. Or rather, just Rogue. Logan was in no shape to go anywhere and would have to be carried. The doctor in Jean took over and she gave Rogue a quick once over before moving onto Logan.

"I wanted to stop." Rogue said, between sobs. "But I couldn't....it....it wouldn't let me." She sobbed even harder. "And...and...then Logan was here and...he's dead isn't he? I killed him! I did it again! I couldn't stop! I warned him not to touch me!"

"He's not dead." Jean replied calmly. Not yet anyway. She did not add that the only thing that had saved Logan was his adamantium bonded skeleton and his natural healing ability. It was also the only thing keeping him alive. But would it be enough to pull him through?

Far below, the engines of the X-Jet rumbled to life, overwhelming the cacophony of approaching sirens.

Scott squatted next to Jean and asked "Am I going to kill him if I pick him up?"

"We don't have a choice." Jean replied. I'll help.she added telepathically.

Scott nodded. This is the second time I've had to haul him out of somewhere. We've got to stop doing this. he thought to himself.

He lifted Logan's body onto his shoulders, using a fireman's carry. Spreading Logan's bulk across his shoulders helped but he was still toting 200 pounds of dead weight. He grunted a bit but slowly rose to his feet. Then, the weight lifted a little bit and he gave silent thanks for Jean. Behind him, Jean got Rogue to her feet. Magneto was left to the tender mercies of the U.S. judicial system.

The X-Jet hoved into view and hovered as Jean, Scott (with Logan) and Rogue carefully made their way across the ramp, 300 feet in the air. They just made it. The jet took off from Liberty Island only moments before the F.B.I. made landfall.

The mood in the X-Jet was as grim as it had been on Liberty Island. From the back of the jet, Jean worried that if Rouge kept crying she would dehydrate herself but Rogue was not Jean's first concern. That concern lay in front of her. She dressed Logan's wounds and made him as comfortable as possible but the damage was significant and there was no sign of Logan's healing ability yet. That, above all else, concerned her.

Up front, Scott slumped in a seat next to Storm, utterly spent, his uniform soaked in his sweat and Logan's blood. Storm concentrated on flying and did not allow her thoughts to wander. Jean joined them after checking on Rogue, who, finally, passed out from sheer exhaustion. She slipped into a seat behind Scott and leaned back. It had already been a long night and it was just going to get longer. She closed her eyes and tried to grab a little sleep. Scott reached back, took her hand in his and squeezed. She squeezed his hand in return.

Logan came to as the jet began its descent to the school. He blinked, looked at the jet's ceiling and tried to figure out where he was. Unfortunately, his pain-filled mind reverted back to the admantium implantation and he started to struggle against the straps. Jean was on her feet in an instant despite the danger to her should something happen during the jet's descent. "Logan?" she asked, crouching next to him. "Logan, listen to me. It's Jean. You're safe. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Just relax." She laid a hand on his good shoulder but he flinched from her touch and pulled harder against the straps.

Jean tried a different tack. She reached into his mind. Logan, you're safe. Relax. No one's going to hurt you.

She was unprepared for the wall of pain and confusion that slammed into her, knocking her off her feet and onto her backside. She made an involuntary noise and Scott whipped around in his seat.
Jean?
I'm fine. I wasn't expecting that.
Scott didn't ask what that she was speaking of.

Jean climbed to her feet and reached for a sedative. She injected the sedative into the I.V. and watched it take effect. "Sorry." she whispered to Logan.

A moment later, a gentle bump signaled the end of the journey as the X-Jet landed on its landing pad at the school. Scott was out of his seat in a flash. He went back and checked on Jean.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked her.

She nodded and said "Go get Rogue but don't wake her up. The longer she's asleep, the better."

Storm beat Scott to her. Ever so carefully, she had unbuckled Rogue from her seat and scooped up the teenager like she was a babe in arms. Scott stood out of the way, then went back to Jean. He took one end of the stretcher and Jean took the other. They were home at last.

Day One - The Med-Lab.-7 p.m.

Jean did not hear the swish of the Med-Lab door opening and did not know someone had entered until they spoke.

"Dr. Grey?" Bobby asked from the doorway.

Jean looked up from her desk and offered him a tired smile. "Yes, Bobby?"

"I...I...need to ask you a question, about Rogue." Bobby said.

"Come in, have a seat." Jean replied. She'd been so focused on getting Logan through the first six hours, then the next twelve hours, that she had forgotten about the rest of the school. But she made sure that Bobby was seated where he couldn't see Logan, that would only upset him.

"What's the problem, Bobby?" Jean asked.

"Rogue won't stop crying. She keeps saying 'I wanted to stop and I couldn't'. She's freakin' out her roommates and I don't know what to do. I hate seeing her so upset. I know why she's crying, I...I understand that, but she's so miserable. Isn't there something that you or I or someone can do?" Bobby asked.

Not unless you can get Logan to rise from the nearly dead. Jean thought but said "No, Bobby, there's not much you or I can do. She went through something indescribable and ... all you can do, all any of us can do for her, is to let her know we're here. I know that's not what you wanted to hear but that's all I can offer."

Bobby nodded, then leaned across the desk and asked "Is Logan going to be all right?"

"You don't ask easy questions, do you?" Jean replied with another smile to take the sting from her words. "I don't know. I hope so."

"All right, thanks, Dr. Grey." Bobby said. He stood, squared his shoulders and left. Jean would've smiled at Bobby's 'bravado' if not for the serious of the situation. If Rogue didn't stop crying soon, Jean would have to do something. The human body, even a mutant, was not built to withstand prolonged dehydration. Of course, if Logan would come around, Rogue would too.

She stood and walked back to Logan, flat on his back, attached to three machines, his survival very much in doubt. She checked his vital signs and the machines. She watched him breathe and thought she saw his fingers flutter but passed it off as her being too tired to see straight. She had done what medical science could do and now, it was up to him. From what she and the others could gather, Logan had sacrificed himself in order to save Rogue by taking off his gloves and touching her face as she lay dying from being overwhelmed by Magneto's power. His natural healing ability had transferred itself to Rogue and saved her but almost killed him.

"There are other ways to save someone without sacrificing yourself." Jean said to Logan. "We'll have to have a discussion on what those ways are when you wake up."

The doors to the Med - Lab swished opened again and Jean turned to see Scott, her finace walk in, looking about as put together as the rest of the adults. He walked over to her and put his arms around her waist.
"You need to get some sleep." he said.

"I got some sleep this morning." she replied, leaning against him.

"A cat nap in the Med-Lab is not getting some sleep. It's just enough to keep you from falling over." He looked into her eyes and just wanted to make the weariness in them go away.

Jean shook her head and said "I don't want him to wake up alone."

"He won't. That's why I'm here. You go to bed. I'll sit with him." Scott said.

Jean's eyebrows went up.

"Don't look so surprised. Now, go, before I change my mind." Scott said, kissing Jean on the forehead.

Jean silently gave thanks for people like Scott and, gratefully, went to bed.

Day Two - The Med-Lab - 3 p.m.

All of the adults and a few of the oldest students had taken a turn sitting with Logan to give Jean a break. Rogue managed to stop crying and started to pull herself out the shell she'd crawled into but Logan was not awake yet. Every day that passed, the chances of him waking grew slimmer and slimmer but Jean had not given up hope. He'd made it this far.

She checked his bandages and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the bleeding had stopped and that his healing ability had finally kicked in.

Oh, thank you. she thought, breathing a sigh of relief. This was very good news indeed. She carefully started to remove the other bandages but was stopped by Logan's hand on hers.

"That tickles." he said, his voice rough from disuse, his eyes meeting hers.

She smiled and said "Welcome back to the real world. How do you feel?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and said "Fantastic." He tried to sit up but was stopped by Jean's hand on his good shoulder.

"Wait just a moment. Not so fast." Jean said, knowing now that Logan would be just fine. "There is one very unhappy teenager who is going to be thrilled to see you." She removed the rest of the bandages and threw them away. When she turned back around, Logan was sitting up. Jean bit her tongue and sent Professor Xavier a mental message that Logan was awake.

"I see your ability to follow instructions has not been damaged." Jean said, dryly. "Rogue will be here in just a moment."

"Rogue? How is she? Is she all right?" Logan asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice.

"She's fine. She took on a few of your more 'charming' personality traits but we all survived. Thanks to you. That was a noble thing you did. And if you do it again, I'm going to strangle you myself. Understand?" Jean demanded of him.

Before Logan could answer, Rogue came flying through the Med-Lab's doors and launched herself at Logan. He just barely kept himself and Rogue from tumbling off the bed, surprise written all over his face. Rogue buried her face in his shoulder and started to sob, again, while babbling about how happy she was to see him.

Logan looked at Jean as if to ask for help but Jean simply shook her head and mouthed "You're on your own."
Logan let Rogue go on for a few moments before getting her to calm down long enough to get a good look at her.

"Your hair." he said, noticing a white streak through her chestnut colored hair.

Rogue looked down for a moment, then looked up and said "That's from Liberty Island. I don't know, I kinda like it."

Logan smiled and said "It looks good."

Jean let them talk for a few minutes before shooing Rogue out of the Med-Lab.

"He needs his rest." Jean told her.

Rogue reluctantly agreed and left.

Jean turned back to Logan's bed and saw him detaching himself from the different machines. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked.

"I'm healed, Jean. I don't need this any more." Logan replied, matter of faculty.

He had a point, so, Jean helped him take the monitoring equipment off.

"Now, unless you intend to get up and walk around in almost nothing, you'll stay put until I can get you something to wear. Understand?" Jean asked him.

Logan held in a smart comment and nodded.

"You better." Jean replied.

A few minutes later, she came back into the room holding a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. "This'll hold you until you can get upstairs and change into something else." she said, handing the clothes to Logan. She went over to her desk to jot down a few notes on Logan's chart, then came back to his bed. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking confused.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked him.

He shook his head and said nothing.

"I don't know how wobbly you'll be after being laid up for the past 3 days but with your healing abilities, there shouldn't be any problems." Jean told him.

He nodded.

They stared at each other for a long moment, saying nothing before Logan hopped down from the bed and started to leave. True to Jean's word, his legs hadn't quite caught up with his brain and wobble he did. Just a bit.
Jean was at his side in an instant, supporting him with a hand under his elbow. Her nearness let him look deep into her eyes and see what she was truly thinking. At least as far as she would let him. She returned his gaze, saying everything, without saying a word, then she looked away.

"I told you." she said.

"So you did." he said.

"Rogue is thrilled you're all right." she said, looking for an escape from the conversation.

"She's a good kid." he said.

Jean looked him deep in the eyes and said "Let's see how far you can get before toppling over."

Logan almost smiled. If there was ever a place he might call home, this place, with all the kids and people and Jean would do just fine.