A/N - I've been dragging my feet on writing this section. It's just going to get worse. But ... I need to push through it for what I have in mind on the other side. If anyone's still paying attention, anyhow.
Chapter 12 - Mounting Tension
The first week of school went on seamlessly. Perfectly seamlessly. The school had never had such a smooth start. The classes ran cleanly, the handful of pickups that were required were simple - so no catastrophes there .. though Kurt and Ororo seemed to be the ones rushing to handle those more often than not - and oddly, when Logan showed up to the hangar to go on a run, if the team going actually was capable? He didn't push to go. At all. Instead, he'd simply survey the team ready to go, turn away, and leave without comment, which left his teammates scratching their heads. They were used to Logan pushing his way in - so when he abruptly stopped, those closest to him knew something was up.
They thought at first that it was him making an effort to help streamline things for the Avenger's Academy in the works, but after Kurt started paying attention to how little Logan was gone, that theory was blown out of the water. He couldn't talk to Logan about it though because his best friend was avoiding him too. Instead of being his usual self, Logan was exclusively keeping to himself and his family and not even attempting to terrorize the students in his classes. The new kids were happy … encouraged … excited. And the returning students were holding their breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. Everyone was working hard to impress. It was highly effective in getting the student body to work their hardest.
So why did Scott feel like everything was wrong? Why did he have the nagging feeling in the back of his head that things were wildly, disturbingly off balance when everything was going so smoothly? He hadn't spoken to Logan since the day he had taken Jean and Rachel off for vacation in Alaska, at least, he hadn't spoken to him one on one. There had been a few staff meetings, but even for those, Logan hadn't said a word beyond what was vital to answer the most basic of questions. So yes and no were all that was said.
Scott was …. Well, he was worried for lack of a better term. There was a team practice coming up fast, but so far, Logan hadn't communicated that he wasn't going to be there, so Scott decided to try and use that as a litmus … and he decided to make sure that any questions or comments directed Logan's way would be those unable to be answered by a simple yes or no.
Still, he was trying to convince himself that he was both overreacting and not that worried. That Logan was just finding new and more torturous ways to be … himself. But what Scott didn't know to factor into all of this was that the team had systematically gone after Logan one by one while he was gone, all to no avail. And though Scott knew Logan was keeping to himself, he didn't realize that there was a reason behind it. At least, not until he came up on the kids playing and realized that while Rachel was playing with Michael Rasputin, Abbey was working on her letters and the twins were set apart from everyone else, holding hands and trying to avoid interacting with anyone.
Scott paused when he saw them - James was almost always the one to lead the charge into having fun, so to see him and Rose almost hiding from the other kids near their age … It didn't bode well.
Scott made his way over to them and did his best to keep from blowing their hiding spot to the other kids if, in fact, they wanted to keep their playing between thm. "Hey, guys. Is everything okay?" he asked quietly, glancing down at them as both twins tipped their faces up to look at him.
"Uh-huh," Rose replied, though the expression both twins were wearing was evidence to the contrary.
Scott crouched down , still half-blocking the two of them from skittering off. "Are you sure? Michael and Rachel look like they could use a couple more people to join in the fun."
"No sanks," she said, not looking sure at all as both of them shrunk in on themselves.
For a moment, Scott very nearly asked about their parents, but at the last possible moment, he stopped himself. He didn't want the kids to be in the middle, even if they didn't realize it. "Would you like me to read you a story?" he asked instead.
The twins shared a look, holding an entire private conversation with just a moment before for the first time that Scott could remember, they both shook their heads no. He didn't know how to react to that … but before he could really feel the impact of the twins apparently shutting him out, James threw him a bone. "Snacks?" the little guy asked.
Scott let out a disbelieving laugh and reached over to scoop them both up. "That sounds like a good idea," he said, though it was almost as if the breath had been stolen from him for a moment. And as he carried the twins toward the kitchen, the idea that they might be leaving suddenly seemed less like an idea and more like an eventuality - and that had Scott holding both of them a little tighter "Want to help me make something?"
Both little ones nodded happily - the biggest reaction he'd gotten out of them so far, and that at least had Scott relaxing a little. But only just because suddenly, Scott was wondering how long he was going to have with his godson, and that wasn't something that had truly entered his mind. Yes, he thought about Logan and K taking off, and he knew that meant that the kids would be going too, but … he didn't expect it to feel like this.
He could handle Logan blowing him off, and he could even handle the cold shoulder from K … but this was different. And it wasn't fair to the kids. Any of them. Which for Scott, made it on par with how Logan handled everything - with no regard for anyone around him. He just knew that bringing it up to Logan would only come off as if he was trying to control how Logan was raising his kids - an he wasn't stupid enough to think that was any kind of a discussion that would end with anything but pushing Logan and his family far away. And that was the very opposite of what Scott wanted to do.
Realizing that - that he didn't want Logan to go - that was another revelation that Scott could have lived without, and he had no idea how to process that just yet.
For the third time that week, Logan had opted out of a pick up mission that would have had him riding shotgun with Ororo and Kurt - something he'd never missed out on in the past. Then, not an hour later, he turned down a run to help an old student in trouble with Bobby and Hank, which meant the teams that were staging were taking all the other heavy hitters on their way out. And it was a busy day, too. Gambit and Rogue were rushing out as well while the others were running pick ups - which didn't leave much home at Westchester. It was enough to have Charles and Scott on edge about what kind of a weekend it was going to be with so many of their members off already in rapid succession. So when yet another call came in, Scott was sure Logan would go with him. It should have been a given. But as they were headed toward the elevator, Warren pushed by Logan. Instead of the usual complaint and snarling insult, Logan looked up, watched Warren join Scott, slowed his pace to a stop, and simply turned to leave them to it without a word said.
"Hey," Scott called out, obviously done waiting for Logan to step up like he'd always done and do his job. "Aren't you going?"
Logan held his hands out wide. "What? You tellin' me you two can't handle it?"
"Of course we can," Warren said with the same tone he'd used with Logan on the first day they'd met - the tone that made it clear that Warren Worthington the Third considered Logan well beneath him. "Just … go back to playing watchdog."
Scott spun toward Warren with a frown that Warren didn't pick up on as most of Scott's expression was hidden behind the visor, but before he could argue Warren's snotty remark, Logan was gone. Warren tapped Scott in the chest with an expectant look. "Are we going or what?" Warren asked - and that was enough to break Scott's concentration from the knee-jerk reaction he'd had to defend Logan… and by the time he'd actually caught up, Warren was already well ahead of him. So, Scott decided to hold off until they were in the jet - with some privacy.
He glanced at Warren a few times as he settled in the pilot's chair, rushing through his pre-flight checklist since they had someone in need waiting for them. He had a few moments to consider the best approach to one of his oldest friends and his sudden resurgence in attitude. "That was unnecessary," Scott told Warren once they were airborne.
"What? I was just doing preflight-" Warren asked with a frown, but on seeing Scott's expression, he let out all his breath in a disbelieving laugh, then thumbed over his shoulder. "What - that? You're worried about Logan? Scott, come on. That was mild. And exactly what he's been doing to everyone else for years. Guy's been next to worthless for months. Just … hanging around the house like he's the only one that can protect it."
"You know that's not what- that's not ..." Scott said, then paused as he tried to find the right avenue. "I thought you two had worked out your differences years ago."
"Yeah, well, his charming personality resurfaced while you were in Alaska, old man. He's been insufferable the whole time and I for one, am not going to tiptoe around his ego. You know how he is."
Scott frowned to himself, but didn't press. That was nothing like what he'd heard from the rest of the team about Logan while Scott had been gone, but … After things had been left the way they had been … Scott wouldn't exactly be surprised if Logan was copping an attitude. He thought all that was behind them - and that K had been the catalyst to get Logan to pull his head out of his ass, but maybe that had only been a temporary solution. And maybe the way Logan was acting was simply so that Scott couldn't argue when Logan was being reasonable for classes and lessons. But if he was going to shirk his responsibilities with the team … that is something Scott could bring up to him. And considering that so far, since school had started, Logan had only been out on a few pick up runs … he was pretty sure he had a good argument set to go once they got back to the school. But … that was something he'd have to deal with later. Now, there was a kid in trouble.
Back in Westchester, Logan was having troubles of his own. He was still getting radio silence from the Avengers - to the point that Steve had even told him and Hank that team practices were cut for the time being. Which seemed odd after such a hard push just before the school year. So odd, in fact, that Logan decided he was going to go into the city to see for himself how things really were going … not just for the Avengers, but for the kids that they'd been picking up so far, too.
After that first run that ended with a public display, Logan hadn't seen the kids, or heard anything about them, and neither had K. What's more, the big push - the insistence that they needed Logan for exactly this scenario - had fallen entirely flat, and as a result, Logan really was thinking over his usefulness. The only time either team wanted him around lately … was when it was a big, miserable push.
With all that on his mind, Logan headed into the city, leaving K with the kids at the barn. The little ones wanted to watch their mother work … especially when it meant they'd get to take a little ride later. With last-minute kisses and snuggles all around for his small children and his wife, Logan had nothing to do but think for the long drive into the city. He liked getting moments like this to weigh the world out more reasonably with no interference. He liked not having anyone's opinion factor in on what he was thinking. It helped him to see things more cleanly when there was less opinion and emotion involved. Usually. This time, it seemed like all there was to weigh it out was opinion and emotion. As far as Logan could tell, no one really needed him, and lately, it didn't seem much like he was wanted, either.
Contrary to what he was sure the rest of his teams thought, though … the idea that neither group needed a nuclear option was encouraging. Not to say that he didn't feel a little lost without a clear purpose in front of him, but … if they didn't need him to do what he did best, then things had to be improving. Right?
Scott was lost in thought when he came across K, freshly in with the kids from riding at the barn. He knew that she didn't get lots of time just her and her kids, and he'd held Rachel back from joining the pony rides and laughter as long as he could. But … when Rachel reached them, and K had not only welcomed her, but scooped her up just as readily and warmly as if it had been Abby or the twins … it was an honest relief. It was a touch of normalcy in an otherwise totally abnormal fall semester. And it was the kind of warm, accepting environment he wanted his daughter to have - so to see that nothing had changed when it came to K and the kids was reassuring in a much bigger capacity than K could have known.
He paused at the doorway, watching K as she sifted through her data, most, if not all of her good humor gone from less than an hour before. There was no way she didn't know he was there, and he didn't know how long she'd let him think before she busted him out anyhow, so, before he knew what he wanted to say, Scott cleared his throat.
"Ah, my hero," K said in a sing-song tone. There was cheer in her voice, even if he could see she was concentrating on the screen in front of her. "What did I do to draw your attention today, handsome?"
Scott smirked, but stepped forward all the same. "It was fun watching you with the kids earlier," he said, trying to ease into it.
"Yeah, she really needed to trot today," K agreed. "And she can't stop giggling when I ask the horse to bow at the end. Had to be done."
"Yeah, three times."
"She needed to not laugh long enough to appreciate it, Scott."
The crooked smile he was wearing grew more crooked for a moment. "She really really appreciated it." K turned toward him, though when she did, he caught the full expression she was wearing … which did not match up with the subject matter of sweet little girls that were falling madly in love with horseback riding. His expression fell. "What's wrong?"
"Maybe nothing," she said, clearly trying to soften the blow. "Maybe everything."
"Catch me up."
K gestured to the seat next to her and turned the screen she had in front of her his way. "I looked into the feeds you said weren't recording right - the intel that just wasn't coming in?" Scott nodded. "It wasn't coming in because it changed how it was being processed. They shifted their intention, so the same monitoring processes won't apply here."
"Okay, so what does that mean, considering this is the departmental feed, isn't it?"
"Its the decoded orders being shifted within the department, yeah," she agreed. "But the coding changed. That's why it didn't look like much."
"They know you're listening?"
K shrugged one shoulder. "Maybe? Maybe not. They'd be stupid to think that I wouldn't make use of all the resources I can get right now."
"Andy they know you've joined the Avengers. You were on the news not long ago."
"Not in a uniform. In the background," K defended. "I wasn't with the official-"
"They picked you and Logan out of the crowd in the newscast."
She sighed heavily. "Yeah. I know. But listen. That's not important. What's important is what this says. What they want - and what the timeline is."Scott gestured for her to go on. "I don't know yet." She looked properly irritated by her own statement as she continued. "I need to get a little more firepower when it comes to decoding this than what I have here - just to confirm what I think it says."
"What do you think it says?"
"That … it would be advantageous for everyone here at the school if we were publicly seen elsewhere for a little while."
"Convenient."
"Not really," she argued. "They want to make a move. Not on the school, but on us. I'm just not sure how much they know … if it's just us, or the kids too."
"No way in hell should you leave then."
"Scott …" K's tone was weary and Scott knew she didn't like what she was seeing, even as she slowly got to her feet. "I'm not saying we should go yet, but if what I'm seeing is confirmed, then we'd be drawing down fire on the school, the team, and your family. I can't take that chance - if that's what it says." She gestured to the screen. "It could be them just bitching, but I don't mind telling you this is exactly what Logan's been worried about."
"Right," Scott said flatly, his jaw locking down as he settled in to glare at the readouts on screen. All of it was in code. All of it was, like she had said, in a new code, too … and of course, the solution would be for them to leave. "You said you needed more firepower-"
"I'm pretty sure you know I'm talking about going to Tony."
The scowl deepened. "Of course."
"To use his resources," K clarified. "He's got more intel-gathering capabilities than the CIA, FBI, NSA, and SHIELD put together. Hell. He designed most of the software in use. It's the cautious play to commandeer his toys."
"Assuming he'll cooperate."
"Oh," K said, putting one hand on her hip as her eyebrow arched. "He'll cooperate. We're on the same page, he and I."
Scott nearly laughed at that. "Don't count on it, K."
She closed her eyes and let her shoulders drop. She was so weary of all the stupid back and forth going on between the guys … she and Jean were fine. They could handle talking to each other reasonably. But the boys? Hopeless. "You know what?" K said, tired of playing safe for everyone's egos, and tired of watching the growing, mostly silent level of misery and doubt between her husband and Scott. "Do me a favor and don't worry about it. It's probably nothing. Shouldn't have mentioned it. Forget I said anything."
He gave her a dry look. "K."
"Seriously. Forget it."
"I can't just - listen, I know you don't say anything unless it's something…. so if it's not nothing-"
"If it's not nothing, it's not your problem anyhow. They're not after you or your kids, and they're hesitant about hitting the school from everything I've found since the last time. Historically, coming here? Hasn't worked for them in the long term, so don't worry about it," she said with a sharp edge to her tone as she left him behind. "It's not your problem."
"That's not how it works," Scott called after her, then swore under his breath as he rushed to catch up to her - she was deceptively fast in spite of her short stature, and she wasn't afraid to put that speed to use. "You know I don't want anything to happen to anyone here."
"I'm not discussing this anymore," K replied. "And I'm not going to play into the same stupid games you and Logan have going. You have a lot on our mind - focus on that. I'll take care of mine."
"I don't want you taking the risk on your kids either," Scott said in a heated but hushed tone. "We're here to back each other up. Stop trying to juggle it all yourself."
"I'll make sure you get the cipher for the new code, and I'll make sure you have access to everything that applies to-"
"I don't want what you think I need to see," Scott said with some heat, that he hadn't intended to even have. "I want to see all of it. Any intel you're gathering is important to the school, and the kids we're trying to protect. You don't get to decide what's worth my attention." His visor was glowing slightly more bright than it had been at the start of the conversation and Scott was already seething. Just as badly as if he'd been arguing with Logan, not K. And it wasn't until he'd said it and saw the expression she was wearing that it even registered that he'd gotten that mad that fast.
K, however … did not fight with him or walk away. Instead, she tipped her head to the side, narrowed her eyes and started to stalk toward him, unblinking. Scott stood his ground … all the way up until she leaned in and very obviously scented him out.
"What are you doing?" Scott said as he finally took a step back.
"Comparing."
"Comparing what?"
K stepped back only after Scott's back hit the wall behind him, and then she gave him another critical once-over. "Nothing."
For an instant, he looked as lif he might get more upset, but instead, he blinked at her a few times, tipped his head in response and held his breath. "What do you think is happening?"
"I don't know that anything is," she answered. "But I'm going to look into it, and if I think there's anything to go off of, I'll make sure you find out."
"Tell me now."
"No." K shook her head. "If it was something that was alarming, your wife would know about it. She's okay, right?"
"Last I checked." Scott paused further, fighting the impulse to get more angry at her when she had him both intrigued and concerned. And the more he focused on it, the more Scott was wondering why he was so angry with her. He opened his mouth, his impulse torn somewhere between demanding she tell him and decrying the idea that anything could be wrong - but instead, what came out was: "Let me know. Please."
As if to test his impulse control, K kept her steely gaze on him without changing her expression or tone. "After I get done with Tony. I'm done teaching here for the week, so … I'm on deck to be there for a few days."
