Chapter 2

Title: Shadow's are darker when you can't see them

Author: Revelation
E-Mail: stealthyminx hotmail .com

Rating: NC-18 Sexual references

Song inspiration: Eve 6- Here's To The Night

>Telepathic communications.
Thought's

The tired, storm worn students made there way into the mansion, some leaving their wet sopping bags and shoes at the back door, others on the steps outside, some where sneezing others were shaking, but all looked miserable. The lucky few had made the dash for the elevator that would take them up to the second and third story showers, others not so lucky were making they're way up the stairs.

"Try not to drip on the carpet children." Ororo called with a smile, Beast stood next to her, damp but smiling. "Well you did try and tell them how to properly pitch their tents."

"To bad none of them listened." Beast responded as he started to make his way up to his room to properly dry off, Ororo stood at the door as the last of the children made their way to the stairs, she was about to close it when she saw Jarred sitting on the back steps he was dripping, though the rain stopped two hours ago.

"Jarred?" She asked, he didn't turn around; he was just staring into space, making a small puddle around him.

"Jarred," He gave a small jolt as Storm put her hand on his shoulder "you really should get up stairs, shower and changed." He smiled, looking down as his muddy wet self.

"Nah, no point yet Ms Munro, let the other kids get the first showers, I'm not that fussed." That and well if he went upstairs he could knock on Jade's door, she had her own bathroom, he could always borrow that to get cleaned up, one of the perks of being friends with one of the permanent borders, they didn't have to share anything. Jarred seemed to be one of the few students not cursing Ms Munro and Mr McCoy's names.

"You were a lot of help on this trip Jarred, passing up a trip to the city just to go out camping in the rain isn't what most boys your age think of as fun." Jarred liked the way Ms Munro spoke, it was soft and warm. The truth was going to a senate hearing wasn't his idea of fun, nor was being stared at by the general public, he knew he shouldn't be ashamed of what he was, but Xavier had a habit of not taking into account teenage insecurities, sometimes it felt like they were being paraded around as some statement, he didn't want any part of that just yet, he believed they shouldn't hide, but, it was a difficult situation.

"Well I couldn't leave you and Mr McCoy alone to take care of juniors." Jarred had spent most of the night helping the kids catch tents, re pitch, he'd been big brother, which would explain why he looked the worst of the lot of them.

Ororo left Jarred to his thoughts, he sat there drying off in the breeze, before picking up his bag and heading upstairs, he was glad that he was on the second floor away from the others, it had only been in recent times that the professor had opened up the 3rd level rooms and converted them into dorms, when he'd first come here there was only about ten students at the mansion, that was three years ago, now there was around sixty students, though only ten were what they termed permanent residence. However even though this level was off limits to the younger students there was a herd running down on him now, trying to get to the other showers on this level.

"Hey watch it!" He called out as four boys bounded down the hall towels and robes in hand, all turned and yelled sorry.. Jarred just shook his head before he opened his own dorm door, he shared this one with another boy, Sean, a shape shifter; Jarred had the ability to absorb and channel kinetic and plasma energy. Dropping his bag Jazz grabbed his towel and a change of clothes before he went knocking on Jade's door, at first she didn't answer, he knocked again, he hoped she was in here, he really didn't want to have to deal with the younger ones, they had a habit to run around slapping each other with towels, then he heard movements from the room and an unmistakeable growl that was Jade, slowly the door opened there was Jade in a robe rubbing her eyes.

"Morning sunshine." He smiled, Jade smirked and looked him over.

"Looks like you had fun…" Jarred rubbed the back of his neck, three more girls ran down the hall, stopping to make kissing noises and the pair and ran off to the showers giggling, Jade snarled and her eyes flashed a bright green.

"Down girl." He said as she opened the door more letting him in. "Mind if I use your shower?" Jade nodded and motioned to her ensuite, Jarred looked at the broken window and marks on the post.

"Rough night?" She nodded "Told you should of come camping." Jarred joked and took of his shirt as he walked "Logan being a smart ass."

"No just and ass." Jade got back into bed wrapping the blanket around her knees as the water turned on as Jazz started to get cleaned up. She looked around the room, there was glass shards scattered across the floor near the window, the wind had blown them future over night, she'd have to clean that up later,

"Jade!" Jazz yelled out from the shower, he didn't have to yell, she could hear him just fine, though a normal person wouldn't.

"Can I use your shampoo?" She smiled,

"As long as you don't mind smelling like preach and almond extracts, yeah you can use it!" Jade looked back at the glass on the floor and decided it was best to pick it up now, or she would forget and Jazz, Kat or even Sean might stand on it and hurt themselves. Jade walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a small hand vacuum before she picked up some of the larger bits of glass throwing them into the bin and vacuuming up the shards too small for even her to pick up. She gave the ground a thorough survey before she put the vacuum back. Seeing her reflection in one of the mirrors Jade screwed up her face, she was standing around in her underwear, covered by her white robe that sat around the middle of her arms, the professor had gotten it made for her to accommodate her wings, it was nice, what occupied it wasn't, her hair was a mess, and she looked tired, Jade opened her wardrobe and pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a black t shirt that had a low cut back so again her wings didn't have to be confined, half of her wardrobe was either backless or had slits for wings with ties, Kat said it was sexy, Jade thought it was annoying, she was pulling on socks and looking for her boots by the time Jarred came out of the bathroom in black jeans and a grey Xavier institute t shirt.

"God is there nothing a nice shower can't fix." He said stretching his arms above his head and Jade grabbed her brush of her desk and pulled her hair back into a ponytail so it rested on her shoulders. Jade just smiled at him as she tied her shoes up.

"Was it really as bad you all looked?" She asked, as Jarred studied the broken window and the wet seat.

"Yes, the storm gave everyone a good dosing after they spent the entire day mucking about, it started as just a bit of rain and cloud formations but Jason made some crack that if they had Ms Munro around they'd never have to worry about the weather channel.."

"Which ones Jason?" Jade asked again standing up off her bed.

"You know the red headed kid, can alter the density of himself.."

"O, the kid that makes himself as heavy as a rock if you tell him to go to bed.." Jade growled, she'd had a run in with him a few times, but there were few of the younger kids that she hadn't had a run in with.

"Yeah that one.." Jarred said "Ms Munro's got him on kitchen duty for a week, but that was for upsetting a few of the girls by pretending his bones in his arm was broken and wiggling it about at them like a worm.." Jarred sighed, "Which in turn caused Syren to start screaming and you know.. all went to hell.." Jade nodded, having heighten hearing Xavier had to give her heads up if she was going to be anywhere near Syren when they were working on her power, the heads up came with a pair of ear plugs and head ache pills.

"We'd better get down stairs, get food before the other kids get to it and devour everything…" with the other forty students with Warren, Xavier, Bobby and Rogue in NYC the routine for who looked after what task in the mansion was gone to hell for the weekend. The pair were about to open the door to Jade's room when there was a loud thump on it. Jade sniffed and growled.

"Logan…" Jade said through clenched teeth, Jarred rubbed his head and opened the door before Logan broke it down. Logan stood there, glaring at the pair of them.

"You two, 'Ro wants help with getting food together, since some brat managed to ruin it all on the camp." At least he hadn't said anything about them being in a closed room together, Jade and Jarred stepped out of the room and Logan took a look at the window. "How'd that happen Jade?" She shrugged,

"A bird.." Logan glared at her and shut the door. He'd tell Xavier about it later.

"You two have a gym session after food today." He said walking past the pair that suddenly stopped in their tracks, which followed by a joint groan. "Just cos the rest of ya lot aint here, doesn't mean ya get to skip it." He kept walking Jazz grabbed Jade's wrist before she said or did anything.

"Let it go, he's just being a mood ass cos Jean's off with Scott.." Jarred whispered as soon as Logan was well down the hall and turning for the stairs.

"Dick.." Was all she said before she started down the hall with Jazz, they were again half run over by the same lot of girls who giggled again as they past Jade and Jarred, he looked at his hand it was still on Jade's arm, he let go quickly and they walked on silence.

Logan didn't join the others in the kitchen instead he headed he made a beeline for the garage, the Wolverine had given is old ride a bit of a hard time the night before and he hoped to continue with a few of the new modifications to it, he cast a look back towards the kitchen, he really wasn't the domestic type, he'd join them later or even better yet, eat out. Pulling the tool box off the bench Logan through back the tarpaulin over his bike and started to work on his baby. Not far into the work Logan hit a snag, one of the wrenches was missing from the box.

"Stupid kids, don't even know how to put a tool back." Looking over the bench Logan didn't see it, this was starting to get annoying, and his temper was already flaring up more then usual. Looking all over for a tool that some small brat didn't know how to put back wasn't helping. On the verge of pulling the entire garage up Logan spotted the wrench, on the farthest wall from where any of the students worked, half lying under another trampoline, he walked over, curious as to how or why the wrench was so far away from the normal work area, pulling back the cover as he picked up the wrench from under it, if it wasn't for the scent he wouldn't of picked it for Jade's bike, seeing as it was only the skeleton of it, the casing was leaning up against the wall, right under some blue prints, Logan pulled on off the wall, this one was the general overview of her planed improvements, he was surprised he only found a few 'faults' that he personally wouldn't have, Jade was trying to elongate the bike out so she could utilise her wings when riding, or dismounting… Putting that one back Logan spotted an interesting helmet design, though it was common knowledge that neither Jade or himself required a helmet for safety reasons, the helmet was somehow wireless connected to the bikes computer, to allow for music, but what really got his attention was the helmets com link to the mansion, for a girl that never seemed to talk to people half the time this was an interesting development, he put the plan back on the wall and recovered the bike before going back to his work, surprisingly in a good mood.

In the time it had taken all of the younger students to get clean and clothed Ororo, Hank, Jarred and Jade had gotten the BBQ set up and were well underway with the cooking, since the weather had picked up it was nice enough and dry enough for them to eat outside. By the time Logan made his way outside to grab a stake all of the students were running around, eating and generally enjoying themselves, walking up to Jarred who was on cooking duty, dealing with the last few sausage, burger and a stake that Logan eyed, Jarred smirked,

"Jade smelt you coming, so it should be ready soon." Hather took a sip from his soft drink as Hank walked up behind Logan.

"Thank you again Jarred for your assistance, I'm not so good with tongs anymore.." Hank joked,

"No Problem Mr McCoy, not like I had much else planned for today anyway." He lied, he'd wanted to talk to Jade about the window, but that had been impossible since she hardly ever spoke in public, Logan grunted and popped one of his claws into his finished stake dropping it on his plate before going to join Ororo over at the patio

"Oh dear.." Hank muttered Jazz just looked blankly in Logan's direction, sometimes he agreed with Summer's comments about Logan being a general dick.. The blank looked turned to annoyance as he turned off the BBQ taking the last burger for himself and the sausage for Jade, and put some salad on her plate, hoping she'd eat it. He also grabbed two more drinks putting them into his pockets, glad there was at least a layer between his skin and the cool can, before walking over to the edge of where everyone else was enjoying themselves, Jade was sitting on the ground leaning against the leg of the bench, staring into space, Jazz handed her food down to her, tempted to just stand there and watch her for a while longer, but Jade wouldn't have enjoyed the violation of it, taking a seat on the bench she was leaning on he past down her drink to, she took it, a quiet thank you almost too soft to hear hit his ears.

"We going to talk about the window?" she didn't response, she just took a bite out of her lunch. "Jade, there was no bird." She just shrugged

"No shit Sherlock, it was nothing, just.. got.. cross." Jarred raised an eyebrow "I just, sometimes.." She was finally going to say it, had taken a few months but finally she was going to say what he'd been guessing at since he'd first watched her during a gym drill with Logan, he'd said something and she had snapped she had kept going and going and going with him until Jarred, Sean and Scott had, had to grab her, she'd said the same thing then, 'I got cross..' Jarred looked at her now, she was struggling to fight something inside, to get it out "Sometimes.. I hurt so much inside, it gets all tied up in knots and its like the big bang, it all gets so small so tie that it explodes.." Jarred wanted to touch her, let her know he was here, but the way she was fighting internally, external sensations might have been seen as a threat.

"You going to talk to Xavier about it?" His suggestion was a bit forward, everyone told him baby steps, but somehow he didn't think it would work here. Jade just hung her head putting her food down. She didn't know

"What's he going to say? Don't do it, there are other options… breathe.." Jarred smirked and was glad she wasn't looking at him, breathing was a big thing the Prof focused on like somehow if you knew of to breathe right you could stop a car..

"You could, let him.. you know."

"NO!" she glanced around "I don't want someone in my head, that's not.."

"Normal?" Jarred smiled, Jade laughed it sounded so weird that here they were, worried about normal when they lived in a school for freaks with super human abilities.

"I'll think about it." Jade didn't want to tell him that she was scared to let Xavier in case this time, they were able to break through her mental barriers and the missing years wouldn't be so ambiguous, she knew at least some of her demons came from those blank years, she didn't want to have to face them just yet. When Jade had first been brought to the institute they had tried to help her in the way Jarred was suggesting, it hadn't work, she didn't want to try again.

Jarred soon changed the topic to their English essay, due at the end of the week, for Scott's English class, he currently had the seniors reading Hamlet, the essay had something to do with fate, there was some underlying lesson that Scott was trying to teach them that neither Jade nor Jarred could quite work out, it wasn't long into the debate to the cause when Jade stopped mid sentence, she turned her head, growling softly, clearly not happy about the interruption, Logan stood near the bench studying the pair, grinning triumphantly. This meant one thing..

"You pair, down stairs in five minutes." He turned, Jade gave him the finger, and the pair got up and headed in to get ready.

Jade stood outside her door, in her black tracksuit pants and a crop top, this was apparently meant to allow for flexibility and for her wings to be free to move, Jade just hated the fact it exposed the tattoo that she wasn't sure how she got just above her left hip, it was of some symbol no one knew, Jade stood waiting, hand hugging her lower stomach to hide the mark, Jarred appeared wearing the same pants, the only difference was his top covered his abdomen. Grabbing her towel and a bottle of water they headed down, Logan was already waiting in the gym which was on the top sub level, Jade and Jarred put their gear on one of the balance beam and joined him on the centre mat, Jade crossed her arms and gave Logan the look of death, Logan picked up two long stick passing one to Jarred and tossed the other at Jade, she caught it with out even blinking.

"Sticks today, this session will help with reflex reactions, also sometimes you wont always be able to rely on your powers to save your ass, and close combat in this world can happen more often then you may like."

"And of course, we're always going to be able to have some six foot stick lying around to help us." Jade muttered

"You want this to be a three hour session or a five hour session missy?" Jade shut her mouth

"Warm up run, now."

Jazz had never seen Logan work them so hard, it had been a good session, in his experience you had to keep a positive look out on these things otherwise they'd all end up crying every time someone mentioned gym. Logan had pushed them hard, and had driven both of them to a yelling match at least once. Jarred was surprised that Jade hadn't kicked both of them in the groin then they'd started what she termed a 'pissing contest' when they'd done rounds on the beams. Heading up the stairs Jazz cursed every one of them, Jade was cursing for every muscle she had to use to climb them, he was surprised at the vastness of her vocabulary. Both stopped outside Jade's door, Jade slumped against it, to tired to go on, Jarred looked down the hall.

"You'd better use mine.." She said knowing he was looking at the showers down the hall "You'll get no peace down there." Hather was glad when her offer hit his ears, after three hours with Logan the last thing he wanted to do was to stand in a shower with little kids running in.

"Bedside's you need a massage." He joked opening the door, Jade looked shocked

"I'm fine."

"You're stiff all over now." Jarred said pushing her over the threshold into her room. "And if your not now in a few hours you will be and tomorrow you wont be able to move."

Jade was still protesting when Jarred just causally walked into the bathroom turning on the bath, a good soaked would relax the muscles; he noticed a lavender bath gel and put that in. When he walked back out to her room Jade looked ruffled not angry, and she'd taken off her shoes and socks , but she had her arms crossed sitting on her bed, Jarred walked over, she crossed her arms tighter across her chest defensively. He smiled to himself, fine she wasn't going to make this easy, in a quick movement Jarred grabbed Jade around her hips and put her over his shoulder, she shrieked, he chuckled as she squirmed and swore, but she didn't kick, scratch or bite. Jarred rearranged her on his shoulder as he walked into the bathroom pulling off her tracksuit pants as he did.

"Don't you dare Hather, don't you fucking dare.." he kicked off her own shoes, before he unceremoniously put her into the water, she went under, silencing the scream, Jarred pulled off his own pants, top and socks getting into the bath as well, it was large enough to hold both of them with out any problems, after all it had been designed so Jade could expands her wings without issue. Jade resurfaced, coughing and wiping her eyes trying to see again, she lunged at Jarred. "BASTARD!" she missed going under again, Jarred got behind her, he put one hand on her shoulder the other on her lower back, she could of whacked him square in the face with her wings, but he had flustered her, Jarred rubbed her shoulder, she winced.

"Told you.." He said forcefully, now bringing up his other hand to rub both shoulders, slowly he coaxed her into leaning back against him, relaxing more, he was surprised how quickly she gave up her defensive. It would have been so he easy Jarred thought, so easy in this state to pull the straps of her top down over her shoulders, to pull her that little bit closer. Then Jade made a purring noise as his hand slide up half around her throat to message to top of her neck. He stopped standing up, Jade looked at him.

"You're going to sit there." He didn't look at her he just pulled a towel of the rack and put it around his waist.

"Soak a bit longer." Jade growled, clearly not happy about taking further instructions from him. "No arguing.." he left the bathroom, Jade leant back in the bath spreading her wings out.. as soon as Jarred was out of her sight, pushing his hair off his face, swearing to himself, what was he doing, Jade was, unstable, prone to violent out lashes…

"Take your anger somewhere else." Jade was standing in the door way of her bathroom, wearing her rob, she looked perfect in the demising light "I don't need your scent imprinting itself in here." Jarred glared at her, it was a harsh rejection, he wondered if she knew how much that one statement had wounded him.

"I told you to let your mussels soak." He grumbled, still hurt

"I was turning into a prune, besides I've had a rub down." She crossed her arms, she'd leashed her anger, she was back to being annoyed, it made her earlier statement seem less painful

"I didn't get past your shoulders.." he said "want me to finish?" he was standing five steps away from her, suddenly it felt like their was a large gap between them, her breathing wasn't even anymore, he took a few steps closer, slow, like how he'd watched Ororo approach Logan when he'd finished an aggressive Danger Room session. Jade disappeared into the bathroom, Jarred slumped onto her bed, he'd pushed it to far. Noticing a change in the light again Jarred looked up from the roof, Jade was back in the door, holding her body lotion. Jarred sat up, she handed him the lotion but didn't lie down, she opened up her cupboard and pulled out an over sized jumper and handed it to him. They just looked at each other, before she turned around and slide her rob off, she still had on her wet clothes he'd left her in and she lay on her stomach on her bed, Jarred coughed, putting the towel from around his waist over her backside and straddled her lower legs rubbing lotion into his hand, it was lavender again, now at least he knew what to get her for Christmas. He worked her sore muscles down her back, over her arms, she was making those noises again, but this time he was focused on the task, she wasn't so close to him now, he got off the bed and worked her legs, amused at how her back arched slightly as he rubbed hard thighs hard, she'd still be stiff in the morning but at least now she would be able to walk without pain.

"For someone so apparently fit you don't look after yourself." He said wiping the last of the lotion off his hands, giving Jade back her robe. Jade smiled pulling it back on when Kat came bursting into the room.

"Jade, you missed the…. O god I didn't see anything…" Kat said shielding her eyes. Jade and Jarred looked at each other, Jarred took a few steps away from Jade. Jade suddenly found the bed post interesting and Jarred was busy studying the carpet, Kat lowered her hand.. Jarred picked up his gear and made a quick dash for the door. "I'll see you at dinner, thanks for the use of the bathroom Jade.. bye Kat." He was gone.

"Did he just run off down the hall in wet jocks and one of your large jumpers?" Kat asked as Jade got up off the bed picking up the towel to put back in the bathroom.

"Yep." She said smiling to herself, putting the lotion away.

"I didn't."

"No you didn't, we weren't. Not talking about it." She called from the bath room, Kat noticed some of Jarred clothes from the field trip sitting near the door of the bathroom, she looked from the clothes to Jade as she came to the door way.

"Not what you think, he left them there earlier." Kat smirked "He had to use my shower, since the brats were using all the others." She was making it sound like it was no big deal to have a naked guy in her shower..

"Right, okay." Kat joked, trying not to burst into laugher

"Kat, stop it, now." The tone was one Kat decided not to argue push any further.

"Okay, end of it, well I've said hi, I'll let you get dressed.."

Jarred was thankful that no one was in the hall as he dashed to his room, Sean was already in there when he arrived.

"Where you been?" Sean eyed "I checked the showers you weren't in there." Sean was unpacking his bag from the trip to New York "Where are your pants?" Sean asked as Jarred pulled off Jade's top and opened up his draws to get a towel and swap his jocks. Jarred glared at him as he dried off and pulled on some clothes.

"I used Jade's shower.." Sean gave him the same look Kat had. "No, god why does everyone think that.." Sean sat down on his bed, discarding his unpacking

"Cos you've got a cock between your legs and Jade's got… well.. for a green haired..shes well.. you know.." Sean scratched the back of his head, he was digging his own grave now, he didn't have to look at Jarred to feel to cold anger off him.

"For a green haired what Sean? She'd what exactly?" Sean cringed, this was expected though it wasn't at all what Sean had intended to imply.

"She'd hot, no ones arguing with you on that."

"But you think she looks like a freak?" Jarred had never seen Jade as the monster that some people did, she was a bit more of an animal then many people liked but she wasn't a monster, not in the way that she thought she looked like.

"No I didn't say that."

"You were going to!" Jarred snapped pulling on a black v necked jumper

"Was not, she's different, she's hot, but green doesn't do it for me." Nice recovery, he hadn't meant any offence, but he did find at time Jade to be a scary person to deal with. "Anyway, she's hot, and well, you had no pants on, cant blame a guy for thinking the obvious." Jarred flopped back onto his bed and covered his face with his arms. "And well, Kat and I have been hoping that, you two might…" Jarred could imagine that there was talk, he stopped listening to Sean all he could think about was Jade's skin under his hands. "Jarra? Jazz? You even listening man?" Sean through a pillow at him, why couldn't he be allowed to stay inside his head, it was nice there, another pillow

"Sorry Sean." Sean rolled his eyes at Jarred

"Man Hather, she's got you hook line and sinker." Sean got up "Come on I'll give you a round of pool before dinner. You can listen to me talk about New York." Jarred followed Sean out of the room, shaking his head, Sean had no idea how right he was.