And Then There Were Four Ch. 3:

The Hunt, Pt. II

Wolverine's heightened senses, for a lack of better terminology, were going nuts. He'd visited Jean's grave countless times – looked to the words imprinted upon her headstone until his vision was blurred – but he'd never heard her.

"Jeannie...?" He gasped. Everything within him told the X-Man he was talking to Jean Grey(-Summers... but those were details), the woman he loved. "Jeannie, is it really you?"

He couldn't believe it.

"Logan, why are you here?"

"It's the ... the closest thing t'you I've got now, I suppose," he grunted, his eyes looking around frantically.

"You can't see me," the voice called. "I'm not really here. Logan, I need your help... I need you to go the mansion... something's gone horribly wrong, you need to go to the other X-Men..."

"Jean... how is this – what is – what's wrong, darlin'? I'll do whatever you need me to..."

"GET TO TRAINING, Wolverine," the voice beckoned – only this time, it wasn't Jean's... this time, his senses were sharpened... this time...

It was Emma Frost.

"Emma?" Cyclops turned. "You called me here to practice... do you plan on joining us?"

A grinning Frost turned, "Of course, dear... just having a little fun playing with the dogs."

Confused, Summers simply turned to Hank McCoy and Kitty Pryde – Beast and Shadowcat. Together the group made up the team Scott led on the field.

"You look uncomfortable, Kitty," Hank said in a near whisper. "Don't tell me you're still having a hard time with this."

"I just don't know," Kitty sighed, and – to change the subject, "...where's Logan?"

"He should be along," The White Queen answered for Hank. "Now then – I've pre-programmed the Danger Room for our practice. Go."

At the sound of Emma's command, the room shifted into a dark and abandoned complex.

"Lively," Hank grinned, taking a step closer to Cyclops. "Quite a scene earlier in District X, old friend."

Cyclops sighed. "I'm sorry, Hank... I should've kept my cool with Bobby. I don't really know what's gotten into me lately."

"As you can see," Emma began, stopping short as the doors to the team's left slid open.

SNIKT.

The group watched as Wolverine stormed in, claws at the ready -- but he hadn't come alone.

"End sequence," the X-Man known as Storm commanded – and there are few who would question her command. Ororo Munroe sent out a glare, "You have quite the nerve, Frost."

"Storm, what's--?"

"Outta the way, Cyke," Wolverine shoved past him... finally stopping before Emma. "I never really gave you much trouble, Missy, but you better believe I'm more than willin' to now."

"And busting in on my lover and myself isn't considered an invasion of one's privacy?" Frost hissed. "I was simply returning the favor."

"What's going on?" Cyclops belted, stepping between Wolverine and the White Queen, who were now face to face. He separated the two by an arm's length, looking back and forth for an explanation. "I want answers. Now."

"As if you and Logan are the only ones allowed to fight, Cyclops?" Storm said in a harsh tone, stepping in front of Logan... more so to calm him down. "I managed to ease his temper on the way here, Scott – do not make that in vain."

"You want answers, Summers?" Wolverine asked.

"Ask your bitch."

Kitty Pryde chuckled aloud as Emma fumed, breaking the silence that had followed Wolverine's comment. She quickly cleared her throat. "This is ridiculous."

"In normal circumstances, Kitty," Storm agreed, "but not in this." Ororo Munroe stiffened, glaring at Emma Frost. The two women had quite the history, and Storm had rarely called her friend.

Though the woman capable of weaving weather hated to admit it, her love for Jean – her best friend – was far stronger than any feeble liking she'd recently developed for Emma. She often believed her actions and feelings towards Frost were simply out of respect for Jean, but this was different. She'd grabbed Logan on his way to confront Frost – heard his story to sway his rage – and found that it had simply been transferred to her.

Had she been waiting for the right moment for confrontation? Perhaps... and perhaps not. But this was it.

"If you're going to be an X-Man," Storm threatened, "act like it."

"Perhaps we should reexamine our positions," the White Queen countered, "and recall who is Headmistress and who is not."

Lightning shot in small increments from Munroe's eyes. The room was still and silent.

Wolverine, who'd stepped back next to Kitty Pryde, whispered. "She came here t'fight my battle for me's how it looks."

"We all have something to say to her," Shadowcat replied.

"Then perhaps you should say it, one and all!" Frost shouted, looking past Storm to Pryde. "No?

Then you should return to your Greenhouse, Storm... and take your pet with you. Practice is cancelled."

"Emma—" Scott began, but she cut him off.

"Cancelled."

"Way ta handle your woman, Summers," Wolverine shot at Cyclops as he and Kitty walked out, Shadowcat pulling Storm from her stance at the White Queen.

"We shall finish this another time, Emma."

"Counting on it," the now diamond-hard Frost returned the threat.

Hank hesitated, looking to Scott and Emma – now the only other two in the room.

"What was that about?"

The doors slid behind Shadowcat, Wolverine, and Storm. "I feel like maybe I should say thanks, 'Ro," Logan said weakly.

Storm managed to smile, still breathing quite heavily. "And I," she gasped, "to Kitty."

"Trying to save her from Logan here was admirable, Ororo," Kitty smiled, "but who would save her from you if not me?"

The three smiled.

"Dinner?"