AN: This is focusing a little more on Logan and his protective instincts before we go back to Sabretooth and Cassie. Please review. Thanks!
CHAPTER NINE:
Rumor Has It
The entire school was abuzz with gossip.
Sabretooth, the Boogieman of mutants everywhere, was here in the very school!
"And the Professor just let him in!"
"Maybe he was being forced to let him in."
"Nobody forces the Professor to do ANYTHING!"
Theories and scenerios abounded; the Professor had brain-washed Sabretooth to their side, Sabretooth was holding one of the Professors relatives captive which was why the Professor was letting Sabretooth into the school, there was a huge threat coming so the Brotherhood and the X-men were going to be working together.
Now Marie Darkholdm, alias Rogue, sat moodily at the cafeteria table, surrounded by her usual friends; the bubbly Jubilee, whose mutation was pyrotechtonics, which meant she could shoot fireworks from her hands.
Clarisse (alias Bubbles) who could grow gills and breath underwater.
Bobby Drake (alias Iceman) who could control and form ice, and a newer addition to the school, Mike Croftsworth, who could shoot bolts of lightning from his palms (incidentally, he tended to avoid electrical appliances, even calculators, because he tended to make them explode).
"By the way," Rogue mentioned, pushing back the long white streak of her hair, "Logan wants you two—" here she motioned to Jubilee and Clarisse "—to stay in my room for a while."
Clarisse just arched a blonde eyebrow and Jubilee popped her ever-present bubble-gum.
"Is this because Sabretooth's here?" Jubilee guessed.
"Yeah." Rogue said, fiddling with her spoon. "It's got his knickers in a twist, that's for sure."
"Are you okay, though?" Bobby asked, looking with concern into Rogues brown eyes.
Rogue scowled at him. "Ah'm fine, Bobby. Not that it matters to you."
Jubilee winced at the venom in Rogues voice, sitting back. She knew that she was the one who could shoot fireworks from her fingers, but sometimes it seemed like Rogue could blow her out the water when her eyes shot sparks like that.
"Oh, come on, Rogue, don't be like that." Bobby begged.
Clarisse decided to break the fight up before things got worse. "So why does Logan want us to camp out with you?"
"Probably so he can guard the door." Rogue answered without breaking her glare from Bobby. "He's certain Sabretooths going to go on a rampage or something."
"Well, he DID come into the school WITH the Professor." Mike pointed out, taking another bite of his hot-dog. "Doesn't that mean he's safe?"
"Well, the Professor seems to think so." Clarisse put in her two cents worth.
"So what are you going to do?" Mike asked.
"Well, she's not going to do it, of course." Bobby said.
Rogue slammed both hands down on the table. "Bobby Drake, stop actin' like ya know what ah'm gonna do before ah do it!"
Bobbys eyes narrowed. "Why do you always do what Logan says, then!? You say you have your own mind, but then when Logan says 'jump' you say 'which window'! What's so great about him anyway!?"
"HEY!" Jubilee protested, forgetting about staying out of the debate/fight when he protector was criticized. "Wolverines saved both mine and Rogues life more than once, and yours too, Bobby! Don't put him down like that!"
"You got a problem with me, bub?" Wolverines low, rumbling voice cut through the conversation like a samurai sword and Bobby blanched, turning around to see the veteran glaring down at him, muscled arms crossed and bulging impressively.
"Just wondering why Clarisse and Jubilee have to stay with Rogue, that's all." Bobby managed to speak without stuttering, but Logan could smell his fear, frustration, and anger.
"Because I say it's a good idea, that's why." Logan growled, eyeing the kids plates with disapproval. "Why aren't you eat'n, Marie?"
"Ah lost mah appetite." Rogue said moodily, almost growling at her plate.
When Logan gave Jubilee a similar glare, the pixie haired teen quickly dug into her meal. Clarisse, who had already finished her food, toyed with her straw, looking up at Logan. "Should we be worrying, Logan?"
The Wolverine gave the blonde a reassuring smile. "Not while I'm around, Clarisse." He ruffled the teens hair a little, then gave a low, rumbling growl to Bobby. "Watch yourself ice-boy. And drink some more water, Clarisse."
The feral X-man moved over to the cafeteria line to grab a tray of food.
"He eats here?" Bobby asked, still looking scornful.
"No, Bobby." Rogue said, snarling herself. "He's getting some food for Jonsey."
Bobby at least had the decency to look a LITTLE ashamed.
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Logan knocked on the doorway of the tv room. "Heah, kid. You need to eat."
Jonsey, one of the youngest mutants in the class, turned to smile at the Wolverine. Few knew it, but Jonsey (who could switch channels of a tv by blinking) had extremely sensitive eyes, which was why he tending to be nocturnal. Infact, when Logan had first met the littlest mutant, he had been sitting in the dark switching the channels on the TV.
Brown-headed Jonsey turned to beam at his father-figure, clambering over the couch. "Hey, Logan!"
"Here's your food, kid." Logan carefully lay the tray on a little table. "Hasn't Chuck gotten you those special glasses yet?"
"Yeah, I got'em." Little Jonsey said, reaching for an apple.
"So why aren't you use'n them?"
Jonsey bit into the apple frowning.
When he didn't answer, Logan very gently gave him a fake cuff to his shoulder. "What's wrong, kiddo."
The Wolverine didn't complain when the younger Jonsey clambered into his lap, taking his apple with him, instead wrapping his arms around the younger child in a very fatherly manner.
"I don't want to go out there. It's too crowded and noisy."
Logan sighed. "You have to at least try, kid." He ruffled the littlest hair, soothing. Then something the Professor had said came back to him.
"Victor is giving off a kind of pheromone called 'Gershers Pheremone'. It's something like a natural sedative, helping Miss. Andrews to calm and fall asleep. However, she has to be in close range for them to work, which is why the rest of us aren't sleepy."
And then Sabretooth had said something about how it only worked on cubs and frails. Could it help Jonsey?
Logan shook his head.
There was NO WAY he was going to ask that fleabagged furrball for advice.
No WAY.