They ended up staying a motel twenty miles away. It only had one room left and it was one with a single bed. Reagan had to plead and beg for a cot but she finally got one. At the time she could have cared less if she slept on the floor or not, she was so tired. Her bags felt like the weighed a ton each. The bathtub looked less than inviting, so she just collapsed into her cot without even changing her clothes, and was promptly wide awake. Logan was too. Even facing the wall she could hear him shifting around in the bed across the room. When she peaked at him, he was reaching for the TV remote. All the hours Reagan had slept in the car caught up to her and she decided to attempt the shower anyway. Besides, it was better then laying awake with the light shining in her eyes while she tried to feign sleep.
She pulled her overnight bag over to her and dug around in it, searching for her elusive pajamas. She couldn't seem to find the ones she knew she had packed. Reagan's hand brushing something satiny and she pulled out the object and stared at it in disbelief. It was a bright red satin night . . . something. She wasn't even sure what the name of it would be. This was the lavender satin shorts and shirt she had packed, and she feared that she was turning the color of the... thing. Reagan quickly tried to shove it back into the packed bag but it wouldn't go in. Pox on her packing skills!
"What's that?" Logan asked, cocking an eyebrow and looking at her suggestively.
She glared at him. "That is someone's idea of a joke. A bad one." Evidently the evil eye didn't work on Logan, but that didn't stop Reagan from trying to give it to him.
"Hey," he held up his hands as if to protect himself and backed away from her. " I had nothing to do with that. I've never been in your dresser, I don't even know what's in there. And if you won't let me carry your bags when would I have found the time to do something like that? It was probably Jean." He smirked.
Reagan sighed. "It must have been. At least she didn't pack the black one." She mumbled.
"Wait, black one? What does it look like?" He asked curiously.
Reagan grabbed the other, more appropriate pj's from her bag and flung the red satin thing in his face. "It was a gag gift. And you'll never find out what it looks like unless we get married." The bathroom door slammed shut behind her. "And that'll never happen!" She yelled through the door.
The warm water in the shower calmed Reagan down enough that she could laugh at the joke Jean had played on her, and changing out of her cruddy clothes felt great. After towel drying her hair, Reagan peeped into the main room. Evidently Logan had decided to go to bed and had shut the lights off. Reagan shut of the bathroom light and shuffled over to her bed without waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Bad idea. Misjudging the size of the room she only took a couple of steps before crashing into Logan's bed and whacking her foot on it.
"Ouch!" She mumbled, hopping around in circles as if that would make the pain go away. While her back was to the bed she stepped on one of Logan's socks and tipped over backwards. Strong arms grabbed her around the waist in the darkness. She struggled to get away from them but they just pulled her in and deposited her on the edge of the bed.
Logan flipped on the light to make sure she was alright. "You OK?" He asked.
"I'm fine," Reagan ground out as she jumped up from the and limped in a very undignified way across the room to her cot.
"Yeah well, use a light next time will ya?"
"Excuse me for not wanting to wake you up. I was trying to be polite." She said stiffly.
Polite? She was trying to be polite? Logan couldn't believe it. Reagan was usually polite to other people. Well, all other people except him, it seemed. But she had actually sounded concerned for his well being. Amazing. This was a side of Reagan he had rarely seen before, but he liked it. "Yeah well, next time remember that waking up by nearly being thrown out of my bed is not as preferable as being awakened by a light."
Reagan only grunted in reply. Logan grinned and flipped off the light again. Before she got into bed she fumbled around in the dark for an old stuffed animal that traveled everywhere with her and snuggled down to rest. At least until Logan's words jarred her awake.
"You know this bed is awfully big for just one person. Cold too. I could use someone else in here to take up some space."
Reagan stiffened, and then smiled sneakily. "Are you lonesome Logan?" She whispered seductively.
"As a matter of fact, I am in need of some feminine companionship right now." He answered, grinning, hands behind his head.
"Well I know someone who is just dying to help you out." She said in a silky voice.
He rolled over; head propped on his hand and smiled in her direction in the darkness. "Like who?" He whispered.
"Why Bear of course." She said innocently, now in her normal voice. "Here, catch."
Something small and fuzzy bounced off of his chest. He picked it up and could just make out the outline of the stuffed animal in the darkness. He grinned.
"Wasn't what I had in mind, but it'll do." He murmured ruefully.
"Sleep well Logan." Reagan smiled, rolled over and fell asleep.
* * * * * *
After two days of driving, arguments and tense silences occasionally interrupted by brief flirtation, Logan and Reagan finally reached Colorado Springs. Their first stop after leaving their things with Reagan's mom was to Ryan's house. Mrs. Iverson was thrilled to Reagan and her "young man." From experience, Reagan knew it was useless to proclaim otherwise. Mrs. Iverson would just worry the subject to death and they would never get anywhere on the subject of Ryan's gift. After a few pleasantries Reagan decided it was time to get down to business.
"Mrs. Iverson, the reason we really came here today was to talk to you about Ryan."
"Oh? Would you like me to call him in?" She asked.
"No, not right now, Mrs. Iverson, maybe in a few minutes. First, would you listen to me for a minute and not interrupt please?"
When the older woman nodded Reagan continued. "I've heard that Ryan has been developing a special gift lately. Telekinesis."
"Mrs. Iverson blanched. "Just what are you suggesting Reagan?" She asked stiffly. "That my Ryan is... is a mutant? Just what is this all about?"
"Mrs. Iverson," Reagan asked carefully, "do you remember my cousin Jeanie, and how my Auntie Lou sent her away to a private school in the middle of the year when she was eleven?"
Mrs. Iverson nodded.
"Well it was because Jeanie was developing some interesting talents. She is not only telekinetic, but she also has some telepathy skills. Professor Xavier taught her how to control her gifts and now she is teaching others with many different kinds of gifts. You might also remember that I was always a late bloomer growing up. Well a few months ago I discovered that I have gifts too. I joined Jean at Professor Xavier's Institute and he is also teaching me to control my gifts. We were wondering if you might consider sending Ryan there. Most of the children at the Institute are his age. We all live in a mansion with extensive grounds. All of the children are taught regular school subjects along with how to control their powers and how to use them for good. All of this in a home environment surrounded by others that are going through the same changes that Ryan is."
She explained most people's actions when they hear about mutants and about Magneto. After assuring Mrs. Iverson that Ryan would be safer in the Institute than anywhere else, Mrs. Iverson started to look vaguely interested. She looked confused when Reagan tried to explain that Ryan's gifts were caused by a mutation on the genetic level, but when Reagan explained that she personally thought that these were gifts from God to combat a new evil in the world Mrs. Iverson nodded in new understanding.
"You said that you have these powers too? What are yours?" She asked, interested.
"Well, one of my powers is the ability to see through nonliving things. Like wood and concrete." She squinted at the wall behind Mrs. Iverson's head. "For instance, behind you in the kitchen, Ryan is eating Oreo's and is trying to move the glass of milk to him with his mind. It's working too." She watched for a second more. "Oops. He's lost it." This was followed by the sound of breaking glass. Mrs. Iverson jumped slightly. They could hear a "Sorry Mom, I'll clean it up!" From the other room. Mrs. Iverson looked at Reagan in a new light.
"You said you have two? What is the other one?"
"Well, I have a slight control of electricity." She leaned over and touched the lamp next to her and all the lights went out. Then Reagan cupped her hands, which had begun to glow and tiny sparks arched up to meet over her hands. "I can also throw it at people and," She smiled ruefully at Logan, "It works pretty well to start car batteries too." She leaned over and touched the lamp again, restoring power to the room once more.
"And him," Mrs. Iverson pointed to Logan. "What's his gift?"
Logan grinned, stood up and brought out his claws. Mrs. Iverson jumped again and mumbled "Oh my!"
"Now watch this." Reagan commanded. She leaned over and poked a sparking finger at Logan's arm. He yelped and his hair stood slightly on end. Reagan grinned wickedly. Since Logan's skeleton was covered with metal just touching him when the electricity was flowing could give him quite a jolt. To Logan it was like receiving a static shock to his entire body. It wasn't something he appreciated and now he glared at Reagan, rubbing his arm where she had touched him. She had discovered it on their trip and it had resulted in three hours of silence. Reagan was quite pleased with this result and silently vowed to use this when ever he got too annoying, which, on the bright side, might be often.
Reagan explained to Mrs. Iverson that Logan had regenerative abilities and could heal from any wound. She also explained about the claws and his metal body, and tied that into how Ryan would be much safer at the Institute. She didn't really like using scare tactics, but this was important. She finished by reminding Mrs. Iverson one last time about Rogue's near miss a few months ago. That seemed to be the clincher for Mrs. Iverson.
A few minutes later Reagan excused herself and Logan so Mrs. Iverson could think over their proposition and talk to Ryan, reminding her that they would only be in town for a few days and could be reached at her mom's house. With that they left to find something to eat and Reagan tried to convince Logan to go shopping with her. She wanted to visit some of the stores she couldn't find in Westchester. He only agreed when Reagan's mother started talking in earnest about marriage and looking at him pointedly.