June 15, 1993

It had taken some time for Xavier to handle Child Protection Services for the state of New York. In the end, he managed to get his student back, but not her nephew. Danielle Mitchell had been released into Xavier's care with visitation rights to her brother and mother, first to be supervised by state workers and maybe later without and only if all parties behaved. Jax Mitchell, almost three and only knowing his family at the farmhouse, was taken into the care of a foster family. Jay managed to retain visitation rights without a supervisor with his son after he posted bail and managed to get away with fatherhood classes after court dates. However, his reputation as an abusive veteran soon had him receiving calls from the VA, asking for evaluations.

And that wasn't the end of the troubles for the family, although Xavier was loath to tell Danielle everything. As soon as she was returned to the mansion, she was sent to her room with Jean and Ororo in attendance. The two petted and poked at her, trying to make her talk and go outside with people her age, but the fourteen-year-old wasn't budging. Dressed almost all in black, her lips tightly zipped closed and hugging herself tightly as she sat on the bed, Danielle was as closed as a door. She was unable to open up and would only play music in order to be heard.

Logan hardly had to the time to talk with Xavier about what happened. In the two months since he was with Teller, he had been trying to butt out of the state business. He decided that playing his official school role was the best way to go and would only talk to Teller three times on the phone since that night, not even visiting the bar. He did not even bother Xavier, Alex or Hank with his troubles or remind them of theirs. He thought it best just to do what he was told to do without question, keep the students in line if they crossed his line and keep to himself. Even his trips to the woods were stalled for the time being.

By the time Danielle came back, Logan finally remembered his extra to-do list. In the afternoon, when school was let out and was three days from being released for the summer, he stepped into the doorway of Xavier's office and waited patiently for him to finish his paperwork. Hank had been there, reading in a corner chair about law and politics in New York, something he picked up two months ago. Alex had been correcting papers in another corner, too involved with his work to notice Logan wanting to enter.

Xavier soon perked. "Logan, come in," he invited warmly. "I would excuse Hank and Alex for the moment. Right now, two out of three of us are concerned with getting Matthew out of jail."

"Again?" Logan found a seat before Xavier's desk. "That kid is getting a record longer than my arm."

"I can understand his pain, but Ellis is noticing," Xavier commented. "Can you ask Teller if there's a way to keep Matthew out of Ellis' sights? I am getting nervous for him."

"I'm sure we'll find a way." Logan cleared his throat. "That's not what I'm here for though. It's about Danielle."

Hank heard the name and peered up from his reading. "She's here, Logan, and under Charles' custody now and that's very unstable. Without next of kin alive or around and established as being a student at the school, the state went for the next best thing. We don't know how long it will last, especially since she is graduating in another two years. She'll be needing to prove that she's independent and can live where she pleases."

"It's not that I'm worried about," Logan said. "It's Teller."

Alex groaned from his corner, his red pen suddenly making angry marks on one particular paper. It seemed he was allowing his frustration to get the best of him on a student's paper.

"Two months ago, he again mentioned Ellis wanting to see Danielle," Logan continued. "He believes it best if she's under a watchful eye there than if Ellis stormed in and grabbed her."

"What makes you think the senator would do such a thing?" Hank asked, curious.

Logan had not yet told everyone of Ellis' feelings concerning the younger Mitchell sibling. "According to Teller, Ellis is in love with Danielle and would do anything to get her. The older she gets, the greater his need for her."

Alex snorted, looking up. "That's bullshit," he declared. "Excuse the bluntness and my language, Logan, but I find that hard to believe."

"Why else would Ellis want her though?" Hank asked Alex.

"He wants Jay too," Alex reminded him. "That's something that still baffles me. He wants the dual powers from them. Why though? Why need mutant powers like that?"

"To prove a point about unique mutants," Logan interjected in before the two started an argument. "There's no reason why Teller would be lying to me though."

"Are you sure?" Alex was worried. "What point could Ellis be making other than showing how dangerous the Phantom Spectrum can be?"

Xavier listened to the conversation with interested and faced Logan. "I agree with Teller's assessment," he stated simply. "However, I am not keen on sending Danielle out so soon, especially in light of recent events. I would rather wait until the state paperwork has been completed before seeing her outside the school and in an illegal setting, might I add. However, sending her to Teller's bar might merit some other unwanted attention too, even though he is willing to hide her in plain sight. If Ellis has been behind the fiasco this whole time though, he might put up a screen that would protect her, just as he did to keep her out of foster care."

"I still don't want her out there," Alex added. "She's too young, Charles."

"I would agree," Xavier replied. "However, in this instance, Danielle will be secured by several people looking out for her welfare. She's old enough to realize what is right and wrong, although the latter I am sure she will walk towards automatically. Why? She is young and naïve to this world still. Exposing her to so much at once willed her to be a recluse. With direction, she can be guided the other way."

"You have too much hope," Alex commented pessimistically.

Xavier smiled. "I always do."

"Regardless," Hank butted in, "we still have a few troubles on our hands and it doesn't include Danielle Mitchell. Do you remember Duane Webber, Logan?"

"Duane Webber?" The name struck a chord with Logan and it wasn't good. "Matthew's father?"

"The one and only," Hank replied. "He's been teaming up once again with Ellis. I don't have the specifics yet. However, what we suspect is that he has been trying to use his dead wife as a way to get to the mutant communities and gain information, more so than Ellis has been able to. It involves no money, just trying to be friends. He has been changing his tune, I should say."

"Playing sympathetic, you mean."

"Right, Logan. Find out what he's been up to and report back if you can. There is only so much Teller is able to do and say. I'm sure he's being watched now."

"By possibly none other than his own employees, but that's not the point."

"Either way, Logan," Xavier continued, "Duane Webber might be another key in this mystery concerning Ellis. Find out what he is truly up to and try the best you can to stop it."

The unspoken words remained between all of them. Find Duane Webber and eliminate him in any way possible. Xavier had been saving Magneto and his Brotherhood for assignments like that, although Roger had been loath to use them to assassinate someone. While the more militant group had not made their unsuspecting targets cease breathing and had scared away hundreds of people interested in Ellis, they still brought terror wherever they went to. Logan still was not keen on using Magneto as much as anyone, a survivor in every way like himself, and would avoid him whenever possible. However, he saw that Xavier felt alone in this mission and needed everyone he could, even an old friend who was as swift in escaping and equally cunning to make a kill.

Logan felt the meeting was winding down, especially when Hank went back to his book and Alex to his paper correcting. "Where can I find Danielle?" he asked, feeling that he needed to prepare her for showing up at Teller's.

"Music Room," Xavier answered.

"A favorite perch still, Professor?"

"You can say that. I have seen her use it more than the instructor herself."

Logan chuckled, getting up to leave. As he did, Xavier called him back. He turned around to face the Professor, seeing the seriousness on his equally grave face. Logan knew that it wasn't just the Child Protection Services that worried him. It was sending a student off to danger at such a young age and seeing, as a foster parent should, that it would be her ruin. He saw a quick flicker of fear cross Xavier's face, feeling a heavy weight come upon his shoulders suddenly.

"Be careful, Logan," Xavier warned.

"I will," the older mutant promised. "I will."

Logan finally left the office. He took the odd hallway down to the Music Room and just stood in the doorway, thinking of one of the last times he observed Danielle through the same position. She and Matthew had been singing to the Beatles and playing an innocent song on the piano, just before they all heard the terrible news of death. Logan pushed aside the same feelings he had then, believing that it wasn't the same as it was a few years ago, and watched Danielle instead. She was still at the piano playing a song and humming to herself. He could not discern what song it was she was going along with, believing that it was her own composition since he did not recognize it. Finally, after a few minutes, Danielle stopped, inclining her head towards Logan and staring at him with sad, red eyes.

"Hey," Logan greeted, coming forward and sitting next to Danielle on the piano bench. "I was hoping to catch you."

Danielle said nothing and just raised an eyebrow with little interest. It made the situation a little awkward. However, Logan was not about to give up on her. Not now, not ever, even if she was a little vixen.

"I needed to talk to you," Logan persisted. "It's about time –"

"It's about Teller, isn't it?" Danielle's eyes changed back to hazel, although the gloom remained in them. "He wants me."

Logan did not know who Danielle was referring to when she said that "he" wanted her since it could have meant many men. "Yes," he admitted slowly, thinking she was talking about the bar owner. "Teller wants you."

"Why?"

"I believe you already have an idea why."

Danielle was quiet again. She looked down at herself and then the gaze went back to Logan. "I don't think I can do this," she said in a little voice, almost childlike. "I don't think I'll make it out alive."

"Don't say that," Logan demanded, much harsher than he intended. "There's too many people there who are going to be watching out for you, myself included. Don't allow it to get to you. You're getting out of there alive. You have a choice that many people do not have. Use that."

"And what if it's too much for me? That I would need to die?"

"I doubt that would happen, kid."

"If I was in an impossible situation, I think I would have to."

The words turned Logan's blood cold. "Don't be sayin' things like that. You don't know what is going to happen."

Danielle shook her head, not bothering to reply in words. In her mind though, the thought of death kept swirling, something she hid from Logan before her mind linked with his, although it had been months since she did that. She immediately pictured her mother, the one person she knew that could imagine a person's death and it come true, and how she courted it for years. Jay even, he saw it in the face when he was overseas and had regretted it since. It ran down a long family line, one that was sure to come behind her when it had claimed everyone else in her family. After all, had she not seen death itself, played with the light and felt its presence so nearby? Had she not felt the hand waving at her, urging her to come forward?

"The Professor said it would be some time, maybe a week, before the state paperwork is complete," Logan offered, seeing the conflict in the hazel eyes. "I was thinkin' maybe another week after that and we'll get you over there."

"Would Vinnie be there?" Danielle asked softly.

Logan growled. "I would assume so."

"You don't like him."

"No, I don't. Why do you?"

"He seems nice in his own dark way."

"Nice never got anyone anywhere."

"It seems that he could see through me, Logan, like he can grasp my inner soul, twist it and make it new. It's so strange."

"Could be his powers."

"Logan!" Danielle was not amused, seeing the bias tone to Logan's assessment.

"I'm serious, kid." The older mutant toyed with the lighter in his pocket, wishing for a cigar. "Vinnie Paul has the ability to make your past a reality. To do that, he would need to see your memories. Could be that he's making a false image of himself. Don't you ever sense him, read his mind?"

"I don't have his permission to," Danielle said, sounding like she wished that she could.

"Might as well." Logan shrugged his shoulders and then cracked his neck, his sight noticing the bruise on Danielle's bare arm. His instincts told him to peek closer, although Danielle was quick to hide it with her other arm before he did. "Listen, kid, just think of a way to blend in and you'll be ok. I'm sure Teller has a place for you somewhere."

"I'm sure he does." Danielle echoed before she paused, her forehead wrinkled with a revelation. "Logan, I'm not a kid anymore. You know this, right?"

"Kinda knew. Was wondering when you were going to see that." Logan tried hugging Danielle, but she pushed him away immediately. He settled for smiling at her. "And a belated Happy Birthday to ya too."

"Thank you." Danielle allowed the conversation to end there, shaking inwardly as Logan got up and left the classroom. She sensed that he went outside for his usual cigar, which was made her feel relief and dread at the same time.

Logan had noticed the bruise on her arm. It was small and nothing to worry about and could be explained away easily enough. However, Danielle had been friendly with the older mutant since she was maybe six years old and deciphered what crossed Logan's mind, especially after the words he said about Vinnie. His radar was kicking in and she was hoping that he would not be able to pinpoint the exact problem before she had a chance to resolve it herself. Indeed, she was wishing that nobody would.

After all, it would be for the best that nobody knew her secrets. Danielle was sure of it.