Jean's emotions were already in a turmoil. A headache began growing inside her head, along with murmurs of thoughts, usually kept to a nearly silent hum at the back of her mind. She was upset and didn't know where to go. She couldn't go to Charles; there were just some things she didn't want to discuss with him. Ororo was keeping most of the student body busy, too busy to notice anything, bless her heart, so she was out, and to hell be damned if she would discuss her feelings with Logan, so Jean walked to the only place left she could think of.

Scott's office.

When she walked in, he was sitting at his desk grading papers, but looked up when she entered. Pushing aside any hostility that seems to go hand in hand with most break-ups, he stood and opened his arms, an invitation she immediately accepted.

Scott's arms were a familiar haven of safety for her. Despite everything that happened between them, she knew in her soul they would always be friends, this proving it.

"It's okay."

She huffed, the sound catching on the tears in her throat, matched in her closed eyes.

"I'm…"

"I know."

Scared and all of its synonyms were dirty words for most people, including the two of them, so the word remained unspoken, but infinitely understood. He just held her, didn't say another word, and that was all she needed. His arms encircled her in their close familiarity and she buried her head in the chest she had cried into so many times before. It was even more clear to her in that moment that she had never really loved this man. Well, she had loved him, but not like she should have. Not like he deserves.

Jean looked up at him, searching for his eyes through his ruby lenses, "Will you be angry if-"

"No," Scott took a deep breath. "I was honestly expecting it."

Jean shook her head slightly, "It won't be right away. The students would flip and that's the last thing we need."

Scott laughed, "I would have thought the five of us in the first class were bad enough, but these kids make us look like rubber bullets next to their nuclear bomb."

"Things were easier back then," she remembered, speaking softly. "Everything was easier. Slower. Less complicated."

Scott's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, the only sign on his face that he was, "Jean...we knew what we were in for."

She turned her back on him, "I know. It's just...I'm not sure...I love...I'm confused."

"So am I."

"What?"

Scott laughed again, "Do you really think that I haven't thought about leaving this place? How nice it would be to have a bit of solace now and again? I have, many times. Almost every day, actually, when it starts to get a bit chaotic, but that's the thing. I think it. I believe that if it came down to it and I actually got that extended period of peace that I so crave, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. As much as these students tend to drive me up the wall-"

"You love them," she finished, a smile on her face to replace the frown. "You love them and their craziness because they're family. We're family."

"Always," he hugged her again, "Jean, there was a time when I loved you, was in love with you, but it was fleeting. What you and he have, could have, it's more than that. I wouldn't wish that away from you because I would hope that if I was in your shoes and you in mine that you would wish me the best despite your hurt."

Jean smiled, "Of course I would. Now it's your job to go out and terrorize the female population."

"I don't think terrorize is exactly the right word."

She snorted, "I don't think you're remembering how you came to ask me out correctly. You were relentless."

He ruffled her hair, "And you loved every minute of it. But I think it would do us both a favor if we both took it a bit slower this time."

"Yeah, probably," she kissed his cheek and turned to leave. "Thanks Slim."

"Anytime Red."

Logan wasn't the type of guy to take it slow. Hell, he wasn't typically the type of guy to try for a real relationship. Until a few months ago, a casual screw would have done just fine. He'd even had a couple of regular girls he liked to go to for a night of pleasure, no strings attached. It had been enough for him.

That is, until he met Jean.

He didn't know if he was ready for this, ready to take it slow. How does one know if he's ready or not?

In his soul, he knew he could love her. He knew this was a place he could see himself stay. As annoying as the students could get, he was beginning to feel comfortable around them. It unnerved the loner in him.

When he'd arrived with Rogue after he'd lost his camper, he hadn't expected more than to beat the shit out of something and be on his way. Now, he suspected that Charles, the sneaky bastard, had known all along that he would fall in love with this place, not just the beautiful doctor.

He watched her walk out of Scott's classroom with a smile on her face. Anger threatened to fill him until he caught of smell of her over the breeze. There was no lust on her. Unfortunately, her scent was also awakening something feral in him.

Jean caught Logan's eye as she walked past him. A frown formed on her lips and her pace quickened.

If he was a typical man, he might have been annoyed, pissed even. But Logan wasn't a typical man, and an animalistic grin formed over his mouth. Oh yes.

He was ready to hunt, and like a cat with a precious mouse, he would be slow about it.