Logan stormed down to Cerebro's doors at three in the morning, where the professor, Remy Sr., Milana, Kurt, Ororo, Jean, and Scott were talking.
"Where'd they go?" he growled. The other adults looked up at him, all tired and worried.
"We don't know," Xavier replied, "And Hank and Danial seem to be missing as well."
"Maybe they're together," Ororo suggested. "If they are, Hank will be watching them."
"Somethin' must've happened," Logan said stubbornly. "Hank would've brought'em back by now or come back and went lookin' for'em, have any of them called?"
"No," Scott said, his face pale. "Danial certainly would have called by now."
"Maybe they were in an accident," Jean said, her throat tight. Scott put an arm around her and held her close.
"No, they're smart, they'd avoid an accident or tell us by now, I'm sure they're fine."
"Then where are they?" Milana cried, stamping her foot. "Remy promised he'd be back by eleven, and he's never broken his word without a good reason!"
"Have you looked for them vith Cerebro yet?" Kurt asked. Xavier nodded.
"Yes, but I can't locate them in the areas they said they'd be anywhere's near," he said. Milana's hand tightened around her husbands as she audibly choked.
"I am going to continue to-" Xavier stopped talking as an extremely sleepy Kitty dropped out of the ceiling and into Logan's arms, yawning and nodding as she nodded at him.
"Thanks Scott," she said, bleary eyes and clearly still mostly asleep.
"What is it?" Logan demanded.
"Oh wait, that's Wolvie, sorry," Kitty said, shaking her head. "Phone, for Scott and Jean. Sounded like Danial-" Kitty stopped as Scott and Jean tore off to the medbay, which also had a phone, and the rest of the adults besides Xavier followed. "Whoa, they were waiting for that?" Xavier nodded.
"Thank you Kitty, you should go back to bed now," he said.
"Huh, tell that to Danny," Kitty replied, yawning and turning, shaking her head again as she went.
In the medlab Jean snatched the phone.
"Danial?" she said in a shrilly voice. "Where are you? Why aren't you home? Did something happen?"
"No mom, I'm fine, and so are Remy Jr. and Steph," Danial's voice replied, quiet and wary sounding.
"Danial? What's going on?" Scott said, taking the phone. "Where are you kids?"
"They're all together?" Ororo said. Jean nodded, hands clutched over her chest. Scott listened for a reply when he heard the sounds of a scuffle and then "Hey!" coming from his son as he heard Remy's voice replace Danial's.
"Scott?" Remy said.
"Remy?" Scott replied, but stopped as Remy Sr. snatched the phone.
"Remy! Get back 'ere now," he said. "Your mama n' I were scared t' death, an' you're partying around?"
"I ain't partying pa," Remy said, cross.
"Where is he?" Milana said, tears forming in her eyes. "Is he ok?"
"I'm fine," Remy Jr. said, hearing the frantic question.
"Where are you?" his father said.
"Can't say, you'd come after me, n'... de girl, de one who robbed me, showed up n' attacked, wit a bunch of 'er friends. Dey took Hank pa, n' it's my fault, I need t' go after dem," Remy said, leaning on the phone booth side and lowering his head as he said the words. Danial, still red faced because of the fight for the phone, was breathing hard, and Steph looked up and mouthed "I want my turn".
"Remy- you can't go chasing after a bunch of mutants," Milana said, taking the phone from her husband. "Come home and we'll plan it together, we can find them and get Hank back faster than if-"
"Ma," Remy interrupted, looking at the path of destruction they had been following for hours. "De people are gonna fix dere mailboxes before we ken come back n' follow dem. We're fine- n' Hank could already be- hey!" Remy protested as Steph snatched the phone.
"Mrs. LeBeau?" she said.
"Steph?" Milana replied.
"Yeah, listen, we need to do this, we're already half way there probably, and we're not going to turn around now, I'm sorry. And if anything happens, we'll call, now can you put my dear daddy on?" Steph said. Then Ororo and Logan's voices came up, as Ororo had hurried off to get a mobile phone from upstairs.
"Steph?" they both said.
"Git back here now," Logan growled.
"Sorry daddy," Steph replied.
"Steph, you running off and getting killed won't solve anything," Ororo said.
"I know, that's why that's not what our plans are," Steph said, sighing.
"Steph," Logan said in a warning voice.
"No."
"Steph!"
"No! I'm not coming home with Furry Man, and neither are Remy or Danial!" Steph said, pouting and stamping her foot. Danial and Remy exchanged glances and hid smiles, not knowing Remy's mother had done a similar action just a few minutes earlier.
"I'm not jokin'," Logan said.
"Like father like daughter then, huh?" Steph said. Logan lowered his head in resignation and let out a long breath, his eyes closing as he cursed his next words.
"Be careful, don't let Dan or Remy die, and don't you die either," he said.
"What?!" the other adults said, Ororo dropping the phone in surprise.
"Logan, these are our-" Scott started.
"Kids," Logan snapped. "An' I love Steph as much as the rest of ya love Remy n' Danial, but they ain't helpless an' they know what they need t' do."
"Logan, please, tell them to come back-" Milana pleaded. Logan looked at her, then raised the phone.
"What are you telling them?" Scott asked suspiciously. Logan lowered the phone again.
"They ain't pups anymore, sometimes I think they're better fighters than us, an' they ain't alone," he said. "They're gettin' ta be adults now, an' this is their own decision, you can't fix their mistakes and go on their missions forever, time for them to grow up."
"This is not a walk through the forest!" Scott yelled. "This is not a test, this is three teenagers going on a mission they're not prepared for to face a group that has obviously beaten them before! They grow up another time, another mission where they'll have us to back them up, and when it's not a life or death situation!"
"That mission'll never come!" Logan yelled back. "They can't keep waitin' for a walk through the park mission to come up, cause' we don't do those! Every mission is life or death, an' it won't do any good letting them grow up babies, an' then tellin' them it's time t' be an adult. This is their time, I'm gonna tell them t' make their own decision, an' even if I don't agree I'll help'em if I can and be ready t' jump in a car or run ta get to where they need me!" Scott glared at Logan, who glared back and raised the phone. "Steph?"
"...yeah?"
"Watch yer back, n' call me if you need anything at all," Logan said. Steph pulled away from Remy and Danial, who had crowded in to listen to the argument. Steph smiled.
"Thanks pop, I won't let anything happen to any of them," she said.
"Goodbye Steph," Ororo said, having picked the phone up again.
"Bye, love ya both," Steph said.
"Only when you're gettin' your way," Logan laughed, and then sighed. "Give the phone t' Rem, let him say g'bye." Then he handed the phone to the LeBeau's as Steph handed hers to Remy.
"Remy? Please don't be ashamed to come back at any time," Milana said as Kurt took the other phone from Ororo.
"An' don' let anyone get de better o' you," Remy Sr. added.
"I won't," Remy replied. "Gramps?"
"Yes?" Kurt said.
"What d' ya t'ink?"
"I think, be careful," Kurt said.
"Be more than careful," Milana added. Remy chuckled.
"Ok," he said. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye," his father replied. "N' 'ave some fun too."
"Don't tell him that!" Milana said.
"G'bye, n' gramps?"
"Ja?"
"Keep working on de han' stand."
"Thank you, goodbye," Kurt said, chuckling as he gave the phone to Scott, as his wife had snatched the one Milana held out to her.
"Danial?" Jean said.
"Hi mom."
"Be careful, please, and call whenever you can," she said. "Even if it seems ridiculous, I'll age a hundred years until I hear from you again, I love you so much."
"I know, I will, I promise," Danial said, rolling his eyes, thinking it was ridiculous at what she was implying. Like he wouldn't call whenever he could!
"Dan?" Scott said.
"Father? Do you want me to come home? I will... but only if you really want me to."
"Yes, I do want you to come home, but unless it's what you feel is right- don't. But don't let LeBeau and Steph talk you into anything either, you hear me?"
"Yes Father."
"Goodbye."
"Bye." And on that last note, Danial hung up. Slowly Jean and Scott hung up as well, then turned to the other X Men.
"They're gone..." Jean said.
"Only fer a short time," Logan said, nodding his head. "But they'll be back. Jus' 'cause the bird ken fly don't mean it can leave the nest."