10

Kitty rubbed her head as she pulled her leather gloves on. "Why did you let me drink?"

"Let you drink!" Rogue shook her head "Sugah, you ain't mah responsibility."

AJ stomped through the door, yanking her gloves on and pulling her hair back in a pony tail "Let's get this over with already."

The two girls exchanged a look.

Scott slapped his hands together, calling for everyone to gather around. "Alright people, let's do this!"

He announced the plan for the session. They were to do a mock rescue. A team exercise.

They made their way down to the arena. Logan called for everyone to gather around before barking off directions. Who was in charge of what and where they were to be.

They all went to their appropriate positions and waited for the simulation to begin.

AJ sat on the steps. Gambit and Scott had been captured. They were rendered useless until one of the other team members rescued them. They were to get them out of the building and retrieve some documents from the main room before time was up.

"Simulation begin."

Rogue smacked AJ on the arm. "Let's go."

They made their way into the building. Their task was to retrieve the documents. What the documents were, neither of them knew.

The whole thing started fine, until an unexpected explosion. The building shook violently.

The two girls stared at one another.

"Are you out?" Logan's voice cracked through their radios.

"We don't have the documents yet." Rogue, relayed back to him "We almost have them… y'gotta give us like five more minuets."

"No time. Forget them."

AJ shook her head. "No way! We're almost there!"

"I said forget them." He said firmly. "Scott took out the corner of the building. It's goin' down. Get out."

AJ squared her jaw. "You go. I'll be out in a minuet."

Rogue stared at her silently. There was no point in fighting with her. She doubled back and picked her way though the building until she found the simulated outside light.

Logan clenched his jaw "Where is she!"

"She wouldn't leave. Said she'd be right behind me…" Rogue turned around and looked at the building. It was incredibly dilapidated. "She ain't gunna make it…"

"Are you hard a'hearin' AJ?" Logan shouted into his radio "I said get out!"

There was no answer.

"She might have turned it off…" Rogue shook her head.

"Dat girl has guts." Gambit grinned.

"If she's not out… we lose." Kitty pouted. "Forget the documents AJ!" She shouted into her radio "We don't need them! We need you!"

Logan growled before throwing the radio to the ground and running back into the building. Gambit followed, trailed by Rogue.

"Go!" Logan barked. "Stay out there."

AJ threw a large object at his head "Get the documents? From the main control room! Yeah?"

He clenched his jaw.

"What documents! Jesus! What control room Logan! Y'just give me some arbitrary job t'keep me busy?" She squeezed her hands into fists.

"It was a test newbie." He rumbled "An' guess what. You failed."

"A test? It was a test." She chuckled sarcastically before giving him a shove.

He pushed her back, pressing her against the wall, his claws pushed out, gently touching her neck.

"You had an order and you disobeyed. You failed."

She took his hand and pushed him back full force, gritting her teeth together. "Well if I failed then I might as well have fun with it."

"I've seen your kinda fun… remember?"

She chucked a chunk of cement at his head. He ducked out of the way.

"Don't make this personal." He growled "This isn't about us."

"You know, you're right. You know why Logan? Because there is no us. There never was an 'us'. Just having… fun." She dropped the other piece of cement in her hand and shook her head "You just took it too seriously."

They stared at each other for a moment before she crossed her arms.

"Computer, end program."

"Simulation ended." The computer announced as the scenery disappeared.

She looked at the others who were standing where outside would have been, stunned looks on their faces.

"What happened!" Kitty shouted.

AJ shook her head at Logan "I lost." She turned around and stomped her way back up to the control room.

"Woah! Hang on!" Rogue called out after her down the hall. "What's wrong?"

AJ didn't stop; she just continued marching down the hall to her room. She slammed the door behind her and locked the door.

She was done with the whole friend thing. She'd made herself vulnerable and this is what she got.

"Geeze. It was just one mission." Bobby shrugged. "Her first time too… no big deal…"

Gambit pressed his lips together. "Don' think it has t'do wit' dat. Just a guess."

Storm crossed her arms, pulling Logan aside. "She's been acting odd lately. I've noticed how much you've taken a liking to her."

He looked away. He thought they'd hidden it so well.

"What I mean is… has she mentioned anything about um… men? To you?"

He furrowed his brow. "Excuse me?"

"I… I have a feeling that Bobby's has a thing for her. And she said something the other night that made me sort of wonder if she feels the same. I don't know but, I wonder if her behavior has something to do with it."

He let out a small chuckle "I doubt it."

"So she hasn't said anything about it?"

He shook his head.

"Would you talk to her?" Storm pressed her lips together "She's been in her room for nearly four hours now."

"Trust me 'Ro… I'm the last person she wants to talk to right now."

AJ stared out at the setting sun, blankly. She was so used to the feeling she'd just become num to it. The feeling of rejection. Worthlessness. What else was new? Truth was, no one really wanted her, so she just made the first strike. Make it impossible for them to want to want her. Never failed.

She sucked in the fresh spring air through her nostrils, pulling her knees up to her chest, looking down at the ground far below her. She'd taken her route out the window to her secret place on the roof.

Such a far fall.

She let out a breath, someone was at her door. She could sense it.

They'd leave eventually.

She watched the sun set behind the horizon before lying on her back. She hated the idea of simply staying there feeling sorry for herself. That wasn't her at all.

She blinked at the moon that now hung above her in the sky. It was probably about midnight now.

She cracked her neck as she sat up. She knew what she had to do. Regardless of weather or not she wanted it, she had to stay.

In one swift motion, she lowered herself back down into her window. AJ changed into her PJ's before flopping into her bed.

After all, it was too much lik her to run anyways.