Chapter 9

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: SR-71:- Tomorrow

Telepathic communications.
Thought's

This was ridiculous, Scott thought pacing the staff room, Jean was sitting at her desk looking up from the computer.

"Scott, please." He wasn't listening as he moved, something still wasn't sitting right and being kept in the dark by Logan was only making him more frustrated.

"He has no control." Scott muttered out loud. "Arguments on the front lawn! The incident in the Med bay, his attitude towards you."

Scott stopped. Jean looked ashamed again, she still hadn't recovered from the blunder that had occurred when she'd tried to calm Jade down by entering her mind.

"Something big is going on, I can feel it, and we're all being kept in the dark." Scott started pacing again,

"He's reckless, by hiding and dismissing it, he's only going to end up causing more problems, and its not just himself that he's dragging down, it's Jade as well, the girl's in trouble and he's trying to protect her from something and not letting any of us help, when will he learn that its not his ass on the line." Jean took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

"We know Scott; we all feel some things are off."

"Even the students are feeling it!" Scott let out another frustrated noise as he remembered how difficult it had been getting his students settled back down after the display on the lawn earlier, some were scared, other had seen a chance to be disrespectable to the teachers.

"WE know Scott." Jean too had had issues after the display and getting children back into their rooms.

"We're going to have to go to Xavier's, he's not listening to any of us anymore, Jade's unreachable, Jarred's becoming violent. But what do we say… 'we think something's up with the pair of them'.." Scott sighed heavily and flopped down at his desk and looked at Jean.

"It's not like we've got another viable option." Scott nodded at Jeans words. "I know what's going on is becoming harder to stomach, Warren seems worried, Hank he's trying to keep a level head."

"But we all feel it, we're going to have to talk to Xavier, he needs to know what's going on in his own house." Taking another heavy breath Scott got to his feet and headed to the door.

Jade tore her glaze away from the window to hear the last bit of the professor's conversation with Logan. She agreed, yes, the X-men would have to be told, they'd be the defence for the rest of the student, part of Jade was still telling her to run, though now she had enough of a mind to dismiss the feeling as a simple reaction to fear. She noticed that they were both looking at her, this meeting was over, she wasn't to be here when the other adults were told, if she was even associated with their briefing she'd be faced with more questions, something all three in the office silently agreed wouldn't be for the best. Standing up Jade put the handkerchief into her pocket and smoothed out her pants, her head snapped around to look at the door.

Logan looked up and growled at the door before he turned to Jade. She'd obviously heard the same thing he had.

"Great. The one-eyed pencil-dick's outside," Logan muttered as the door began to open. Scott entered the room, the look of concerned frustration disappeared into a scowl as he spotted Logan who was moving towards the door.

Jade tried to sneak out past Scott, and she'd almost made it, in fact she'd managed to get outside of the office when a heavy hand come down onto her shoulder.

"We need to have a word." Scott said looking down at her, not moving his hand, as he moved her out into the hall, the next moment past very quickly.

"Damn it!" Logan quickly rushed over to Scott and looked him in the eye. He popped his claws and brought them into view, but Scott didn't back down.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this! Go ahead, give me a
reason! I'm beggin' ya to!" Scott and Logan stood face-to-face, both ready to explode, both had been pushed to the limits with each ever since Scott had arrive back to the mansion.

"Yeah, Jeannie'll be a widow... but not for long..."

"Don't temp me Wolf!" Scott said hands already at his glasses "I'll blow your head off three ways from Sunday." Scott spat back at Logan. "And Jean wouldn't be court dead with a guy that does it with girls that are young enough to be this children." Scott had been waiting for this moment, ever since Logan had come back he had been pushing Scott to breaking point, but Scott had kept his cool but this
was it. Scott had had it. "Come on Wolf you keep saying how fucking manly you are, prove it or don't you have to balls?"

A grin spread across Logan's face as he heard the challenge from Scott. "Do I have the balls!" Then...SNIKT! Scott looked down to see two of Wolverine's claws nested very close to his crotch. "I've got the balls all right," said Logan, "but in about five seconds you won't. Come 'on, I dare ya! Try me, pencil-dick! And the next
thing you know, you'll be pencil-dickLESS!

With all there arguing neither of males noticed the small crowd that had gathered in the halls along the opposite side of the hall. In fact Sean and Luke had started taking bets from others on the outcome. Right now Logan was coming out a head with Scot taking the first swing.

"Why you son of a... oh yes I forgot you don't have a family, you don't even have a memory." Scott said smiling, he was taking low blows, but right now he didn't care this had been a fight on the boil for a long time, this issue with Jade was simply the catalyst. "Come on Logan do it, be a man, do it in front of Xavier and your precious little Jade, cut me down, be a man, give in." Scott had made this a battle of wits and the loser would be the one to make the first move. He would never resort to violence, not in front of Charles and students.

It had been the sound of students running along the hall that had finally drawn Jarred out of Jade's room and down the stairs to see what caused the sudden rush of interest, making his way over to Sean and Luke who were still taking bets.

"What's going on?"

"Logan and Scott are finally going at it."

"Two to one Logan wins, even odds on who takes makes the first move and we give if another five minutes before The professor steps in." Jarred looked confused and looked through the sea of heads to see the pair of grown men, Scott wasn't in a good spot, but then he saw just between them was Jade, looking torn between distort and furious.

A look of puzzlement appeared on Logan's face. He brought the other claw up against Scott's face, and began to slide the cold adamantium, against Scott's cheek. The very point of his claw as pushing up against Scott's cheek, but not drawing blood. Yet. Logan smiled and pushed the claws from his other hand even closer to Scott's crotch, increasing the pressure.

"Way, I see it... I ain't got nothing to lose... you however..." Logan glanced down towards his claw that was pressed against Scott's crotch, those around them all inhaled sharply . Scott followed his gaze and both of them looked at each other, eye-to-eye.

"Well, let's just say you don't have much to lose." Logan smiled. "Come on, Summers... you talk the talk... can you walk the walk?" Logan chuckled as he continued to stare into Scott's eyes. "Or you could go ahead and tell me your dress size... it'll save me time next time I do my Christmas shopping."

"Ten bucks Xavier speaks out in the next minute." Jarred passed over a Tenner to his blonde buddy and kept a keen eye on the fight.

Jade couldn't take it, she was just putting herself back together, the glue was still wet, and these two, were, she couldn't do it. Jade bolted pushing both of
the men aside and ran away crying.

"That's enough!" Xavier yelled "Both of you! This is appalling! You're both grown men are your acting like children! We have a soon to be situation on our hands we do not need this!" Xavier was furious, everyone in the immediate area went deadly quietly, the only noise was Jade's foot steps hitting the wood and Jarred pushing his way off after her.

"Look what your stupid yelling has caused, I hope your both very pleased!" Xavier went back into his office, the door slamming shut behind him.

Logan could only watch Jade rush away.

"Damn!" he said. Logan turned back to Scott, and stared at him for a moment. He allowed a low grunt to slip from his lips. He retracted his claws and backed away from Scott. "Nice going, asswipe!" And with that, Logan left the hall searching for Jade, the crowd parted, leaving Scott standing in the hall.

"All of you, off to you're classes." No one moved "Now!" they moved, leaving Scott to retreat back to the staff office, that hadn't gone well, he'd lost control of his temper all because he feared the safety and security of those in the mansion, because Logan was a stubborn arsehole that didn't care to divulge information that he would need to know, going over his head and going what.. right to the man in charge, sitting down at his desk Scott felt like a complete idiot.

"Fuck."

Walking down the hall Logan stopped when Jade's door came into view, it was shut, Jarred was sitting outside of it leaning on the wall opposite,

"Crap." Logan muttered as he kept walking down getting closer to the door, Jarred stood up when Logan got close. "Not in the mood kid." Logan warned, as Jarred made an aggressive stance, he didn't care if this boy cared about Jade, or if he was standing on this toes by being here.

"Leave her alone you're doing nothing but upsetting her!" Jarred pointed at the door.

"Move it Hather, I'm not interested in your lecture." Logan crossed his arms.

"Why you.." Jarred fists were glowing again.

"Jazz! There you are, been looking all over for you.." Sean, Luke and Kat all trotted down the hall from behind Logan, Kat grabbed onto Jarred's arms and so did Luke, Sean in front of him between Logan and his brown haired friend.

"You disappeared on us." Kat and Luke were already pulling him towards the common room.

"Sean.." he muttered through clenched teeth.

"No, remember you promised.." The other kids were having to strain themselves to get Jarred to move.

"Jarred please, not here, not with him." Kat whispered but Logan heard and smirk.

"Listen to the Brit Kid, it ain't worth it." Jarred relinquished the fight and allowed himself to be led to the common room. Smart kids, he wasn't in the mood for another fight, especially not for some kid that was simply staking his claim. Turning to look back at the hard wood door. He knocked gently on it, glad that the hall was empty for this.

"Jade? Jade, open up." For a long time there was no answer. Logan leaned very close to the door. Logan looked around, and all though he meant it, he reluctantly said, "I'm sorry."

Jade sat curled up on her bed, she'd heard Jarred run up behind her, she didn't care part of her wanted to have Jarred hold her while she shook, but she knew she couldn't have the contact, she didn't hear the fight between Jarred and Logan, she was to busy mentally beating herself up about how stupid she was for letting herself care, for letting someone in and tell people about anything. The young Australian had always been a closed book, the one time she lets people in, even if she had just found out the information herself,

"Look what happens, people always get hurt." She sat there, trying not to cry. "Big girls don't cry, mums big girl doesn't cry." It didn't stop the few tears falling. Zoning back in at Logan's knocking she heard Logan's voice.

She didn't move after a while she heard his calls, she heard him say sorry. All she wanted to do was disappear.

"Go away Logan! I want to be alone." Jade waited and then sniffed the air; Logan was still outside her door. Taking a few deep breaths she got up and pulled the box of cigarettes of the desk door and lit up before heading to the door, she needed a smoke to look calm and collected, no matter how much her hands shook. Logan wasn't going to go away. Jade walked over and opened the door, she looked like crap. Hair and clothes a mess, eyes red, "Logan what do you want now?" Jade asked leaning in the door, taking a puff of her smoke.

Logan glared at Jade. It seemed that his brief 'macho competition' with Scott had really upset her. Logan looked at the tear stains on Jade's face, and the way her green hair was a mess, at least now she didn't look broken. He raised his hand and tried to smooth her hair over, and then he took his thumb and wiped a way the tear stains. He glanced at the cigarette, and shook his head. Jade shrunk away into the room as soon as Logan's hand left her face, why did she suddenly look so bruised again.

"Jade.. I.." he followed her into the room she stopped and exhaled smoke into his face, glaring at him.

"Pissing contests in the hall with Scott isn't exactly what we need right now." Jade's voice was harsh and unforgiving, but he wouldn't be shut out or intimidated by her attitude. Logan reached into his own pocket and produced a Cuban cigar. He'd gotten a box of those as a Christmas present from Warren. Logan placed the cigar in his mouth and lit it. He took a puff and allowed the smoke to exit through his mouth, never pulling the cigar from his lips.

"Look, I said I was sorry for what happened back there. I didn't know it would upset you. I'll... I'll try to control my temper next time." Logan looked down at Jade. He was no good at this heart to heart stuff. He had hoped he'd made his point. Again.

His attention went towards Jade's cigarette. "Y'know those things'll kill ya?" Jade's frown softened into a no caring smirk.

"Like I'd be that lucky." Jade took a puff of her cigarette turning away from Logan and exhaled "Logan, your temper is uncontrollable, and besides you love to watch Scott squirm. Who am I to deny you that pleasure?" Jade asked shrugging turned away and walking over to the window "And Logan you really shouldn't make promise that you can't keep, it only hurts everyone involved." Jade said over her shoulder while she stared out her window, at the broken glass in the window.

"Promises, I can't keep?" why did it always come back to that with her, why did those statements always sound like her heart was breaking. "Look Jade, I promised to keep you safe... that promise I will keep, or I'll die tryin'." He walked around her so that he was facing her. "As for Scott, I'm sure you enjoy pissin' him off as much as I do." Logan noticed a brief smile appear on her face. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Its.." She stopped and looked at the door. Storm entered the room.

"Logan, the Professor..." Storm stopped dead in her tracks as she gazed at both Logan and Jade with cigarettes in their mouths. "What is going on here? Logan?"
Instinctively, Logan grabbed Jade's cigarette from her mouth and tossed it out the window.

"Remember, smoking's bad for ya," he said. Storm pursed her lips, hands on her hip. "The Professor wants to see you in his office." Logan nodded,

"I'm on my way." As Storm left, he turned to Jade who was standing there with her hands on her hips.
"Yeah... yeah. Here try this," said Logan passing her a Cuban cigar. "I'll be back later." Logan then left Jade's room and headed for the Professor's office. "O you'd better talk to that Hather boy, I kinda cut in the line to see you." He disappeared out the door and down the hall.

Jade looked at the cigar in her hand. She put in her top draw. "Save it for later." She said pulling out another cigarette and lighting up. She inspected the window, wincing the when she cut her fingers against one of the corners, she pushed the window open and lent out her window. She could feel them coming, getting closer.

"It's only a matter of time." She muttered to herself turning around she heard a knocking on her door, Jarred stood there, an unsure smile on his face. Jade flicked her smoke out the window and gave him a surer smile.

"Hey stranger." Jarred said taking a few steps into the room

"Hey yourself." She walked towards him and flung her arms around his shoulder, Jarred put his arms just under her wings and they held each other tight. "Don't let me go." She whispered into his chest, he just held her tighter.

"I wouldn't dream of it."