Author's Note: Well, well, well, look who updated? Okay, some stuff you should know that I didn't include in the first chapter: I've shamelessly combined comic book and movie elements in this story, (for example, I've stolen the movie's Wolverine and Logan/Jean connection, but I like comic-book Jean, and I plan to include—probably briefly, as I doubt my ability to write them convincingly—Beast, Remy and other non-movie people.), so don't be surprised if I've mutilated canon (just a little) for my own vile purposes. Thanks to my reviewers!

Chapter 2: All These Words

Scott was on the road again, although he'd never particularly liked the expression. "On the road" seemed to suggest being stranded in the middle of a three-lane highway with a truck bearing down on him, so he preferred to say that he was driving in a car again (although that didn't sound quite as good)—an increasingly dirty car, he observed, looking at the layer of fast food wrappings that the floor and seats had acquired and trying not to notice the rancid smell of slightly-unwashed male that had begun to permeate the air. He considered rolling down the window, but decided that his own sweat was better than exhaust fumes and hypothermia—he wondered if it had gotten cold at home to, slightly ashamed that he couldn't remember what the weather had been like when he left.

Not that it was his fault, of course. He'd been busy—dealing with adolescent mutants of various temperaments and abilities was not to be sneezed at—and it wasn't as if the Professor cut any of them—kids and teachers alike—any slack. Then, just when everything had been going so well (Bobby hardly ever froze entire corridors during his wet dreams anymore; Rachel was usually able to keep all of her limbs in proportion during class; Remy had stopped activating the kinetic energy of tennis balls and turning gym into a danger room-type activity), the Professor had decided to send him on a mission. Alone. In the middle of nowhere.

Scott tried to recall the Professors exact phrasing, but only his sarcastic reply came to mind. "So I have to go find a kid in a town I've never heard of, convince her to come to with a man she's never met, to a school she's never heard of full of people she's probably scared of, and then go 'investigate' some 'suspicious activity' in Oregon? Want me to single-handedly take on Magneto and the Brotherhood too?"

"No thank you, Scott. The girl and the investigation will be quite enough."

Scott muttered vengefully to himself. Why me? Storm would have been the sensible choice for the job—she was tactful and personable; people trusted her instantly. Jean could have tracked the girl down and convinced her to leave with telepathy; even Beast would have been better for the job...the only person less suited for the job was Logan. He'd probably come in with his claws out, disembowel anyone who got in his way, seduce the kid's mother...Scott tried hard not to think of who Logan was more likely to be seducing, making himself keep thinking about people who should have been in this cramped and distinctly smelly car instead of Scott Summers. Hell, Xavier himself could have whirred halfway across the country in his very hi-tech wheelchair...the image of the Professor wheeling sedately down the highway made Scott smirk. Yeah...now that's an idea...

never opened myself this way
life is ours, we live it our way
all these words I don't just say

Charles Xavier was indeed wheeling sedately, although not along the interstate. He smiled politely at the students he passed (they looked vaguely nervous, and had he had more time he would have probed to find out exactly what it was they didn't want him to know.), passing through the door that opened on its own into Dr. Grey's office.

Jean looked up with a wary expression identical to those of the students. "Professor, you didn't have to come all the way down here—you just could have called."

"Perhaps. But I find that face-to-face interactions are...rather more polite, don't you?" He didn't wait for a reply. "Jean, you've taken over my executive duties at the school without a hitch. As a result, I don't think that my leaving will cause too much of a stir. Just carry on as you have." He turned and headed toward the door, which opened itself obligingly...

...only to shut again, politely but firmly "Leaving? For how long?"

"Oh, a few weeks. I'm afraid you won't be able to contact me, so I'm leaving you, Ororo and Henry in full control of, well, everything. And Scott, should he return before I do—I expect that he will, as a matter of fact. And Jean," he turned the wheelchair around to look her in the eye "trust Logan. Accept what he has to offer."

That floored her completely, giving the Professor time to make good his escape. Professor, what...but he had completely shut his mind to her. Jean slammed the folder on her desk shut and walked briskly to the door. Wrenching it open, she power walked down the hall, scattering the lingering pupils who knew better than to get in Professor Grey's way when she had that expression. "Ororo? Henry? We need to talk..."

Author's note: Okay, so that was kinda slow and boring, but I had to do some filler on Scott's mission, and, hey, if you want me to update within a reasonable amount of time you can't expect, brilliance, right? Kidding...kinda. Quite frankly I don't know where the Professor leaving bit came from...it just...happened. I didn't want to have another Jean/Logan scene—fun as they are to write, I think they can get old and stale (but still oh-so-cute) fast. More interesting stuff later, I promise. Just wait for the next chapter (oh shit, I'll have to figure out what's gonna happen next, won't I? Damn.)