I stretched and yawned, watching Banshee negotiate the Danger Room. He did okay with his first attempt. When he was through, I called to Storm, who entered and began her session.

I was bored. I hated Danger Room monitor duty. Fighting when it isn't real, with lives at stake and something to win at the end, doesn't interest me. The smells, the sensations, the exertion are what make real fighting fun. The kids at the school don't understand that at all and keep trying to drag me to action movies. I've seen more car chases and explosions than I want to in real life. Why the hell would I want to see some actor pretending to fight?

A scent of brimstone, a soft "bamf" of displaced air, and Kurt was in the monitoring station with me. I nodded to the elf but kept my eyes on Storm.

"Logan?" Kurt approached me and took a seat next to mine.

"Was when I woke up this mornin.'" Storm dispatched the Marauders easily, and I gestured to Northstar.

"Did you do something to upset Mother when you saw her earlier?" Interesting. How'd the furry misfit find out I was seeing her at all?

I kept my eyes on Jean-Paul and gave him my usual brief reply. "Why? She say somethin'?" If she hadn't by now, she probably wouldn't, but you never know. Northstar easily made his way through the room, and it was now Iceman's turn. I waved him in and turned my head so I could keep track of him and Kurt as we talked.

"Not exactly." He paused. "I saw you leaving her room this morning. Why did you see her at all? What did you say to her? Did anything strange happen?"

"Kurt, why don't you come right out and say what you're thinking?" I growled impatiently. "Do you think I'm beatin' on Mystique or something?" The kid sounded really worried. What the hell was he thinking?

Kurt breathed out once. "Mein freund, I was worried. She reacted very strongly when I mentioned I'd seen you, so I thought she maybe got upset by something you said."

I shrugged, playing it cool. "No more than usual, anyhow. I am not exactly a calming influence, elf."

"Could you do your best to make sure you don't disturb her too much? She's been through a lot, you know." He got up from his chair, sounding relieved.

Silence. I thought about some of the things she'd told me, remembered that tortured scream from the tub of ice. Bobby finished with an elaborate bow, and Angel waited for my signal. "Yeah. She sure has." I shook my head and beckoned, and Angel entered the Danger Room. Kurt bowed and teleported out.

He musta been downwind this morning. I hadn't noticed him at all. Guess I need to be more careful when I visit her now, don't I?

I shook my head and turned my full attention to Angel.

*********************

Kurt left. He did feel somewhat better. But the visit left him with a nagging feeling that Logan had done or said something that should be bothering him. He made a mental note to check on Mystique later tonight, and to go over that conversation he just had with Logan before going to sleep.