That evening, wound down tremendously. The tents were set up and most of the students were already asleep. Storm was going around; making sure everyone was in their own tent. Suddenly, she heard a tree branch break and spun around to find
Logan walking out from the darker parts of the woods, smoking a cigar. He looked at her innocently, "What? A guy can't have a smoke? The kids are already in bed! Besides, those two are probably disturbing them more than I am."
He pointed the end of his cigar over to fire in the center of all the tents. Helena, Ms. B, was chatting up a storm with newfound bud Warren.
With an unamused expression, Logan added, "They've been talking all day; from the very moment he saved her sorry ass."
"Logan," Storm said in a warning voice.
He put his hands up in protest, "Sorry! There's something about that woman; I can't put my finger on it but, there's something she's not telling us. I can feel it. She's just one of those people I can't trust."
Storm smiled and nodded, "Uh huh," in a sarcastic tone.
"What are you grinning about?" he took another puff of the cigar.
She looked over at Helena, laughing with Warren flirtatiously and then back at Logan who watched them. Chuckling a little, Storm leaned over to him and whispered, "I think someone has a crush on the new teacher!"
Logan almost dropped his cigar from his mouth. Blinking his eyes at her, he pulled it out, "What?"
"Oh come on Logan! 'There's something about her'. You totally dig her."
"No I don't. You have it wrong; I dislike her." Logan corrected her.
"Uh huh," Storm began walking over to her tent.
He followed her in great protest, "No, don't do that Storm, really I don't-"
She stepped inside her tent and looked back at him, "Logan, it's late. We're getting up early. Do yourself a favor and go to sleep. Goodnight!"
Without waiting for a response, Storm zipped her tent shut and let Logan worry himself about the words the rest of the night.
Still by the fire, Helena and Warren sat on the logs listening to the crickets. Helena took her stick and put another marshmallow on it; making another smore.
"So, NYU. That must've been tough." Helena commented on Warren's graduation from the school the year before.
"Not exactly; I mean, my first year I had to take calculus which blowed. But nothing too bad besides that."
Letting the marshmallow burn in the fire, she corrected herself, "No, I mean, with your uh-" she nodded her head towards his wings, "There's been controversy over mutants for a long time; it's been going on even this year. Thankfully Dr. McCoy's in the UN now making things both better and bluer in his case."
Warren didn't respond after Helena stopped her jabbering. Seeing he was upset, she replied, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried into your personal life like that."
"No, its okay," he stared into the fire, "I uh, took online classes from my apartment. Nowadays people can do anything from the computer."
Helena nodded in agreement, "Lazy over-weight bastards," and stuffed the smore into her mouth.
The marshmallow ran down her face, making her a complete mess. Warren watched her in amusement and laughed, "Keep that up and you'll be right there with them!"
With graham cracker filled in her mouth, she mumbled out, "That's impoffible wif me!"
She cleaned off her mouth and swallowed the smore goodness. Clearing her throat, she informed him, "There is no possible way that could happen. I've been working out every day for at least two hours since I was thirteen. Before that it was only an hour."
Warren couldn't believe it, "Yeah, right."
"No really," she took his hand placed it on her thigh, "Have you ever felt thighs this firm?"
Trying to stay cool, Warren cleared his throat and tried hard to stare at her eyes instead of everywhere else.
But, Helena didn't stop there. She took his hand and placed his on her stomach this time, "And what about my stomach; I don't have the six pack abs only because they look
unflattering on women. But, have you ever felt a harder stomach on a girl?"
Not really paying attention to her words, he simply replied, "Can't say that I have."
But then, realizing he had only just met this woman, he slid his hand away. He folded his hands together and leaned over, looking into the fire and trying not to think about how sexy this woman was.
Realizing immediately why he moved, she was about to say something, but someone else did.
"Professor B?" a quiet voice said.
Both Warren and Helena turned around to find Rogue and Bobby standing there in their pajamas.
Smiling, Helena said, "Hey guys! Again, how can I help you?"
Rogue and Bobby walked over in front of them. Nervously, Rogue said, "It was our fault that you were late; we told you the wrong time!"
"We're the reason you almost died if it hadn't been for Warren," Bobby helped.
"We just wanted to see you use your powers," Rogue felt so ashamed.
Helena stood up and went over to Rogue, hugging her, "It's alright. When I got to the field this morning, I kinda knew you all were behind it. Including you two back there!"
Helena looked over her shoulder at Peter and Kitty, who were peering out of their separate tents at the huddle by the fire. When they heard her and saw her eyes, they hid again.
She laughed and comforted them, "Don't worry about it guys; you were just having a little fun. And you should, you're seniors!"
Feeling better, Rogue breathed in calmly as Bobby walked her back to her tent.
Suddenly, Helena realized something and called to them, "Hey guys!"
When they looked back, she said, "Just so you know; you're gonna have to try harder than that to find out what I may or may not be capable of!"
They smiled and left her and Warren. Helena laughed to herself and sat back down next to Warren. He looked at her and wondered, "How is it you're friends with your students already, and you haven't even had your first class yet?"
Helena cracked her knuckles and put her hands behind her head, "Well Warren, I'm a very likeable person. One minute I could be in an argument with someone, the next we'll be holdin' hands and goin' to see a movie!"
He laughed at her, and she laughed at herself. Curiously, he asked her, "What is your power anyway?"
She laughed again and asked, "Are you no better than my students Worthington?"
He chuckled, "Yeah but I really wanna know," he leaned in closer to her and looked into her eyes anxiously, "Tell me."
Not intimidated or the least bit nervous, she looked back into his baby blue eyes and responded, "Oh Warren, haven't you heard it's good to have a little mystery about yourself?"
"Yes I have. But, I believe that people should always be honest with each other; above all else," he leaned in even closer, trying to make the goosebumps form on her back.
But, she wouldn't move, she only grinned at him as though she's had years of practice, "Well, than honestly, I want you to kiss me. Right now."
He grinned at her, "You're bold; I like that."
Seriously, she mocked, "You have wings; I like that."
Warren couldn't help but chuckle again. She was really funny. However, she didn't smile. She gazed at him still, and leaned closer whispering, "Now, you never responded to my honesty. That's causing doubt to crawl into my mind."
Annoyed, he told her, "You know, now that I think about it, I've been waiting on you hand and foot all day. First I saved your life, then I shared this whole night with you, and now you're asking me for a kiss. Are you always this demanding?"
Pushing her lips together she said softly, "Only with people that save me life. And if I've calculated the times, there's only been one. Besides, you like my orders."
Warren smiled and placed his hand on her neck, rubbing it with his thumb, "Honestly, I really do."
They leaned into each other and kissed. Helena closed her eyes and breathed in his sweet taste. Her tongue played around in his mouth sending goosebumps up Warren's spine. She placed her hand on the back of his head, wanting to play with his hair. However, his blonde locks were shorter than she suspected, so she moved her hand down to his neck. Just before she leaned out of the kiss, she made a soft moan.
Leaning back, she breathed in deeply and opened her eyes. He gazed at them, amazed at the Caribbean Sea teal they resembled. He touched his lips in awe, and then said, "So, would you like me to walk you back to your tent like any gentleman would?"
Chuckling, she replied, "No; I'll be out just a little longer. Goodnight, I will see you tomorrow bright and early!" she said with a sarcastic tone of excitement.
Warren stood up and smiled at her, "Goodnight Helena B. Oh, by the way, what does the B stand for?"
Helena bit her bottom lip and said, "I'll tell you tomorrow. Night."
He smiled at her one last time, and then turned and walked back to his tent. Watching him walk away, Helena dropped her head to her shoulder and looked at his cute butt from an angle thinking to herself, 'Nice!'
As soon as he was gone, Helena got up from the fire and put it out. Looking around the tents, she pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and lit up. Taking the first smoke, she breathed in and out, relaxing.
She sat back down just when a voice came out of the darkness, "I didn't know teachers were aloud to smoke on these trips."
It was Logan. He had on his brown leather jacket, white t and jeans with a scruffy look about him. Not caring much, she took another smoke and answered, "I follow the best examples here. I saw you with your cigar earlier tonight. Smelled it actually."
Logan rolled his eyes and sat down on a log nearby, "So, do you always sit outside in the middle of the night in the dark? You're not a vampire are you?"
She glared at him and replied in a stern tone, "No; but I do suck the lives out of innocent men. I was hoping you were my next target."
He barely let out a hint of a chuckle and asked, "Are you always such a bitch to everyone?"
Helena raised her eyebrows and asked, "Are you always such a jackass?""
Wishing he had never come over to her, Logan lit up a cigar silently.
Hating the eerie silence, Helena said, "Besides, I'm already the most popular teacher here. The only person that actually thinks I'm a bitch is you!"
"That's because I'm the only one here not buying into your act!" Logan stood up and threw his cigar away. Moving a step closer to her, he glared, "I'm onto you. I don't know what you're hiding; but believe me, I'll be the first to find it out!"
With that, Logan marched back to his tent in a fury. Taking another puff, Helena raised one eyebrow, and then laid down on the log. She looked up at the stars over the trees. Out of all the places she traveled in the world, she always felt the most amazed at the stars.
The next day the group got up early for their hike to Magnolia Falls. By the time they got there, it was already noon. After lunch, Storm told the kids to stay close to the lagoon and not travel to close to the falls, which extended fifty feet above the lagoon.
All the kids got in the water, playing and having fun. Storm got in and started doing a few laps. Logan wasn't even by the lagoon, but off sitting on a rock at the edge of the mountain.
Helena smoothed the stomach of her red one piece and looked back at Warren, who was sitting down.
"Aren't you coming?" she asked.
"I'm not really a water person; I take more to the sky. But go ahead, I'd rather tan." He took off his blue t-shirt and Helena again got his in his muscles.
"Helena?" he asked.
"Oh, right, sure!" she nodded dopily and ran into the water, diving in.
Swimming down, Helena went to the bottom of the crystal clear lagoon. Spreading her arms out, she closed her eyes and breathed normally.
Above her, Rogue and Kitty were looking up at the waterfall.
"That looks like it would be a rush!" Kitty commented.
"What does?" Rogue asked.
"You know," she pointed to the top, and drew her finger down to the water, "To jump it!"
"Are you serious? That's too dangerous!" she exclaimed.
"No its not! Back home my buddies and I would do it off the ol' bridge all the time; twice as high as that! Come on, don't you wanna have some fun in your life?"
Rogue thought about her words carefully, 'Ms. B did say I should; I am a senior. Oh, why not?' she thought.
Looking around to make sure Bobby was busy hitting Peter with frozen water, Rogue and Kitty slipped out of the Lagoon and climbed up the back of the waterfall.
Just then, Helena came back up to the surface. She faked a deep breath as though she was holding it the entire time. Looking around, no one was paying attention. However, she glanced to her right and found Logan standing on the edge of the forest, staring at her suspiciously.
He was too far away to say anything, and kids were in between them playing. But his eyes were almost hypnotic. All Helena could do was stare back. Then, suddenly, she felt something. Something bad.
Kitty and Rogue got to the edge of the rock just next to the waterfall. They both looked down, and then Rogue said, "We should go one at a time; when the first one is done they should get out of the way, and then the second can go!"
"Sounds good! Now, who goes first?" Kitty asked.
They looked at each other a moment, and then played rock paper scissors. Kitty had rock, Rogue had scissors. Butterflies were forming in her stomach; she was so nervous. And the jump would be a big one.
'No! You can do this; it's gonna be a rush; a blast!' she encouraged herself.
Closing her eyes, Rogue leapt out from the rock, falling to the water. She let out a yell of joy, loving every moment.
Hearing her, both Helena and Logan watched her fall to the water.
However, when Rogue went under, the power of her weight forced her all the way down. Unknowingly, she was stopped by a boulder under the surface, scratching her head and knocking her unconscious.
Helena watched the water for a moment, and knew that Rogue wasn't okay. Everyone else saw it too, and Bobby screamed, "ROGUE!"
Without a breath, Helena went under water. Worried himself, Logan dived into the water after Rogue.
Warren ran knee deep in the water, finding Storm beside him. She couldn't believe it, "Oh no, Rogue!"
Under water, Helena swam as fast as she could. She immediately found Rogue and grabbed her, swimming back to the surface and going ashore.
However, she was so fast that Logan didn't see her get Rogue, and searched for her still.
Helena quickly went ashore and placed Rogue down. The kids, Storm, Warren and Kitty crowded around them as Helena did SPR. However, it didn't help. Seeing her fatal head wound, Helena delicately placed her hand over it.
She closed her eyes and the power inside her surged. Finally, she opened her eyes just as Rogue woke up, coughing out water. Her bloody wound was completely gone.
"Oh my God!" Kitty exclaimed, referring to Helena's power.
Bobby bent over Rogue and held her, noticing the blood stain, but no wound. He looked at Helena dumbfounded, as did everyone else.
Just at that moment, Logan came to the surface of the water. He looked over at the shore, seeing everyone crowded around Rogue and Helena. At that moment, Rogue stood up, she was okay.
Logan swam over to them, and got out with his clothes soaking wet. He walked over to the circle just as Bobby and Rogue walked away, and asked, "Did I miss something?"
"We just figured out her power; she healed Rogue!" Peter whispered to him.
Helena rose, and for the first time, she looked nervous and out of place. Breaking the silence, Storm asked, "What's your name?"
Helena acted as though she didn't understand, "My name? You know its Hele-"
"I know. But what is your mutant name?"
Everyone waited for an answer, still dumbfounded by the whole scenario.
Helena raised her eyes to them, feeling as though she were caught and admitted her name, "Lifeguard."