A/N: Am crazy. We know this. Why bother remarking? As usual, I don't own
none of it.
Scott Summers was angry. More to the point, he was enraged. Logan had been picking on him again. AGAIN. Stupid Wolverine. Even when Scott was perfect in their simulations, even when there was absolutely nothing wrong. . .
It had all begun several months before, when Wolverine had started training with the older students under Scott's command. Logan had always had some comment to make on Scott's performance, and Scott had taken it all in stride. He'd done his best to achieve perfection, and every time Logan had told him a mistake, Scott never made it again. He did secretly really, really like Logan, so he wanted some kind of sign that Wolverine approved of him. After a while, when Logan never had anything positive to say- nothing along the lines of "good job" or "well done" or even a nod or a smile- it began to grate on his nerves.
Now, when Scott was near perfection, Logan still found something to criticize. This last time had been it; the last straw.
"You know what, Logan? Fine. You think you can do better, you lead. I am so fucking sick of this. I'm outta here."
He stormed out, furiously stripped out of his uniform, grabbed regular clothes, tossed his visor on the bed and put on regular glasses. After which he took off running in the general direction of the forest.
Back in the Danger Room, every one was stunned. Scott had never had an outburst like that before. He was always so laid back. Logan must have really gotten to him.
Logan was hiding his surprise. He only needled the kid because he was dealing with his own feelings. He hadn't thought Scott was actually taking what he said to heart.
"I'd better go after him," Logan said gruffly.
"No, I'll do it," Jean said quickly.
"Am I not capable?"
"No, you'll make it worse. Be back later," she called over her shoulder as she left.
Scott sat on the edge of a cliff, watching the sun go down. He knew he should go back, but he didn't want to. They'd be worried; he didn't care.
The anger, the pain he held inside burned. His eyes did too, from unshed tears. He stood and spun as he heard someone behind him.
"Relax, child," came a soft, soothing voice. "I'm only here to help you."
"You can't," Scott replied with conviction. This person, this man, didn't even know what was wrong.
"They hurt you, didn't they?" the stranger asked. "They don't know how precious you are. They hurt you, pushed you away."
"Who?" Scott was a little afraid. It was so true, and yet. . .
"The X-Men."
Scott was taken totally by surprise. How could this man know? He asked that question.
The stranger stepped to where Scott could see him, and behind his glasses, Scott's eyes widened.
"Let me help you. You want revenge, and I can give you that. All you need to do is tell me how."
The man held out his hand, Scott hesitated, then took it. The stranger smiled.
Jean looked for an hour without finding him. She went back and asked the Professor. He looked with Cerebro.
About an hour later, the Professor came out. "No luck. It's as though he simply vanished."
The X-Men exchanged looks. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Scott Summers was angry. More to the point, he was enraged. Logan had been picking on him again. AGAIN. Stupid Wolverine. Even when Scott was perfect in their simulations, even when there was absolutely nothing wrong. . .
It had all begun several months before, when Wolverine had started training with the older students under Scott's command. Logan had always had some comment to make on Scott's performance, and Scott had taken it all in stride. He'd done his best to achieve perfection, and every time Logan had told him a mistake, Scott never made it again. He did secretly really, really like Logan, so he wanted some kind of sign that Wolverine approved of him. After a while, when Logan never had anything positive to say- nothing along the lines of "good job" or "well done" or even a nod or a smile- it began to grate on his nerves.
Now, when Scott was near perfection, Logan still found something to criticize. This last time had been it; the last straw.
"You know what, Logan? Fine. You think you can do better, you lead. I am so fucking sick of this. I'm outta here."
He stormed out, furiously stripped out of his uniform, grabbed regular clothes, tossed his visor on the bed and put on regular glasses. After which he took off running in the general direction of the forest.
Back in the Danger Room, every one was stunned. Scott had never had an outburst like that before. He was always so laid back. Logan must have really gotten to him.
Logan was hiding his surprise. He only needled the kid because he was dealing with his own feelings. He hadn't thought Scott was actually taking what he said to heart.
"I'd better go after him," Logan said gruffly.
"No, I'll do it," Jean said quickly.
"Am I not capable?"
"No, you'll make it worse. Be back later," she called over her shoulder as she left.
Scott sat on the edge of a cliff, watching the sun go down. He knew he should go back, but he didn't want to. They'd be worried; he didn't care.
The anger, the pain he held inside burned. His eyes did too, from unshed tears. He stood and spun as he heard someone behind him.
"Relax, child," came a soft, soothing voice. "I'm only here to help you."
"You can't," Scott replied with conviction. This person, this man, didn't even know what was wrong.
"They hurt you, didn't they?" the stranger asked. "They don't know how precious you are. They hurt you, pushed you away."
"Who?" Scott was a little afraid. It was so true, and yet. . .
"The X-Men."
Scott was taken totally by surprise. How could this man know? He asked that question.
The stranger stepped to where Scott could see him, and behind his glasses, Scott's eyes widened.
"Let me help you. You want revenge, and I can give you that. All you need to do is tell me how."
The man held out his hand, Scott hesitated, then took it. The stranger smiled.
Jean looked for an hour without finding him. She went back and asked the Professor. He looked with Cerebro.
About an hour later, the Professor came out. "No luck. It's as though he simply vanished."
The X-Men exchanged looks. Something was wrong. Very wrong.