Watt?

Dani had a hard time sleeping.  It wasn't that the bed was uncomfortable; it was just the strange surroundings.  She was used to the sounds of the forest, and the fresh night air.  She dozed a little, but woke often.  She pounded at her pillow in frustration and finally decided to get up.  Maybe a walk in the grove would help.  She quickly dressed and brushed out her hair.  She looked out the window at the wood that surrounded much of the mansion grounds.  Definitely not like home, but it would do in a pinch.  She glanced at the door and just frowned.  Why take a chance on waking anyone? 

Dani picked up her coat and transported herself to the edge of the woods.  It was a cold night, so she put on her coat and buttoned it up.  The path ahead was lost in shadow, but her eyes gradually adjusted.  She headed away from the staunchly perfect mansion into the wild night.  The air was crisp and refreshing and she inhaled deeply.  At first there were some familiar sounds, like crickets and the distinctive call of an owl, but something didn't feel right.  It got strangely quiet, and she knew she wasn't alone.  Dani frowned in annoyance at whatever or whoever may have disturbed her short retreat.  It could be a predator, or it could be…

"Couldn't sleep either?" Logan's voice said just a few feet behind her.

Damn, she never heard him coming.  "Actually, I'm asleep right now.  I tend to sleepwalk…" she said sarcastically as she turned to look at him.  He stood there with his arms crossed over his broad chest, barefoot, and wearing nothing but a pair of jeans.  He seemed comfortable, and quite at ease in the cool shadows of the wood. 

Logan smirked at her sarcasm and put his hands in his pockets.  "Can I walk with you?" Logan asked.

"Did you follow me out here?" she asked suspiciously.

"Nope, I came out here a couple of hours ago," Logan said.  "I saw a flash of light and somehow I knew it was you."

Dani nodded and Logan stepped a little closer to her.  He wanted to just wrap her in his arms, but he maintained his distance.  He'd been forward enough for one day and didn't want to scare her off.

"Tell me about yourself," he said quietly as they headed down the path together.

"There's not much to tell," she said lightly. 

"Sure there is," Logan said.  "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Hiking in the forest around the cabin was my favorite pastime before father died.  I also like to paint and play the guitar, but everything was lost in the fire," she said. 

"Guitars aren't hard to come by, and there's an art class twice a week.  I bet they have all the supplies you'd need.  Sounds like there's more to tell than you thought," Logan said with a smile.

"No, I'm a pretty boring person, truth be told.  I like to read, not smut, but epic Sci-Fi's and fantasies. I like classical music and… eighties hair bands, the heavier the better.  I like movies… old movies, and I like… solitude.  I am a complete nerd."

Logan laughed at her description of herself.  He liked a lot of the same things, though he wasn't much of a reader.  The more he talked to her, the more he liked her.  It wasn't just the strange memories or the scent.  He really liked her.

"What about you?" Dani asked.

"Oh, I like working on my bike, and pissing off Scooter," Logan said.

"Scooter?" Dani asked with a cocked brow.

"Scott, Cyclops, One-eye, Dick-head… Shades as you call him," Logan said.

"Oh, the up tight guy from the garage," Dani said.  "You guys make a pact to hate each other or something?"

"No, it was hate at first sight, and it was mutual.  We work together all right, and get along okay when we have to.  We'll just never really be friends," Logan said. 

"You should work it out," Dani said firmly.  "It brings a lot of tension to the team if there's fighting among the players."

"You some kind of shrink?" Logan asked.

"Not hardly, just quoting my softball coach," she said with a smile.

Logan smirked and then stopped.  "Wait," he said softly, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer.  "I heard something."

Dani waited quietly while Logan listened. His body was tense, every muscle taut, ready for anything. Suddenly, a couple of coyotes dashed across the path some thirty feet ahead of them and then disappeared into the wood.  Logan's body relaxed and he sniffed the air a moment before finally releasing her arm. 

"Let's go inside," he said.  "I'm getting jumpy."

Dani gave a nod, and Logan gasped as a light enveloped him and he found himself standing in front of his bedroom door.  He glanced around for Dani, but she was nowhere in sight.  He stepped over to her door and raised a hand to knock, but the door opened first.

"Goodnight," Dani said a little shakily as she stuck her head out the door.  "Thanks for the walk."  And with that, she quickly closed the door in his face.

Logan bit his lip to stop the stream of curses in his head from being vocalized.  Damned woman!  He turned to go to his room when the lights in the hallway flickered… several times.  In the corner of his eye he saw a violet glow under Dani's door.  Logan didn't bother knocking he just walked right in.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

Dani was sitting next to the wall socket hugging her knees with one hand and touching the socket with the other.  She had a soft violet glow around her, but her skin was pale.  She barely glanced up at him when she answered, "Go away, I'm… sick."

Logan saw her pull a thin stream of electricity from the socket.  It was the strangest thing he'd ever seen.  "You were fine a minute ago," Logan said in bewilderment.

"Yeah, and then I transported…" her voice trailed off and she passed out. 

Logan crossed the room in two steps and dropped to his knees beside her.  "Jean!" he yelled in panic.  "Jeannie… Hank!  Damn it somebody get in here!"

Down in the infirmary, Jean and Hank were running tests with Logan and Xavier watching.  Logan paced the room nervously until finally Hank halted him with a question.

"What was she doing when you found her?" Hank asked.

"Damn it, Hank, I told you twice!  She was absorbing electricity right from the wall socket, but then she passed out," Logan said.  "What the hell is wrong with her?"

"She must need the electricity," Jean reasoned.  "What do you think, Hank?"

"That would seem true, but what are we supposed to do, hook her up to a car battery with jumper cables?" Hank asked in annoyance.

That was when Scott walked in to check on the situation.  Everyone turned to look when the door opened, and Jean and Hank gave him the same exact smile.

"What?" Scott asked nervously.

Jean and Hank looked at each other and simultaneously said, "I have an idea…"

Hank smiled and turned to Scott.  "You're going to lend Danielle a little of your energy."

Scott looked from the unconscious woman on the table to Jean and just said, "Absolutely not."

"Scott, I believe that there is no danger of harming her," Xavier said.  "Apparently she is dependent on energy…"

"Just do it, One-eye," Logan said.

It's all right Scott, Jean said to him telepathically.  Trust me.

Scott stepped closer to the table and looked at Dani.  He didn't have his visor on so he closed his eyes and lifted his shades.  He opened his right eye ever so slightly and a powerful beam of red energy burst forth.  He cringed a moment, expecting the worst, but nothing happened, at least nothing destructive.  The crimson energy just flowed out and was simply absorbed by Danielle.  Scott could feel the energy being drawn out of him and it was a strange feeling. 

Danielle's body started glowing red and Hank spoke up, "That's enough."

Scott dropped his shades over his eyes and watched.  After a moment, the red glow became a bright white glow and she opened her eyes.  Finding herself lying in a strange room surrounded by the Xmen was enough to startle her and she abruptly sat up.

"What's going on?  What happened?" she demanded.

"It's all right Danielle.  Logan found you unconscious in your room and brought you to the infirmary," Xavier said, trying to calm her.  He could feel her panic.

Scott just stared at her.  This whole situation gave him the heebie-jeebies.  It felt strangely familiar, like he'd done this before.  He glanced at Jean who'd picked up on his thoughts.

You're right Scott, this is familiar, Jean said.

"What did you do to wake me up?" Dani asked suspiciously.

"We gave you a little energy boost," Hank said.  "It seemed to work like a charm."

"Oh my god, then you know…" Dani said.

Xavier looked at Dani's bleak expression and just said, "Clear the room.  It's time that Danielle and I had a talk."

Everyone left the room except Logan who paused by the door.  Xavier flashed him a warning look and finally he followed the others.  Then Xavier turned his attention to Danielle.

"We are familiar to you," he said matter-of-factly.

Dani stared at the floor, but answered him truthfully, "Yes, but I don't know why."

Xavier nodded in understanding.  He couldn't explain it either, but he'd felt it too.  The entire team had, each confiding in him separately.  It could not be a coincidence if everyone was feeling it. 

"Would you allow me to…" Xavier asked.

"Yes," Dani answered quickly.

Xavier closed his eyes and probed her mind.  Her life was relatively simple and secure for a mutant.  Her parents were accepting and supportive, and her home was stable, at least until her father's death.  He searched her memories of her developing mutation, and discovered her weakness, she was dependent on a base electrical charge.  If she didn't maintain it she became deathly ill.  Her abilities were all linked to her control of the electricity, including her ability to heal quickly and transport. 

What do you see? She asked him.

Xavier paused.  Telepathy too?  He answered her, your abilities are all linked. But I believe you have yet to master your full potential.  You have some telepathic ability too.

No I don't, this is just you butting into my thoughts, Dani protested.

Xavier searched her memories of transporting and found the answer to a major question… the reason she can jump great distances accurately.  You've been using telepathy all along and didn't know it, Danielle.  That is how you navigate so accurately at great distances.  You simply need instruction to develop it further, Xavier said.  He broke his contact with her and opened his eyes.  Dani just stared at him in shock. 

"So, why are you familiar to me?" she asked.

Xavier frowned.  That was one answer he hadn't found.  "I don't know, Danielle.  But I know that I trust you.  You are welcome to stay as long as you like and if you decide to join our team…"

 "I might stay a few more days, at least until I decide what I want to do," Dani interrupted.  "I just…"

"That's fine, Danielle," Xavier said. "And from now on, if you need to recharge yourself, don't be afraid to raise our electric bill.  I assure you it is not a problem."

Dani blushed at his comment.  That had been part of her concern, that and the embarrassment of needing it in the first place.  She gave the professor a nod and hopped off the exam table.  "Can I go now?" she asked.

"Yes," Xavier said.  "I believe your guardian angel is waiting for you outside.

Dani suddenly stopped and looked back at him.  She was going to ask a question, but changed her mind.  Xavier answered her anyway.

Logan is a good man, Danielle.  Your trust in him is not misplaced.

Dani sighed as she exited the infirmary and found herself in a brightly lit hallway, face to face with Logan.  He smiled at her.

"Feel better?" he asked.

Dani just nodded and looked around in confusion.  "Where are we?"

"This is the lower level," Logan said.

Xavier passed them on his way to the elevator and just said, "Give her the full tour, Logan.  She is trustworthy."

Logan smiled and grabbed Dani's hand.  "Come on, we'll start this way," he said as he led her down the other hall.  He hadn't needed Xavier's stamp of approval to know she was trustworthy, but newcomers didn't usually get the full tour without it.  They'd learned that they couldn't be too careful with their trust. 

Logan started with his favorite part of the lower level, the danger room.  Unfortunately, it was occupied with a couple of the older students getting their training class from Storm and Kurt.  Logan took her up to the control room to watch.  Bobby and Peter were sparring with their respective mutant abilities.  Peter was in his full armor and Bobby was learning to create and throw ice projectiles.  The pairing was relatively safe as Peter's armor protected him.  Dani watched in fascination as Kurt transported around the room leaving black smoke in his wake.

"Wow," she said with a smile.  "I wonder how he does that."

Logan chuckled and turned to her.  "He was asking the same thing about you.  Maybe you two should share trade secrets."

Dani's smile disappeared and she stared down at the training session in horror.  "Oh, god," she gasped.

Logan turned just in time to see Peter get hit in the back with a huge ice spear.  He'd just let down his armor, and Bobby hadn't seen it until it was too late.  Peter dropped to his knees and looked down at the icy bloodstained point that was sticking out of his chest in shock.  Dani just wordlessly transported herself to his side.

Bobby was slowly stepping back chanting, "Sorry Peter, I'm so sorry…"

Peter looked at Dani questioningly, but couldn't speak through the painful coughs.  He recognized her from dinner, but didn't know who she was. 

"Keep still," she said quietly.

Storm and Kurt were close by and the door burst open with Jean and Hank running in just as Dani started to melt the spear with a small burst of electricity.  The wound was bleeding faster now, and Peter's eyelids fluttered as his body succumbed to shock.  Jean tried to move Dani out of the way but Dani shoved her back.

"Don't touch me!" Dani yelled.

Jean suddenly stopped and everyone watched as Dani placed her hands over the entrance and exit wounds on Peter's chest and back.  Her eyes and hands glowed bright violet as small tongues of electricity traveled over Peter's skin and his wounds closed up.  Dani pulled her hands away, and Hank was the first to notice the blood soaking her shirt as Peter returned to his senses. Peter looked at his newly healed chest and just Dani passed out.

From the control room, Logan just stared in bewilderment.  When Dani fell over, he ran out.  By the time he reached the danger room, the entire team was there, and Dani was sitting up, completely healed.  Logan dropped to his knees beside her.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked Dani.

Dani frowned at him, "Just fine."

"But…how?" Logan asked.

"All right," Xavier said to everyone.  "Show's over, everyone return to your duties and classes."  He glanced at Danielle and added, "That was a very selfless thing to do.  Thank you."

Dani just blushed as Logan helped her to her feet.  She was glad to help, despite the pain it caused.  But now that the excitement was over she just wanted to go hide.  The room cleared except for Logan and he showed no signs of following his teammates.  He took in the sight of her blushing cheeks and was once again struck by her beauty.  The strong scent of her blood assaulted his sensitive nose and he looked down at the evidence of her gift and sacrifice.

Logan reached out and touched the bloodstain on her shirt that rested just above her heart.  "That was amazing," he whispered.  "You saved his life."

Dani stepped back out of his reach and turned away.  "Stop that," she said.

"Stop what?" Logan asked.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said shakily.   

Logan walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.  "I can't help it," he said huskily.  "I want you."

"I know," Dani said sarcastically despite how nice his embrace felt.  "Love at first sniff."

Logan found the analogy irritating, but at the moment he couldn't deny it.  He spun her around to face him and kissed her hungrily.  Dani braced herself against his chest, but didn't struggle.  His passion was contagious and she quickly responded, and returned it.  Logan's hands roamed over her roughly even as she wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes to get closer.  Logan's strong arms enveloped her and he crushed her against himself as he deepened his kiss.  Her fingers delved into his thick hair at the base of his neck and Logan let out a throaty growl of pleasure before finally pulling away.

"Tell me again how you don't remember me," he rasped between ragged breaths.  His eyes, ablaze with passion, bored into hers as he dared her to deny that she knew him.

"I just don't know how," she said weakly. 

Logan bent down and softly kissed her neck.  "Tell me you want this too," he whispered as he nuzzled her cheek.

Dani closed her eyes and relished the feel of his arms around her.  "Yes, Logan, oh, God, yes," she whispered.

Logan growled and gently nibbled her neck.  He lifted her into his arms and headed for the door, but scarcely took two steps before he was surrounded by a flash of light and found himself standing in the guest room in front of her bed.  He looked into her eyes and smiled wickedly.

"Got any other tricks?" he asked.

Dani just smiled and gave him a wink.  There was another flash of light, and Logan cocked a brow at her curiously. 

"We didn't move…" he said, and then suddenly stopped and looked down.  They were both naked, and their clothes were in a pile on the floor beside them.  "Damn!" he said, "I like that one."