AN-WTF? "Logan's smile was like birth."?!?!?! What was that? Why did no one call me on it? That was not how it was supposed to sound.
Oh, and BTW, Logan and Victor like each other because that whole Silver Fox mess never happened. Nope, it didn't, I refuse. It was a fake implanted memory from the government, I'm tellin' you.
Jean is also here, with a bit of the Phoenix attitudes.
I locked up my house with a fond farewell, I wasn't selling it yet because I needed the storage until I figured out what to do with all of my junk, but I wouldn't be back for a while, of that I was sure. Logan had the truck running and loaded down with my things and was waiting for me with an easy smile. His new plain gold wedding ring glinted slightly in the weak sunlight.
The drive to Xavier's took a long time. I think a lot of the nerves in my butt died on that trip.
I almost hyperventilated as we rolled up the long drive on Graymalkin Lane. The house was huge. I mean, I knew it was a boarding school but…It was huge!! And gorgeous, I mean it. Of course, I was really kinda worried about how I would be accepted. No one knew me here, they all had their own lives, and I'd never really been tied down somewhere with a whole bunch of people before. I didn't know if I could handle it.
But for Logan I would.
Being married to him was like breathing. It was so natural, and so great. But I doubted if I'd ever take our relationship for granted like I did breathing. It was just too amazing.
Logan pulled his truck into a garage filled with nice cars and cut the engine. "Welcome home." He gave me a shy smile. I just leaned over and kissed him.
But my happy peace seemed to dissipate rather rapidly. It seemed as soon as we were both out of the truck and grabbing our (read; my) luggage, we were bombarded by very serious people with raised voices.
"Logan," An average, but decently good looking guy with a what looked like 80's wrap around sunglasses was the first to directly direct any of the comments being made "you've taken long enough! I'm not even going to ask where you've been or what you've been doing; we have a situation."
The man was leading us away, I looked uncertainly at my husband. He had his hand on the small of my back and was guiding me to follow.
"Where've you been?" A breathy female voice came from around my ear. It was huskier and more seductive than I appreciated.
"Jean," Logan sounded exasperated, I smiled a little at that "I've been living my life. I was on sabbatical, get over it." I tried so hard not to laugh out loud. I succeeded, for the most part. But the redheaded Jean still glared at me.
"Cyclops," Logan called to the man leading us; I wanted to laugh again, so badly. But I settled for a bemused and amused expression, "what is this situation?" Logan was scowling. I'd not seen him scowl much since we got together, it was intriguing. I found it sexy.
"We've tracked a student with Cerebro but the poor kid's been ambushed." 'Cyclops' seemed tense. Well, I guess I'd be tense too if one of my students was being attacked! What the hell were they standing around for?!
"Why d'you need me, boyscout?" Logan didn't sound happy. "Shouldn't you have left already, don't wait for me."
"Because it's Jubilee," Cyclops retorted meanly, "and they've got guns."
"Shit!" Logan cursed, and then started to move faster, taking his hand from me and moving to the front of the group. "Leave your bags Ella," he instructed over his shoulder, he was distracted and agitated. I could tell whoever Jubilee was that Logan cared something about them not getting shot, so that made me care and pick up my own pace.
Everything was moving so fast. I couldn't even take in everyone around me, and if I'd been told to find my way back out to the truck, I'd have to trace the scent trail. We reached some sort of closet, with lit displays; Logan grabbed a black suit from a hanger and spun around in through a door way. Without thinking I followed.
We were in what looked like a locker room and Logan was stripping as fast as possible. Before I had a chance to admire his sleek shapes he was jerking on the black thing. And then just as rapidly, Cyclops was there telling me to get out.
"Hell no." I replied simply. Something was going down, I wasn't going to leave my mate right now.
"This is the men's changing room." He said it like I should have cared.
"If you're shy then use a stall." I jabbed a finger to the far wall that housed a few changing stalls.
Before he could say much more, Logan was zipping up the suit and taking my arm to steer me back out. We marched down more bluish grey hallways until we reached a door. Abruptly Logan turned back around to face me.
"Wait right here for me alright?" He held my arms and bent a little to look me straight in the eyes.
I opened my mouth to protest, but he knew what I was about to say and he cut me off. "I need you to stay here; I'll be out in a minute ok? Just stay here please." He seemed worried I'd wander off.
"No prob. I guess," I wanted to sulk, but I was too confused. Everyone else had already entered the room so that left me all alone in the silent hall.
"Thank you." Logan leaned in to kiss me. This kiss was quick, but it was hard and filled with urgency. I was starting to worry.
I waited in the hall for my mate's return. It seemed to take forever.
I slid down the wall to sit opposite the closed door.
I examined the floor. Shiny.
I counted the ceiling tiles. A lot.
I counted the lights that ran down the ceiling. Less than there were tiles by a lot.
I noticed a placard by the door in front of me. It read 'War Room'.
My heart jumped and my mind finally switched on.
There were guns wherever this was going down. And some kid named Jubilee was caught in the crosshairs for real! This did not sound good.
I'd been so used to Victor's life that at first Cyclops' abbreviated facts hadn't really mattered to me. There was a problem with armed men, but we were moving. That's what you do. Now I was sitting here, by myself, thinking of all the possibilities of what could be going on and I wasn't even involved.
Well, Logan was probably going on a rescue mission so I guess I was involved. I cracked my knuckles and grew my claws out. Jubilee would be home safe tonight, or everyone who messed with us would feel it.
It's funny how during a situation like this short periods of time seem to take forever. It felt like it'd been hours or at least a half and hour (I'm not a very patient girl) until the door opened again. But I'm pretty sure it was less than a couple minutes.
Everyone who marched out of the War Room was wearing an expression I'd seen a few times before. It was almost the same look my brother got when he had a major problem he had to deal with. My heart started pumping franticly. Victor normally left me behind 'somewhere safe' when he had that look.
"Logan," my voice wasn't as strong as I'd intended. He strode forward, passed a bald man in a nice suit and a wheelchair, until he came to me. His close presence was reassuring, but his expression looked much too similar to Victor's for my liking.
"Ella darlin'," he took my arm and we walked quickly with the group of black suited people back the way we came, "a student, a friend is in trouble right now. She ran off earlier but now there's a group of people who know she's a mutant after her. She's hulled herself up, but her defenses won't last much longer. We're gonna go get her and bring her back." All that was very understandable and I stood by his decision. But I could tell that the part I wouldn't like was coming up quickly. I glanced around for something, anything, not like it would help. We were in what looked like a huge garage, or better yet, now that I could see the jet, hangar.
"I need you to stay here." He spoke so adamantly…
I'd heard variations of this command before. But where I was used to doing what my brother told me, I did not like the idea of leaving my husband unprotected. He needed me here but I needed to be at his back, watching out for him.
Before I could say much of anything, he had me in a crushing hug, one of his hands cradling my head, my mouth squished against his chest so I couldn't speak, while he pleaded into my hair.
Then just as swiftly he was severed from me and I was once again surrounded by a mass of very serious people whom I did not know.
The man in the wheelchair distracted me by calling my name.
"Eleanor," his voice was warm and comforting "I am Charles Xavier and I wanted to welcome you to your new home. Anything you need, at all, just come to me." He smiled sweetly, his eyes glittering with generosity. I guess it made sense because I doubted most of the mutants who went to a private boarding school could pay tuition.
"It's a pleasure." I smiled back, manners and etiquette forcing themselves through in the midst of my fear and confusion. "And thank you so much for allowing me a place here, if there's anything I can do for you, I would be delighted if you would just tell me."
He smiled again sympathetically and I knew he could read the anxiety that bordered on panic in my eyes. Then I heard the sound of a rather huge engine starting and my eyes snapped to where I'd last seen my mate.
"Logan!" I shouted. I could just barely see his grim image in the jet. "God damn it!" I cursed, unsure of what to do; that is until the aircraft lifted like a chopper and the heat and gust of wind told me to get my ass back.
Standing by the wall next to the owner of the mansion I held back tears. There was nothing I could do at this point. I could only pray that my husband would make it back to me in one piece.
………….
I walked slowly next to Xavier's chair. My shoulders bowed with my despair. He was a nice old man, but there wasn't any amount of paternal comforting that could cheer me up. He introduced me to a student who looked about a year or so younger than I assumed I looked. Evidently Katherine had the grand-tour-make-people-feel-comfortable-and-at-home job.
"Are you okay?" She looked concerned and sympathetic as we entered an elevator. She'd already shown me most of the ground floor.
"I'm just a little freaked out that the guy I came here with totally took off to a rather dangerous situation without me." I tried to smile. It didn't work.
Evidently she hadn't been expecting that. "Who'd you come in with?" her sweet young face wasn't made for frowning, but I could tell she did it often enough.
"Do you know Logan, Katherine?" I asked, reverting again to the speech patterns and mannerisms of days past in my stress.
"Logan's back?!" She sounded excited and I was too tired and scared and depressed to care much. I just nodded. "Sweet! Oh, and you can call me Kitty, everyone else does." She smiled again, but her smile fell a bit as she took in my face. "Don't worry Eleanor," she put a hand on my arm as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened onto another warm wooden hallway, "Professor Logan'll be fine. He never stays hurt for long."
"You can call me Eli." I chose not to respond on the important part of her statement.
………..
"And this is where you'll be sleeping!" Kitty opened a door to reveal a dorm-ish room. There were three beds. Two already slept in and one that was freshly made. Huh. Whatever. "Rogue and Jubes share the room with you," she flicked on lights and stuff like that, I didn't care, I had a killer headache, "and I'm right next door with Illyana and Siryn, so don't be afraid to drop in." She moved over toward a closet by the door. "There are towels in here, and the bathroom is the door at the end of the hall…Is there anything else you can think of?" She didn't wait long to see if I could come up with anything, but then again, she's young. "I'm sure you're tired, most everyone's first days here are pretty hectic." She smiled again.
……..
Eventually she left and I did go take a shower. There were sweats and t-shirts and things in the towel closet. I made it back to the room about twenty minutes later, dragging my feet. Logan wouldn't be back yet. So I just curled up on the little twin bed and dazed for a while.
I couldn't stand worrying about him. It was horrible! Anything could be happening right now and I wouldn't even know! Finally I got up and made my way back downstairs. I was hoping I'd meet Xavier in the halls…I didn't.
But I was starving so I found the kitchen, which was thankfully empty, and raided the fridge. Just as I was turning around with my Pepsi and a package of sliced apples I heard a familiar voice.
"Oh! Eli!"Kitty entered the kitchen with a little blond girl who looked about eleven. "I should have thought to ask you if you were hungry!"
I tried to smile at the teen's fussing. "I managed, but thanks." I was introduced to Illyana (the blond) and they got a snack too. We ate and the bar in companionable silence for a few moments before my hearing picked up the sound of a jet coming towards the mansion.
Logan! My heart wanted to leap from my chest. I abruptly stood, shoving the stool I'd been sitting on away. My nail beds itched, but I kept my claws sheathed, I couldn't do anything about how black my eyes were turning and I think that as well as my rather violent jump to attention kinda freaked out the younger girls.
"Are you ok?" Kitty asked.
"Vat is it?" Illyana's eyes were huge.
"Logan." I said aloud, and quickly left them behind. I was held up in the hallway by a handful of kids who were all clamouring around a window to see the incoming aircraft.
I squeezed my way through them, and quite a few turned to look at me, maybe even greet me, but I didn't care, I was focused on one thing and one thing only.
"Hey, I'm John, who're you?" A boy with a stupid swagger tried to follow me.
"I'm in a hurry." I answered, my voice mocking and sweet.
"Ouch!" another with shorter, blonder hair and a baby face laughed at his friend. "I'm Bobby."
I tried really hard to suppress a growl. But by this time I'd made it to the elevator. "On which floor is the hangar located?" I demanded. They paused and looked taken aback.
"You can't go to the hangar." Bobby shook his head like he couldn't believe I'd even think it.
"Screw that." I turned to John, he had longer hair and a stupid rebellious attitude, maybe he'd tell me. "Where is it?" I asked again.
He held up his hands but before anyone could do or say anything else the elevator doors slid open and the guy with the glasses came out and Xavier wheeled up almost silently from behind where the kids massed.
"Everyone's assembled in the War Room." Cyclops told Xavier.
"I trust the mission was successful?" The old man's light blue eyes searched for the truth in Cyclops' face as if he could see through him.
"Jubilation refused to come back to school, Logan stayed behind to try to convince her."
"WHAT!" My scream could have broken someone's eardrums.
The excited buzz that came with any group like the one that'd formed by the window stopped abruptly.
I ignored them all; instead I pulled my cell phone from my sweatpants' pocked and flipped it open angrily.
I was fuming like I hadn't been fuming in…longer than I could remember. How could he do this to me? What was he thinking? What did he expect he'd come home to? All these thoughts and more (plus a considerable number of curses) crowed my thoughts as his phone rang.
"Leave a message." His gruff tones came through tinny on the voicemail.
"What?!" I spluttered. "Leave a message?!! How bout answer your god damned phone, Logan!!! What the hell is this?! You just go off and leave me like that and now you don't return with you're squadron and now you don't answer your phone!?!" I huffed a great sigh unlike any I think I ever had before. "Call me. Soon." My jaw was tight with anger and my eyes stung inexplicably. Oh that bastard is so not making me cry! A growl tore its way out of my chest and bubbled over my lips. "Ugh! You are in so much trouble…you better be ok." Then I hung up.
Quite a few people gasped, there was quite murmuring again but I didn't care. I marched over to Cyclops and stood in front of him, invading his personal space to make my diminutive stature more imposing.
"Where the hell is he?" My voice was (thankfully) steady, but if was gravelly and threatening. (Well it was for me, but when you have a higher feminine voice anyway…It's not as impressive unless you know what you're dealing with.)
Cyclops seemed taken aback and answered without thinking about it. "The city." He frowned but I couldn't exactly read his face with those goggles he was wearing in the way. At least his suit didn't show much damage. Shit though I was shocked that he was allowed to walk around in front of children that thing's skin tight! I turned away in disgust and marched into the elevator where I punched the number for the floor where I slept earlier.
………..
I threw myself on the bed and clutched my phone like a lifeline. Fighting back tears and holding onto my anger, I let it grow until I could kill something. But Logan wasn't here so it was useless. Instead I let it simmer and bubble and I drifted off to sleep.
I dreamt fitfully. Nothing fit together or made sense. There were a lot of bloody memories and a lot of shouting matches, mixed in with random snippets of my day (Logan leaving me in the forefront) and images of the wedding and flashes of when my mate and I made love.
I must have been in a deep sleep because when I awoke to the sound of a door opening and footsteps on the hardwood floor I could smell the two teenage girls asleep in their beds. But the scent that accompanied the intruder to our room was very familiar to me by now so I didn't panic.
I stayed still, I kept my eyes closed, I regulated my breathing.
I could hear a sad sigh as the footsteps came closer, and then a stressed inhale. Yeah you better be stressed. I wasn't going easy on him.
Logan knelt beside the little bed and stroked a hand over my shoulder and down my back.
"Ella, sweetheart…" His voice was strained.
I answered without opening my eyes, "What do you want?"
He exhaled heavily again. "Will it help if I say I'm sorry?"
"Depends." I replied angrily, shrugging off his hand and sitting up. "What the hell?!?" I tried not to be too loud, it was pretty late and I didn't want everyone to hate me already just because I was mad at my husband.
Logan tried to scoop me up, but I wasn't having any of it. I stood angrily, glaring up at him. The only light came from the open door behind him, so I couldn't be sure of his expression, but I knew mine was not nice.
"Darlin'," he tried to put his hand on me again, but I dodged him. I knew what sort of magic he could weave with his touch and I was justifiably angry with him. This was why people didn't just up and marry anyone they hit it off with. "Ella, will you just listen to me?" his voice was gruff but there was a note of pleading that I couldn't deny.
"What?" I hissed, arms crossed so he couldn't grab my hand like he'd been trying to, hip cocked to the side.
"Damn it, woman!" I would've described his voice as a hiss as well, but Logan's just too damn manly for that. He let out a masculine sound to depict how disgruntled he was and then he grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder and turned to the door.
"Where the hell are you taking me?!" My voice was maybe louder than it should have been, I saw a brunette head pop up and pretty eyes follow us out into the hall.
"To bed. Shut up."
AN-Wow! The weather here is ridiculous! We're pretty much snowed in, and our power's gone out quite a few times, it was out most of today! But I'm on now, and I'm writing and posting, so woo hoo! Please tell me what you think! I'm tired and I haven't gone over this…but isn't that what I always say?
~Ceilidh