A/N: Okay, I was gonna wait a little longer before posting this chapter, but I'm not feeling the love for the Brotherhood chapter, so I decided to go ahead and put this up. I hope you like it more.
This chapter marks a milestone in this fic. We have reached the point where every chapter that I have finished has been posted. Up until now, I've been about 3 chapters ahead of what had been posted. As a result, expect to see longer gaps between updates from now on. I promise that this will not lower the quality of the fic though. Rest assured that I intend to this right.
Keep reviewing. Let me know what you think so far. Seriously, I thrive on your reviews so keep em coming! And incidentally, for those who missed the announcement, ch. 10, Home Sweet Home, was revised at one point to cover more emotional response to Evan's death. You may want to read back over it, but nothing that was added will be all that important in future chapters.
Without further ado, enjoy the new chapter!
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Logan charged down a long hallway in the mansion with his claws out. He turned to the left and entered the elegant kitchen. He stopped long enough to smell everything around him, then ducked just in time to avoid the gunshot from his right. He jumped towards his attacker and kicked him in the head, knocking the masked man unconscious.
He got up quickly and ran past the man to find Jean tied up and gagged in a chair. There was another masked man with a rifle standing in front of her. He raised the rifle to his shoulder as Wolverine charged at him. Wolverine jumped at the man in a high, arched leap. He heard the gun go off and felt the sting of a bullet tearing into his shin. He fell on top of the man, impaling him with his claws on contact.
Logan got up quickly and moved towards Jean. He cut her loose with his claws while he pulled the gag down from her mouth.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Thank you!"
"Don't mention it, Red."
"Very nice job, Logan. You nearly beat your record." Professor Xavier's voice echoed around them as the Danger Room session ended and the mansion turned back into the cold steel room.
"Thanks, Chuck. I coulda done better though. I got caught off-guard by that guy in the bedroom. Could've sworn she was in there when I heard him bangin' around."
"Yes, well you're getting better with each session."
Logan led Jean through the sliding doors of the Danger Room and back into the hallway.
"Thanks for bein' willin' to help out, Red."
"No problem, Logan. I enjoyed it."
Logan smiled as he eyed her suspiciously. "Ya enjoyed bein' a prisoner for 5 straight runs?"
Jean laughed. "Well, it was kinda fun in a way. I mean, it is every girl's dream to get rescued by a knight in shining armor, even if his armor is grafted to his bones!"
Logan smiled. That had been one reason he asked her to help out with his session in the first place. "Well, you play a good damsel in distress."
"Thanks," said Jean.
Logan was grappling with himself on what to say now. He knew what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her how glad he was to have her home safely. He wanted to tell her how worried he had been about her while she was in Cuba. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. But the words just weren't coming. He looked into her eyes and felt himself plunge into them. At that moment, he gave up resisting. He loved her and he couldn't deny it any longer. He opened his mouth to say something. He wasn't sure what words would come out, but he had to tell her how he felt and this was the perfect chance.
"Jean! There you are! I've been looking all over for you." Scott emerged from the hallway and put his arm around his girlfriend.
"Hey Scott. What's up?"
"We're starting a movie in the den. I couldn't find you so I told everyone to wait while I looked for you. Where have you been?"
"I was helping Logan in the Danger Room," she said as she turned to walk away with Scott.
The two left Logan standing by himself outside the Danger Room doors.
Logan let down his rough exterior and sighed. Why is it that nothing ever works out right?
Jean turned around when she got to the entrance of the hallway. "Logan? You wanna watch the movie with us?"
He looked up at her beautiful eyes. "No. You two go ahead. I've got some things to do."
"Okay. See ya later then!" She waved as she rounded the corner and disappeared from his view.
Logan watcher her leave and sighed again. He slowly began walking to the Danger Room control booth to talk to Charles.
She and Scott are already together. It'd be wrong to break them up. Unless, of course, she wanted to break it off. Then it'd be okay. She did ask me if I wanted to join them. Maybe I should've gone. Right, and maybe she was just being polite to the 100 year old guy that never shows any emotion.
Logan suddenly stopped in his tracks as a realization hit him.
I sound like one of the kids! I sound like some kind of idiot teenager worryin' 'bout his latest crush!
He groaned as another realization scared him even more.
I sound like Kitty!
He shook the thoughts from his head and continued walking towards the control booth. He walked through the doors and found the Professor talking to Gambit. The Cajun was holding his new uniform, which was dark blue with a yellow belt and a black and red X on each shoulder. There were two red stripes going down the chest that stopped at the belt.
"Dere is now way I'm wearin' dis t'ing, Professor!" said Remy defiantly.
"Look Remy. You're free to make any changes you want, as long as they're reasonable."
It was clear to Logan that the argument had been going on for a while and the Professor no longer cared what Gambit's uniform looked like.
"Any changes I want?"
"Yes. Whatever you want to change, feel free to change it. But you must make the changes yourself and you must have the X-logo on it somewhere."
Remy smiled. "Sounds good, mon ami. T'anks!" He turned and nodded at Logan as he left the room.
"Looks like ya got a feisty one yer hands there," said Logan.
The Professor frowned. "Yes, but I have faith in him. He just isn't used to living under the mansion's rules yet."
"He don't seem like one t'play by the rules at all, Chuck. No matter how long he lives here."
"Well, he is a good addition to the team anyway. And we needed someone to take Evan's spot on the team."
"Yeah, I know." Logan changed the topic quickly before the Professor started talking about Evan. "So what'd ya think of the session?"
The Professor reached down and pushed a button on the main computer. "You did very well. I was impressed! You haven't run a session like that in months!"
"I guess I got some pent up aggression to get out with all the stuff goin' on."
Xavier smiled. "And you had an extra incentive today, too, I believe."
"What do ya mean?"
"You were rescuing Jean and it seemed to make you work twice as hard."
Logan had been hiding his emotions for most of his life, but it was hard to suppress his shock and embarrassment at the Professor's words.
"What are ya talkin' about, Chuck?"
"Logan, I'm a telepath and people tend to project thoughts when they're in love. I could pick up a few of your thoughts as you ran the course."
Logan's jaw dropped. If Charles knew, then so did…
"Jean doesn't know," said Xavier. "The nature of the program caused her to suffer some flashbacks of her time in Cuba while you searched for her, so she wasn't able to hear your thoughts. However, I would suggest that you be more careful when you're around her from now on."
Logan stared at Xavier for a moment while he searched for words. The silence lasted for minutes as the two men tried to read each other's faces.
"So then, are ya gonna give me a sermon on how wrong I am here?"
"No, I'm not. You and Jean are both adults and for me to interfere with your lives would be wrong. However, as a friend of you both, I will say that I disapprove of a relationship between you. Logan, she already has Scott. And she's happy right now."
"I know it, Chuck. But I can't help it! Everytime I see her, I just fall into a trance, y'know what I mean?"
"I do. I was once in love myself. Just watch your step. If you decide to act on your feelings, I beg you to consider what could happen."
"Gotcha Chuck. I'll think about it."
"Thank you, Logan."
*****
That evening, all the X-Men were gathered around the dinner table and sharing a delicious meal that had been fixed by Beast and Ororo, who had returned that afternoon. Even Rogue was there. She had spent the last two days in the infirmary, but was now stable again and able to venture out with the rest of the X-Men. She was still weak, but it seemed that her ordeal was over. Beast and the Professor were keeping a watchful eye on her, and both had noticed that she had been acting different than before. It was clear that a piece of Carol Danvers had been permanently absorbed into Rogue's mind, but Rogue had eventually won control of her mind and body and now Miss Marvel was nothing but a memory.
Logan couldn't help but notice Jean and Scott. They were sitting together and having a great time. She was laughing and generally enjoying herself.
She's beautiful when she's happy like this.
Jean suddenly glanced towards Logan and smiled at him. He smiled back feebly.
Did she just hear that?!
"No, but I did," said the Professor's voice in his mind.
Logan looked across the table to find Charles looking right at him. Logan smiled and lifted his glass to the Professor with an air of mockery. Xavier frowned and returned to his dinner.
Logan went back to watching Jean as he ate. This was starting to kill him. He had to do something! It was time to make up his mind. Would he say something to her or wouldn't he? He debated this question throughout dinner. When Beast brought out the dessert, he still wasn't sure what to do. He ate the piece of chocolate cake that was set in front of him and meditated on the problem at hand. As he finished his dessert, he made up his mind. He was going to tell her. He began to lay plans of how to get her alone. He knew it had to be tonight. If he waited any longer, he felt it would tear him apart from the inside out!
Suddenly, Remy stood up from his seat.
"S'cuse me everybody, but I got an announcement t'make."
The room got quiet as everyone turned to the Cajun.
"Actually, I got two announcements. First, I wanted ta t'ank y'all fer lettin' me come here. But mostly, fer bein' kind ta me. I'm sure its hard to accept me as I used ta be an enemy, but y'all are all being pretty good ta me an' I just wanted ta let ya know I appreciated it."
The X-Men all began telling him that it was nothing, but he quickly stopped them by raising his hand.
"De next announcement ain't as happy. As y'all know, I used t'work fer Magneto. I happen ta know 'bout an attack dat he's plannin'. He's goin' ta attack Chicago in 2 days. I don' know 'xactly what he's plannin'. But he's gonna take de Broderhood wid 'im an' I'm sure he's got some crazy plan in de works. Just t'ought y'all oughta know."
The table was silent. Everyone stared at each other and then eventually back to their plates. Logan couldn't believe it. They were going to have to go after Magneto. That meant going out and exposing themselves to the government! After a long silence, Xavier finally spoke.
"You're sure, Remy?"
"Positive."
"Well then, it seems we have another battle ahead of us. We'll train tomorrow and leave for Chicago tomorrow evening."
Logan was in shock. Of all the times this could have happened, why did it have to happen on the night he was going to talk to Jean?! He sighed and took a drink to wet his dry mouth. His plans would have to wait.
*****
Everyone went to bed early that night. The next day would be tough. They would spend the whole day training in the Danger Room, where they could learn the Chicago landscape and figure out how to maneuver it.
Logan and Xavier entered Rogue's room after dinner. The girl was pulling out her uniform from the dresser and getting it ready for tomorrow.
"Hello, Rogue," said the Professor, "could we talk?"
Rogue looked up at the two mutants and sat down on her bed. "Sure."
Xavier hesitated, then finally told her exactly what was on his mind. "I think it would be best if you stayed here while the X-Men go to Chicago."
"What?! Why?" asked Rogue quickly.
"I'm worried about you and I don't think you're ready to fight. You're still weak from your time in the infirmary. I'm going to stay here with you while the others go to stop Magneto."
"And do what?! Sit around an' watch the fight on the news? Ah'm part of this team and ah should be there with them!"
"The decision has been made, Rogue. We'll spend some time in the Danger Room to help you get back to your full capabilities."
"Logan? Help me out here! Fightin' Magneto is a big deal an' we need as many people there as we can get!"
Logan thought for a moment before he answered her. "We're worried 'bout ya, Rogue. It's nothin' personal. We just wanna make sure yer okay."
"This ain't fair!" yelled Rogue as she slammed her fist into her mattress. The floor suddenly cracked under the bed's four legs. The three mutants looked down in shock when they heard the metal floor crack.
"Whoa. What was that?" said Rogue in shock.
The Professor studied the floor. "That was one reason I want you to stay behind. Carol Danvers' power was inhuman strength and flight. I believe you may have picked up more than just her mind." He looked back up into Rogue's face. "That is why I'm asking you to stay behind. Rogue, I know it's hard, but it seems that you have picked up Carol's powers permanently and we need to make sure you can control them before we send you into battle."
Rogue nodded, but never took her eyes off the cracks in the floor. "Sure, Professor. Ah think ah see what you're sayin'."
