A.N.: Hey y'all! Yes, I'm back with yet another fic. Hope y'all enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: Only own Ruse, Zany, & story idea. Ruse means Trick, and Zany means Crazy. Rogue means Scoundrel.

Warning: Spanking involved. If this bothers you, please do not read & flame. Thank-you. Enjoy!

Ruse, a spitfire seven-year-old, was sitting on a school bus, on her way to a museum with the other children at 'Xavier's School For The Gifted'. She was sitting with her best friend, Zany.

"You think this'll be fun, or borin'?" Ruse asked him softly. "I gots plan ifs it's borin'."

"I don't know," Zany shrugged. "And what kinda plan?"

Zany was eight-years-old and tended to look after Ruse as best he could. He had deemed himself her protector. While Ruse was small for her age, Zany was almost a whole head taller than her. Zany was a teleporter, while Ruse was telepathic, could make herself invisible, and could heal herself like Logan could. Also, she too had metal throughout her body, though she never let Jean get close enough to do a full examination; she'd also only just recently slipped up and let everyone discover her secret. Ruse had shoulder-length brown hair that had natural blond highlights, which looked like streaks; she also had piercing green eyes. And – though she was called an imp – she was not one in the physical sense. She was a normal child, except for her mutant powers. Zany, on the other hand, had dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. He too was human and appeared to be a normal child. Also, Ruse's real name was Lenore, and Zany's was Alexander – Alex for short.

"What are yah up to now?" Rogue questioned, interrupting their quiet chatter. "Yah know Logan's gonna have our hides if we do somethin' we're not s'pose tah."

"Nothin'," Ruse answered. "An' if I am, you'll know when we a get there."

Bobby, who was sitting with Rogue, rolled his eyes. "Why do I get the feeling, we're somehow involved in her latest hair-brained scheme?"

"'Cause she always includes us," John piped up. He was sitting across from Bobby and Rogue, in a seat all to himself. Nobody wanted to sit with him, as he kept playing with his lighter – they feared being caught on fire. "Ain't yah learned that by now?"

"That's your department, John," Bobby replied. "She talks to you almost as much as she does Zany."

"Shaddup, Ice," John retorted playfully.

"After you, Pyro," Bobby smiled.

"Okay, since we're almost there, I'm going to go over the rules quickly," Scott, also known as Cyclops, began as he stood up.

"No standin' on da bus!" Ruse called out. "Ifs it's movin' you'll gets in bigs trouble with Wolvie!"

The other children laughed, but when quiet when they realized Scott was not amused.

Logan, on the other hand, seemed highly amused she'd pointed that out to the X-men leader. He was also pleased she'd remembered his rule about that.

"I'm an adult, so I'm allowed to stand for the moment," Scott told her.

"But why - ?" Ruse began, only to be sharply cut off.

"You're questioning," Scott said warily, making the young girl look confused.

"Can't I - ?"

"Ruse! Do you need to be moved up front?" Scott demanded, starting to lose patience with her.

"No," Ruse grumbled, slinking down in her seat dejectedly.

"Now, the rules are as follows," Scott continued. "No calling one another by you're mutant names. No trying anything funny to escape and get out of this. And no – absolutely no – using your powers for anything while we're here. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" The students replied – well, except Ruse – she was still pouting.

"What's wrong?" Zany queried, as Scott sat back down.

"How come I gets in trouble for askin' questions?" Ruse asked softly. "How comes he cans stands on da bus, an' we can't?"

Zany shrugged. "I dunno. He's a grown-up. Grown-ups can do what they want."

"Nots fair!" Ruse grumbled, slouching down even more, and crossing her arms over her small chest. "Wants Wolvie."

"Yah can't go to him!" Zany told her. "We're not allowed to stand up, like yah said."

Ruse started to cry. "I wants Wolvie!"

Zany quickly turned around in his seat, to face their older friends – though he was now breaking a rule himself by doing so. "Guys!" He said urgently. "Guys!"

"What's wrong, Zany?" John asked, noticing Rogue and Bobby were too busy staring at one another.

"Ruse is cryin'!" Zany answered. "She wants Logan."

John frowned. "Why's she crying?"

"Scott got her upset," Zany responded. "She don't get why she can't ask questions."

John stood up then, breaking a rule now too – but, he knew if he yelled for Logan, he wouldn't be heard, as the other kids on the bus were quite noisy right then. "Stay here," John told the small boy. "I'll go get Logan."

Zany nodded, and watched as John made his way to the front on the bus – he considered John a hero now, as no one else dared to walk on the bus when it was moving.

John reached the front of the bus a few moments later, only to be glared at by Scott.

"Just what do you think you're doing out of your seat?" Scott snapped slightly.

"Getting Logan," John answered simply. "We need him a moment."

"If it's because I made Ruse cry, well, she can wait until we get to the museum," Scott stated. "Now, get back to your seat!"

"Fine," John said casually. "I'll go back without him, and you'll hafta listen to her scream endlessly until he comes back anyway."

Logan got up then. "Dick, stay outta this," he growled. "You're on my shit list as it is."

Scott glowered at them both, but kept quiet after that. He wanted angrily as Logan and John headed to the back of the bus.

Logan ushered Zany into John's seat, once he'd reached the back of the bus. He then sat down next to Ruse, and reached over to move her hair out of her face. "What's wrong, Kid?"

Ruse looked up, and said nothing as she immediately crawled into his lap.

Logan sighed and rubbed her back, moving closer to the window. "Look, I know yah were just curious, but Scott's not exactly the one to be asking questions to. Yah know he don't like his authority bein' questioned."

Ruse whimpered. "Can't do nothin' right."

"Sure yah can," Logan told her, hugging her a bit closer. "You remembered the rule about not standin' on the bus. You made me proud, Imp. Very proud."

"Really?" Ruse asked skeptically, looking up at him through tears.

"Really," Logan nodded, giving her head a kiss. She was the only one he would show affection to out in the open – and even then it wasn't all that often.

Ruse gave him a small smile, then quietly popped her thumb into her mouth.

Logan said nothing about her thumb, knowing she didn't do it all that often, so it wasn't of great concern. He held her close until they'd reached the

museum, then he set her upon her feet and took hold of her hand.

Once off the bus, Ruse looked up at Logan. "C'n I go with Pyro? Please Wolvie?"

Logan smiled at her. "Sure, Imp. But no causing mischief. Yah do, an' I'll spank yah here in front of everybody. Got it?"

Ruse nodded, then quickly let go of his hand and ran over to John. "Pyro! I can go with yah!"

John smiled and scooped her up into his arms. "Alright. I'll keep an eye on yah." He tickled her lightly, which made her squeal with laughter – it also learned

them a disapproving look from Scott.

Zany latched onto John's shirt then. "I'm a goin' with yah too," he informed the older boy. "I'm a stayin' with Ruse."

John chuckled softly, and ruffled the young boy's hair. "Alright. That's fine too."

Bobby and Rogue came over to them then. "We'll stick with yah too."

Storm saw the five pair up, and immediately leaned over to Scott. "Want me to keep an eye on them?" She asked softly.

"Yes," Scott stated firmly. "Someone has to."

Logan looked up then, and spotted the five. "Scott, they're good kids. They're not gonna try nothin'. Not if the lil' Imp knows what's good for her

bottom."

Storm didn't look too convinced. "If you say so, Logan. But we all know that's never stopped them from trying anything before."

Once inside the museum, the group of five made sure to stick to the back of the group. They were hoping it'd be easier for them to sneak off this way. You can imagine their surprise, when Logan came to stand behind them.

"Scott thinks we should keep an' eye on yah," he informed them firmly. "I convinced 'em to leave yah alone. Don't make me regret that."

The five children nodded, then watched as he made his way back up front. "Phew!"

Ruse squirmed down from John's arms then, and looked up at her friends. "We gonna see dinosaurs?" She asked hopefully.

Bobby read the itinerary they'd all been given. "Afraid not, Ruse," he said gently. "Scott doesn't think they're all that important."

Ruse's eyes welled up with tears. "Buts! Dinosaurs!"

Zany grumbled. "Figures he'd make us look at borin' stuff, an' not the cool stuff."

Rogue shrugged. "Nothin' we can do about it."

Ruse's eyes lit up with mischief then. "We cans see da dinosaurs 'lone!"

"Ruse, you heard what Scott said," Bobby reminded her. "He said no trying to escape."

"And I'm sure Logan warned yah too," John added, though he was liking her idea. He too wanted to see the dinosaurs.

"But they're important!" Zany argued. "An' everybody else is gone! Look!" He pointed to where the group had once stood, and true enough, they were now long gone.

"What the…" Bobby trailed off. "We don't even try to lose the group, and they end up losing us."

"For once," John finished.

"C'n we please see dinosaurs?" Ruse begged, yanking on John's sleeve. "Please?"

"They did lose us," Rogue pointed out. "We didn't lose them."

"True…" Bobby agreed, and eyed John – though he already knew John's answer.

"Sure!" John smiled, never being able to refuse Ruse a thing when she begged him. "Not our fault they lost us. An' we can catch up to 'em later – probably at the food court."

Ruse smiled widely, happy to have gotten her way. She skipped along next to John happily, while holding onto his hand tightly – she didn't want to get lost from him too.

Zany grinned and took hold of John's other hand. He didn't bother Bobby and Rogue, as they were off in a world of their own.

Once they were sure the three ahead of them weren't paying attention, Bobby and Rogue slipped away so that they could be alone.

Soon enough, John found the dinosaurs. He couldn't help but smile as he watched the younger two become extremely excited.

"Lookie! Lookie!" Ruse shrieked delightedly. "Dinosaurs! We founds dinosaurs!"

"Wow!" Zany squealed. "Look at 'em all!"

It was when John looked behind him, that he realized they'd lost Bobby and Rogue now too. He shook his head, knowing his friends had probably decided to go off somewhere to be alone.

Meanwhile, Storm had done a head count and came up with five missing. She shook her head and went up to where Scott, Logan, and Jean were standing.

"Seems we're missing five of our students," Storm told them. "And I'll give you one guess, as to which five it is."

Logan frowned upon hearing this. "Guess I wasn't clear 'nough on my meanin'."

"You never are," Scott snapped. "You girls stay here and keep an eye on the others. Logan and I will go - "

"I'll look for 'em," Logan stated firmly. "It's a one man job. And I'm one man."

Scott frowned, but decided not to argue. He knew Logan would deal with the five immediately, as he could tell the man was disappointed with them. "Fine.

We'll stay here. We can meet up at the food court."

Logan nodded, then quickly headed off to find the missing five. He found Rogue and Bobby first – they were sitting on a bench right out in the open, making out best they could. He could tell Rogue was trying hard not to drain Bobby of his energy.

"Get up!" Logan growled upon reaching them. He watched them both jump and glared. "Stick close. Try anythin' funny, an' yah will get it right here an' now. I mean it."

Bobby and Rogue quickly got up and stuck close, as they followed him throughout the crowded museum.

Logan turned to look at them. "The others say where they were goin'?" He demanded. "An' whose bright idea was this, huh?"

"Dinosaurs," Bobby answered. "Ruse wanted to see 'em."

"Ruse," Logan muttered. "I should've known."

"No. I meant – " Bobby tried, only to be cut off.

"I did not ask yah to talk anymore!" Logan snapped. "Now shut it!"

Bobby gave Rogue a worried glance, knowing he'd just gotten Ruse into some major trouble without meaning to.

John, Zany, and Ruse were still looking at the dinosaurs, when some other kid bumped into a ladder – a ladder that Ruse was standing near. Not thinking, Zany quickly zapped himself over to her and zapped them both out of the way. He hadn't realized what'd he'd done until he'd heard John groan and other people gasp.

Ruse's eyes were wide. "Zany!" She hissed. "You broke da important one!"

Zany looked up at John scared, when security came towards them with his gun drawn. He hadn't meant to use his powers – he'd only been trying to save Ruse.

John quickly ushered both children behind them, and looked steadily at the security guard. "When I tell yah too," he began in a whisper. "Run fast as yah can to the food court. We gotta get outta here."

Soon as John had said three, both Zany and Ruse took off fast as they could. Zany – too scared to use his powers anymore that day, took off like a normal child would. Ruse, meanwhile, ducked into the crowd and quickly made herself invisible without anybody seeing her do so. Once invisible, she crouched down under one of the dinosaur skeletons to hide. John, meanwhile, was running after Zany, having had lost sight of Ruse.

Logan and the two with him had just reached the dinosaurs when they heard a commotion. "Go tell Scott to get everybody on the bus. They're in the food court. Go! Now!"

Rogue and Bobby quickly did as told, running off top speed to find Scott and the others.

Logan quickly caught up to John and Zany. He grabbed both by their collars. "Get to the bus! Now!"

Both boys nodded, and John looked back at Logan. "We lost Ruse!"

"Go!" Logan barked, quickly turning back to find the missing child. He'd made sure that security hadn't seen him with the boys, and headed back to where the skeletons were. He paused a moment, when he thought he smelled something and was sure he heard someone whimper.

"Excuse me, Sir," a security guard said, coming up to him. "You must leave this area at once. There are mutants in here."

"I'm just gonna get my child and go," Logan assured him. "I'll be out soon as I've got her."

"Alright," security nodded, turning and heading back over to his partner.

Logan sniffed a bit more, then went and crouched before the tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. "C'mere Imp."

Ruse quickly made herself visible and ran into his arms in tears. She'd been terrified when she'd seen the gun – and even more so, when she'd gotten left behind by accident. She clung to Logan tightly, burying her face into his chest. "I sorry Wolvie! I sorry!"

Logan kissed her head, then quickly stood up. He abruptly left the area, and hurried along to the bus. Soon as he stepped on the bus, then doors were closed and the bus took off at a normal speed – they didn't want to attract any more attention to themselves.

Ruse snuggled into Logan as he sat down with her in his lap. She'd been relieved to see her friends already on the bus safe and sound. "I sorry," she whimpered. "I sorry."

"We'll talk once back to the school," Logan told her. "You've all got some explainin' to do."

Ruse sniffled as she popped her thumb into her mouth and hid her face into his chest once more. She was glad she got to cuddle before getting in trouble – she needed his comfort more than anything right then.

Soon as they were back at the school, the five friends were quickly ushered to the Professor's study. The Professor had looked up, knowing that they would be there to see him.

"Trouble at the museum, I presume," Professor Xavier said.

Scott nodded. "Same five as always, Sir. Disappeared on us, then used powers while not in our supervision."

"Can we not explain?" John demanded. "You don't even know what happened!"

"It was Ruse's idea, I know that much," Logan stated, setting the child upon the floor.

Ruse frowned. Who had told him it was her idea? Who? She shook her head frantically. "Nuh-uh!"

"Ruse! It's been said to be so, so don't lie," Logan snapped, giving her a sharp smack upon her backside.

Ruse squealed and quickly raced for the Professor's lap.

Professor Charles Xavier helped the child into his lap, and looked down into her tear-stained face. "What is it, Ruse?"

"Not my idea!" Ruse told him, using telepathy. "It nots!"

"Whose idea was it?" Professor Xavier asked silently.

"Nobody's," Ruse answered. "They lost us! I wanna see dinosaurs. They saids I coulds! We gonna finds Wolvie after dinosaurs. They were lost."

"They were lost?" Professor Xavier repeated. "Did you children get left behind when the tour started?"

Ruse nodded her head. "Uh-huh. We goes food court after dinosaurs. Buts – Zany had to saves me from fallin' ladder. He didn't means to use powers. He didn't!"

Professor Xavier nodded. "From what I understand, they got left behind when the tour began. There was a request to see dinosaurs, so the request was granted. They planned to meet up with you in the food court."

"Then why were these two not in with the bones?" Logan asked, nodding his head towards Rogue and Bobby.

"They left us," Ruse told the Professor silently. "They didn't wanna see dinosaurs, I guess."

"They left them," Professor Xavier replied, after having had listened to Ruse's thoughts. "She doesn't know why."

Rogue and Bobby both blushed slightly. They knew that everyone in the room, except Zany and Ruse, knew just why they had left the three headed for the dinosaurs.

"Imp tellin' the truth?" Logan interrogated, eyeing Ruse warily.

"I believe it to be the truth," Professor Xavier answered. "Her thoughts are jumbled and scared – there is no room for lies in there at the moment."

Ruse suddenly squished her eyes shut, as an image of the security guard with the gun flashed through her head. She felt as though she were still hiding under the tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, and not safe in the Professor's lap.

Professor Xavier frowned, when he suddenly saw what Ruse had seen. He could see the security guard shouting and waving the gun about. He felt Ruse jump slightly, when he saw the gun go off and the bullet just nearly miss her. He shook his head, as her images disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared. He looked down at the small child and kissed her head. "You're safe now, Ruse. No one here will let anyone harm you."

Ruse let out a whimper, and turned to bury her face into the Professor, as more tears began to stream down her small face.

Professor Xavier rubbed her back softly. "I believe punishment is in order," he told the X-men, a waiting his verdict. "But a non-severe one. Some have been scared more than others and saw more than what you may think. Only two deserve a punishment a bit harsher – you know which two those are." He eyed Rogue and Bobby sternly. "And I expect you to take your punishment without complaint."

"What about Zany?" Scott demanded. "He used powers, when ordered not to."

"An' you stood on da bus!" Ruse thought angrily, lifting her head to shoot a glare Scott's way.

Professor Xavier tried not to smile at Ruse's last thought, knowing she was trying to protect her best friend. "I believe Zany has seen the consequences of that, and only needs a small reminder. "You on the other hand, Scott, should not have snapped at young Ruse, after you broke one of your own rules while on the bus."

Scott frowned, but shut-up nonetheless. "I'll deal with Rogue and Bobby."

"Very well," Professor Xavier nodded. "But nothing that'll show me you took your anger towards Ruse and Logan out on them. Understood, Scott?"

Scott nodded, and led the couple out of the room and up to Rogue's, knowing John would be punished in his and Bobby's room.

"John, come with me," Storm told him. "I'll deal with you." She gave him a soft pat on the shoulder. "It'll only be a small reminder."

"I'll take – " Jean started, only to be cut off by Ruse.

"No!" Ruse declared. "She not get Zany! No! No! No!"

"Ruse, go with Logan," Professor Xavier told her sternly, though gentle. "I shall deal with Zany myself."

Ruse gave a small sigh of relief, and slid out of the Professor's lap. She obediently went off with Logan; she didn't say a word the whole way up to her room.

Once in Ruse's room, Logan closed the door and sat upon the bed with her in his lap. "Imp, I'm sorry for not listening to you. I'd been told otherwise."

Ruse shrugged indifferently.

Logan kissed the side of her head. "Now, you see why you must stay close to us at all times?"

Ruse nodded furiously. She had seen far too much in her opinion – and the Professor's, though she did not know his thoughts.

Logan gently laid her across his lap, and rubbed her back softly. "It'll only be a small one," he assured her. "Just enough to make sure you remember to find us once lost."

Ruse whimpered and squirmed slightly, hating this position. Her tears began to fall when she felt her pants go down and fall to the floor.

"I'll let you keep your panties, alright?" Logan said. He kept one comforting hand on her back, and raised his other one. He then brought it down with a loud SMACK.

Ruse yelped, jumping slightly from the impact. Though it hurt, she did notice he wasn't hitting her as hard as he had the first time she'd ever been spanked.

Logan shifted her slightly and applied a bunch of good hard spanks to her little bottom, flattening each cheek in turn. Once he was sure he'd reigned down enough there, he began to reign hard smacks upon the spot were thighs and bottom connected. He made sure to smack her thighs a little bit as well.

Ruse kicked, squirmed, and cried as she was spanked. Soon though, her fear from earlier took over, and she lay limp – not so much from the pain in her backside, but from the fear she was still feeling from having had been shot at.

Logan sat her up carefully, when he saw that she had stopped fighting him. He hugged her close to him, and kissed her head while rubbing her back. "Shh. You're safe now, Imp. I won't let nobody hurt yah. I swear."

Ruse whimpered, and hid her face into his chest, thumb automatically going in her mouth.

Logan lay back on her bed, her still in his arms. He pulled her up, so that she was lying atop him on her stomach, panty-clad bottom facing upwards. He continued to rub her back and whisper soothing words to her.

Eventually, Ruse fell into a restless sleep. And though she was now asleep, Logan still stayed there with her. He had decided to stay put, as he knew she'd probably wake up from nightmares throughout the night. So, that's what he did all night – rub her little back and kiss her little head occasionally – not sleeping a wink himself.

A.N.: Well, whatcha think? Plz R&R! Thank-you! Merry Christmas & Happy holidays!