* I'm not sure if I am going to continue this story, the response has not
been what I expected, or hoped. I do have the next two chapters pretty
much finished, one in which Rogue's finance is revealed. Please, let me
know if you like this story or if my time is just being wasted. *
A Curious Wolf
The day seemed to drag on for Logan. He tried everything possible to help it move more quickly. For hours he was in the danger room taking out his frustration and anger on the simulations.
When he was done in the danger room he took a long run on the trail through the wooded area surrounding the mansion. He had not realized how much land Xavier owned and was quite impressed. A few of the kiddies thought it would be interesting to try and keep up with him on the run, or in reality, follow him and see what he was up to. They were not used to his heightened senses so they had no idea they were detected spying until he approached them. He actually was able to run ahead a bit and circled around behind them.
The three boys were in their mid-teens. One reminded him of a younger Bobby, a preppy-type boy. Another had a dark complexion and spiky black hair. The third was smaller than the other two and looked scared shitless, his face utterly pale.
As he was stalking up behind the three he overheard the conversation they were whispering to each other. He decided to keep out of view thinking maybe what was said might be of interest to him.
"Why are we doing this?" the pale boy asked the other two.
"Oh, stop being so chicken, Jamie," the Bobby look-alike replied. "You heard what Alex said about him. I want to see if he's tellin' the truth." He paused and they continued walking slowly ahead. "I mean, really, who ever heard of a mutation where metal blades pop out of your knuckles."
The Wolverine was getting angry. How dare they talk about him like he was a freak. They all are freaks after all, it isn't his fault that he had this shit grafted onto his skeleton. Logan was able to calm himself down enough so he could hear more without alerting the boys to his presence.
"Oh, come on, Jeff! It isn't like we have met every single mutant on the earth," the boy with the spiky hair chimed in. "There are probably tons of different muties around. I mean look at Piotr, he can make his body into a metal shield."
"Nick, will you keep it down," Jaime responded. "Do you want him to hear us? You saw what he did at breakfast today when Ms. Rogue slapped him."
"Yeah," Nick laughed. "I have never seen her look so mad. But you have to give her props for slapping such a shady looking guy." He stopped laughing. "Wonder what he said to make her do it anyway?" Then he started roaring again, "Probably said something about her being bad in the sack."
Wolverine's blood was boiling now. There was no way they should be talking about her like that. But his curiosity for the conversation was getting the better of him. Perhaps he could find out more information that could help him later if he listened longer.
"Hey, Jamie?" Nick prodded. "I heard this guy was here years ago. You've been here the longest, you remember him?"
Jamie paled even more, if that was possible, and stopped in his tracks. "Uh-huh. It was when the school was attacked."
"I heard about that," Jeff interrupted, stopping also. "That was when Mr. Summers lost his old girlfriend. That doctor whose picture is in the front hall, right?"
"Yeah," Jamie answered solemnly, leaning up against the tree behind him. "I wasn't told exactly what happened, I was only nine. But, Mr. Summers was different for a while after that. And so was Ms. Rogue. She was still a student back then. I overheard a conversation between her and Kitty, she was cryin', bad, and sounded so sad."
"Well?" Jeff urged. "What was the conversation about?"
"Oh," Jamie looked uncomfortable. "She was upset 'cuz he left, you know, the one we're following. She called him Logan, but the other kids called him Wolverine. And she blamed herself for Dr. Grey's death. Said it should've been her."
Logan's jaw tightened as he heard that. She blamed herself. 'There was nothing she could've done,' he thought.
"She killed her?" the other two asked simultaneously, awestruck.
Jamie rolled his eyes, "No, stupid! She said she saw her leaving the jet and that she should've took her powers. That way ev'ryone would've been happier." He sighed. "Ms. Rogue is great and if she could've saved her I think she would've."
"I don't know this Dr. Grey," Nick began, "but I love Ms. Rogue. She's my favorite teacher."
"Hey, we're getting a bit off topic. Back to Wolverine." Jeff chimed in, looking directly at Jamie. They had forgotten about following him and were completely enthralled in the conversation they were having.
"Ok, ok." Jamie said, putting his hands up in defeat. "Alex is right about his claws. Three on each hand, to be exact."
"And how," Nick interrupted, "do you know this?"
"I saw him jump off the balcony when the school was attacked and kill two of them at the same time, with his claws." Jamie ran a hand through his hair. "He saved us. Ms. Munroe and Dr. Grey were away for a couple days and Mr. Summers and the Professor were out. He was the only real adult around. He got most of us into the secret passageway."
"Wow," Nick whispered.
"He is one of the good guys, no matter how gruff he looks," Jamie added.
Nick and Jeff looked at each other. Jeff responded, "Why would Ms. Rogue be so upset with him than, if he is a good guy? Wouldn't she be happy he's back?"
Logan was still as a stone. 'Finally, back to what I want to know,' he thought.
"Well," Jamie started. "Would you be happy if one of your friends was gone for that long?"
"I guess not." Nick replied.
"And didn't you guys hear the stuff last night?" Jamie posed.
"We aren't in the same hall as you." Nick answered. "And Alex was still too scared to talk about it." Both boys were looking imploringly at Jamie.
"I would've thought they could a heard it in China." He noticed the faces on his friends, "Alright, alright!" he said. "He was telling her that he loved her."
"No!" both boys exclaimed, surprised.
"Yeah!" Jamie replied sarcastically.
"No wonder she's upset," Jeff added. "He's tryin' to ruin her engagement."
"That'd be one fight I'd love ta see." Nick laughed.
Jamie was not looking amused. "Guys this isn't something to be joking about. Things could get bad. I mean, I don't even think he knows who she's marryin'."
"She didn't tell him?" Jeff inquired.
"Nah, and I don't blame her either."
"Why?" Jeff asked.
"Well, the last time he was here he was interested in Dr. Grey." He sighed again and slid down the tree trunk he was leaning up against and into a seated position. "It didn't make things pleasant in the school. Especially since she was with Mr. Summers."
"Oh no!" Nick supplied.
"Yeah, freaky isn't it?" Jamie countered. "Listen guys, I don't feel much like tryin' to keep up with him. Can we just go back?"
Nick sighed, "Yeah." He offered Jamie his hand to help him up and they turned to start back to the school.
As they passed by the tree Logan was behind, he tensed and fought an inner battle to keep himself from jumping out and interrogating the boys. Once the inner struggle was over he stepped out from the cover of the tree. It seemed interrogation won.
"So, boys," Logan started in a low, growl. Their heads whipped around so fast he thought they would get whiplash. "What's so freaky?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow and making his fists visible.
Six eyes were focused on the knuckles before them, knowing what deadly weapons lay beneath. They watched the man lean against the tree from which he popped into view, looking amused at the fear emanating from them.
"Well?" he prodded.
"Nothing, Mr.-erm- Wolverine," Jeff answered, his voice barely audible.
"Nothing, eh? Sounded like somethin' to me."
The boys obviously did not want to hang around under the searching eye of such a gruff looking man. They shared a glance and in an instant all three had spun on their heals and were running for the safety of the mansion.
Logan sighed, sure that he missed the opportunity he had been looking for all day. He knew that he could not catch the boys because the Professor would be furious with him if he scared, or scarred, the three more than they already were. Silently, deep in thought, he turned and continued on his run, wanted to release his pent up frustrations.
A Curious Wolf
The day seemed to drag on for Logan. He tried everything possible to help it move more quickly. For hours he was in the danger room taking out his frustration and anger on the simulations.
When he was done in the danger room he took a long run on the trail through the wooded area surrounding the mansion. He had not realized how much land Xavier owned and was quite impressed. A few of the kiddies thought it would be interesting to try and keep up with him on the run, or in reality, follow him and see what he was up to. They were not used to his heightened senses so they had no idea they were detected spying until he approached them. He actually was able to run ahead a bit and circled around behind them.
The three boys were in their mid-teens. One reminded him of a younger Bobby, a preppy-type boy. Another had a dark complexion and spiky black hair. The third was smaller than the other two and looked scared shitless, his face utterly pale.
As he was stalking up behind the three he overheard the conversation they were whispering to each other. He decided to keep out of view thinking maybe what was said might be of interest to him.
"Why are we doing this?" the pale boy asked the other two.
"Oh, stop being so chicken, Jamie," the Bobby look-alike replied. "You heard what Alex said about him. I want to see if he's tellin' the truth." He paused and they continued walking slowly ahead. "I mean, really, who ever heard of a mutation where metal blades pop out of your knuckles."
The Wolverine was getting angry. How dare they talk about him like he was a freak. They all are freaks after all, it isn't his fault that he had this shit grafted onto his skeleton. Logan was able to calm himself down enough so he could hear more without alerting the boys to his presence.
"Oh, come on, Jeff! It isn't like we have met every single mutant on the earth," the boy with the spiky hair chimed in. "There are probably tons of different muties around. I mean look at Piotr, he can make his body into a metal shield."
"Nick, will you keep it down," Jaime responded. "Do you want him to hear us? You saw what he did at breakfast today when Ms. Rogue slapped him."
"Yeah," Nick laughed. "I have never seen her look so mad. But you have to give her props for slapping such a shady looking guy." He stopped laughing. "Wonder what he said to make her do it anyway?" Then he started roaring again, "Probably said something about her being bad in the sack."
Wolverine's blood was boiling now. There was no way they should be talking about her like that. But his curiosity for the conversation was getting the better of him. Perhaps he could find out more information that could help him later if he listened longer.
"Hey, Jamie?" Nick prodded. "I heard this guy was here years ago. You've been here the longest, you remember him?"
Jamie paled even more, if that was possible, and stopped in his tracks. "Uh-huh. It was when the school was attacked."
"I heard about that," Jeff interrupted, stopping also. "That was when Mr. Summers lost his old girlfriend. That doctor whose picture is in the front hall, right?"
"Yeah," Jamie answered solemnly, leaning up against the tree behind him. "I wasn't told exactly what happened, I was only nine. But, Mr. Summers was different for a while after that. And so was Ms. Rogue. She was still a student back then. I overheard a conversation between her and Kitty, she was cryin', bad, and sounded so sad."
"Well?" Jeff urged. "What was the conversation about?"
"Oh," Jamie looked uncomfortable. "She was upset 'cuz he left, you know, the one we're following. She called him Logan, but the other kids called him Wolverine. And she blamed herself for Dr. Grey's death. Said it should've been her."
Logan's jaw tightened as he heard that. She blamed herself. 'There was nothing she could've done,' he thought.
"She killed her?" the other two asked simultaneously, awestruck.
Jamie rolled his eyes, "No, stupid! She said she saw her leaving the jet and that she should've took her powers. That way ev'ryone would've been happier." He sighed. "Ms. Rogue is great and if she could've saved her I think she would've."
"I don't know this Dr. Grey," Nick began, "but I love Ms. Rogue. She's my favorite teacher."
"Hey, we're getting a bit off topic. Back to Wolverine." Jeff chimed in, looking directly at Jamie. They had forgotten about following him and were completely enthralled in the conversation they were having.
"Ok, ok." Jamie said, putting his hands up in defeat. "Alex is right about his claws. Three on each hand, to be exact."
"And how," Nick interrupted, "do you know this?"
"I saw him jump off the balcony when the school was attacked and kill two of them at the same time, with his claws." Jamie ran a hand through his hair. "He saved us. Ms. Munroe and Dr. Grey were away for a couple days and Mr. Summers and the Professor were out. He was the only real adult around. He got most of us into the secret passageway."
"Wow," Nick whispered.
"He is one of the good guys, no matter how gruff he looks," Jamie added.
Nick and Jeff looked at each other. Jeff responded, "Why would Ms. Rogue be so upset with him than, if he is a good guy? Wouldn't she be happy he's back?"
Logan was still as a stone. 'Finally, back to what I want to know,' he thought.
"Well," Jamie started. "Would you be happy if one of your friends was gone for that long?"
"I guess not." Nick replied.
"And didn't you guys hear the stuff last night?" Jamie posed.
"We aren't in the same hall as you." Nick answered. "And Alex was still too scared to talk about it." Both boys were looking imploringly at Jamie.
"I would've thought they could a heard it in China." He noticed the faces on his friends, "Alright, alright!" he said. "He was telling her that he loved her."
"No!" both boys exclaimed, surprised.
"Yeah!" Jamie replied sarcastically.
"No wonder she's upset," Jeff added. "He's tryin' to ruin her engagement."
"That'd be one fight I'd love ta see." Nick laughed.
Jamie was not looking amused. "Guys this isn't something to be joking about. Things could get bad. I mean, I don't even think he knows who she's marryin'."
"She didn't tell him?" Jeff inquired.
"Nah, and I don't blame her either."
"Why?" Jeff asked.
"Well, the last time he was here he was interested in Dr. Grey." He sighed again and slid down the tree trunk he was leaning up against and into a seated position. "It didn't make things pleasant in the school. Especially since she was with Mr. Summers."
"Oh no!" Nick supplied.
"Yeah, freaky isn't it?" Jamie countered. "Listen guys, I don't feel much like tryin' to keep up with him. Can we just go back?"
Nick sighed, "Yeah." He offered Jamie his hand to help him up and they turned to start back to the school.
As they passed by the tree Logan was behind, he tensed and fought an inner battle to keep himself from jumping out and interrogating the boys. Once the inner struggle was over he stepped out from the cover of the tree. It seemed interrogation won.
"So, boys," Logan started in a low, growl. Their heads whipped around so fast he thought they would get whiplash. "What's so freaky?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow and making his fists visible.
Six eyes were focused on the knuckles before them, knowing what deadly weapons lay beneath. They watched the man lean against the tree from which he popped into view, looking amused at the fear emanating from them.
"Well?" he prodded.
"Nothing, Mr.-erm- Wolverine," Jeff answered, his voice barely audible.
"Nothing, eh? Sounded like somethin' to me."
The boys obviously did not want to hang around under the searching eye of such a gruff looking man. They shared a glance and in an instant all three had spun on their heals and were running for the safety of the mansion.
Logan sighed, sure that he missed the opportunity he had been looking for all day. He knew that he could not catch the boys because the Professor would be furious with him if he scared, or scarred, the three more than they already were. Silently, deep in thought, he turned and continued on his run, wanted to release his pent up frustrations.