Two chapters in one night!

Gosh, I must love you guys.

XXXXXX

Emma Frost did not go to bed that night. And, truthfully, even if she weren't supposed to be leaving long after her teammates had been fast asleep, she would have been up anyway. She was thinking about her kiss with Scott. It was good kiss. A perfect kiss.

Until the moment he tore his lips from hers, uttered Jean's name, and ran off in the opposite direction.

Emma made the assumption that Jean was unaware of the kiss because she didn't attack the blonde the moment she stepped foot into their shared bedroom. She just ignored her, as usual.

Emma looked at the clock. It was one in the morning.

Time for her to go.

Shaking thoughts about Scott Summers away, Emma crawled out of bed and into some dark, inconspicuous clothing. She pulled the window up, careful not to wake Jean. Emma let her legs dangle outside the window. Taking only a deep breath, she let herself drop. Before her feet could touch the ground, she transformed into her diamond form. The landing that might have broken something didn't even hurt in her durable and marvelous form.

Satisfied with her stealthy exit, Emma returned to her normal form and turned around to leave.

And ran right into Wolverine.

He looked as surprised to see her as she did to see him.

"Uh…hi," she said carefully. "What are you doing out so late?"

"Smoking," he said, as if the giant cigar in his mouth wasn't a dead giveaway. He frowned at Emma. She noticed that Logan frowned a lot. Like.

A lot.

"So what are you doing out?"

Emma shifted uncomfortably under the man's gaze. "I um….I don't know."

"You don't know?"

Again, she shifted. "I'm just feeling a little, I don't know, trapped right now. Everything is changing and it doesn't make sense." She gestured at the driveway. "Before I joined…when I was homeless…I used to walk. To clear my mind. To get a moment to breathe. I know I'm breaking the rules by sneaking out but I just needed some time to myself."

Logan lifted an eyebrow.

"The mansion is so crowded," she went on, hoping he would believe her. "It makes it hard to think. I'm used to being with just me. And I…."

"How old are you kid?"

"Nineteen."

He grunted. "Even if I wanted to stop you, I can't. You're a grown woman. And I ain't one to stop a kid from doing what they need."

"So…" Her eyebrows went up in surprise. "You're just gonna let me go? You aren't going to stop me or…anything?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No, but—"

"Then go before I change my mind."

"I…um…wow."

"The X-Men aren't here to stifle you, kiddo. Especially not me. I won't let you walk all over us but that don't mean I can't be your…."

He didn't try to complete his sentence. Emma gave him an odd look. For a long moment, she didn't believe that he would even complete his sentence. But finally, he did.

"That don't mean I can't be your friend. So get out of here, be safe, and get back home 'fore the rest of the mansion wakes up."

She left, touched by the gruff man's unexpected display of affection.

XXXXX

"So Emma."

The blonde lifted her head, hoping she didn't look as nervous as she truly felt. Three pairs of eyes stared at her critically. The only woman in the group leaned forward, her black hair falling onto her shoulders.

"Tell us what you discovered."

Emma cleared her throat. "There are more of them than we originally expected. Seventeen students. Three teachers."

"Anything interesting?"

"Yes."

"Elaborate for us, won't you dear Emma?" the dark haired man said in a way. It was more of a command, rather than a suggestion.

"The leader is of course quite powerful. But he's very much set in his own ways. Not to mention, he's crippled so of no use to you. The other instructors are powerful but they aren't what you looking for.

"Most of the students are very young and very immature. The young girl, Amara, codename Magma, shows very strong potential to one day grow into a strong mutant. An Omega in the future perhaps. There's also another girl, Katherine Pryde codename Shadowcat who can walk through walls."

"Now she sounds interesting."

Emma made a show of looking at her nails. "I suppose. But she's an annoying little cur who will provoke your ire to the point you'll regret bringing her into your circle in the first place."

The raven haired woman laughed. "Oh, Emma, you sound so hateful. I do like it."

"Tell us more Emma. Are there any men that we might be interested in?"

"Just one. He's a new member. I've only had the opportunity to observe him a handful of time but the abilities he's displayed are fantastic."

"What is his name?"

"Remy LeBeau. Former thief, if I'm not mistaken. Not only is he stealthy as sin but he has to be one of the best hand-to-hand combatants I have ever seen. He has to have mastered at least three different styles."

"Tell us more, Emma."

"He has the ability to tap into an objects potential energy. He makes the energy kinetic and whatever he touches explodes. He favors using playing cards." Emma crinkled her nose but smiled at the memory. "He describes it as 'makin' t'ings go boom'."

She giggled, but it died on her lips when she saw how seriously she was been looked at. She straightened her back and composed herself.

"We want him," the blond man said.

Emma shook her head. "No. You don't. As good of a fighter he is, he's too unpredictable. Absolutely untrustworthy. Half of his teammates are skeptical of his true motives."

"Then who do you have for us, Emma?"

"There are two girls. Both incredibly strong. An Omega. And her powers are only growing. The other one has an unlimited latent potential. Unfortunately, she is unable to control her powers."

"Names."

"Jean Grey and Rogue."

"Bring them to us."

XXXXX

Emma sat in the back of a limousine. It was almost three in the morning and she was tired. The limo would drop her off two blocks away from the mansion, where she would sneak back in.

She doubted she would be getting to sleep.

She thought about Scott and how his lips felt against hers. When she kissed him, it had been to get deeper into his head. But the moment her lips met his, something else happened. Something Emma couldn't quite explain.

But it was something nice.

It was something that made her stomach twist and heart pound and her breath catch.

She thought about Logan and his unexpected but sincere moment of kindness he had shown her without any suspicions or expectations.

She thought about the young one, Jamie, and how on her first day at the Institute, he came to her with flaming cheeks, offering to show her around.

She remembered how during a Danger Room session—even though she didn't like Kitty and Kitty didn't like her—the prep pushed her out of the way of an oncoming attack.

She remembered Remy's comment on "making things go boom" and how in never failed to tickle her.

She remembered the X-Men and how they accepted her with open arms. And no questions. And for the first time in a long time, Emma felt something that was almost alien to her.

Emma Grace Frost felt guilt.

XXXXX

I should tell you guys something I'm sure you'll like: chapter ten is titled The Fight.

That's all I'm saying. But I'm sure that's more than enough. Much love.

-M.A.