Chapter 10

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: U2- Sometimes You Can't make It On You're Own

Telepathic communications.
Thought's

"Logan, take a seat." Xavier said as Logan entered the office behind Ororo. Everyone had been called, Warren, Jean, Scott who still looked puffed from earlier, even Hank had torn himself away from the lab to be here. Now that everyone was present Charles continued,

"We have a situation; I have just got information that we might be facing threat from the brotherhood." This wasn't such an unusual thing. "They may attack the mansion; I want you all to be on the highest alert. No one is to leave the Estate, without my knowledge." That was more directed at Warren who until unlike the rest of them has a business to run. "I want you all to make sure that the students are safe, and accounted for. They are to be under supervision if they choose to wonder outside of these walls." It was ridiculous to expect so many to be kept inside, not without the question he wasn't willing to answer. "You are not to tell anyone about the suspected attack until we are totally sure. We do not want a panicking mob on our hands." Xavier said as calmly as possible. This was his worst nightmare. This mansion was meant to be a safe haven for the students and now everything then knew was about to be put in jeopardy. "Your jobs are to make sure that we know where students are at all times. No one is to go near the edge of the Estate, no trips to Salem, nothing."

"Professor there is no real way of monitoring all of them all the time, maybe if they are allowed out if they go in groups? No one allowed out on their own?" Jean asked, Xavier mulled over this.

"Groups of at less 3-4." Xavier was taking a great deal of care and depth in his
instructions he was not about to take this lightly. "I need all of your corporation."

"Of Course Charles." Hank said, "We'll do what we can."

"We also need everyone." He looked at Scott and Logan for this, "To be on their best behavior." Scott was still appalled with himself for what he'd done, Jean hadn't helped, all she'd done was ask him what he had expected, his remising was interrupted by a message telepathically sent from Charles

Ifyou pair ever behave like how you did earlier there will be hell to pay
"Do I make myself understood? I want you to keep the students busy and in good spirits."

"We could try running a movie in the danger room?"

"I'm sure the boys would love to try running their video games on it."

"Good idea Hank, some fun in the danger room would keep a large group of them entertained and out of harms way." Hank nodded, aside from running extra classes or things in the main hall there wasn't much they could do to really keep the students busy, Storm could always snow them all in but that would kill the plants outside and she wouldn't have that. Xavier dismissed those present with final words of "I will contact you if there is any updates, any issues should be brought the Cyclops or myself."

Everyone nodded as Professor Xavier dismissed them. Ororo headed out the door, and turned to Scott.

"I will perform a quick search of the perimeter to see if there is anything suspicious out there." She started to head off, and noticed that Scott had a look that she concluded was concern on his face. "Do not worry," she said, "I believe it will be a cloudy afternoon." Scott nodded as Ororo set off on her way, it wasn't snow but it would keep many from heading outside, the young ones were still weather beaten from the camping trip.

Logan was one of the last to come out. As he did, his eyes met Scott's. Both of there eyes obviously saying that the conflict between them was a long way from being over, though it seemed Scott was licking his wounds more publicly then Logan was even underneath the scowl on Scott face could hide it. Pulling out another smoke from his jacket Logan then turned and headed towards the garage, he was semi happy to see Scott was still feeling the heat from the fight.

Warren saw the brief exchange between Scott and Logan. He stepped up and placed his hand on Scott's shoulder. "Just let it go man," said Warren. "The Professor made it clear that he wouldn't tolerate another round between you two."

Scott took a deep breath "Your right Warren, but that man is a HUGE pain in
the ass." Scott scanned the room Jean walked up to both him and Warren.

"Who wants to be the one to break it to the kid's that outside's off limits for a bit?"

"Do we even know if we have all of them here?" Scott asked putting a hand in his pocket and rubbing his chin with the other. "We'd better call an assembly in the dinning hall, do a head count." Jean nodded, while she could scan for them it was hard to do an actual count, it was easier to find someone not there when you were looking for them.

He'd forced her into the common room, Kat was reading while Luke and Sean we're playing some game that involved guns and a need to jump about pushing each other while they tried to kill the person next to them. As soon as they were inside the door the boys were on their feet and Kat closed the book and looked at her.

"What?"

"Come on Jade this is where you tell us what's going on." Kat smirked, Jade didn't seem like she wanted to let any information out right now and Jarred had moved away so she couldn't hide behind him. Kat kept glowering at her, Jade conceded.

"Nothing major, Logan caught me in a bar and he made me go tell Xavier."

"Why did you take off?" Luke asked, Jarred gave him a glare, so did Kat and Sean whacked him on the arm, clearly the group had decided not to talk about it.

"Felt like it." Jade spat out at him, that seemed to please the others.

"So what was the thing in the med Lab then, both you feeling like it? You were running away huh?" Jade glared at the stupid French man, her eyes flashed green and her claws were out faster then anyone had even realized. Jarred got up from leaning against the wall and reached out to put his hand on Jade's shoulder from behind.
"Look the med lab thing was totally not what you think and I'm not going to explain what it was either AND I DONT HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO ANY OF YOU!" Jade said raising her voice slightly
"OK. Ok, clam down no need to have a heart attack." Jared said just she avoided his hand was back out of the room and heading down the hall. He started to follow her when the announcement came over the speaker.

"Attention, all students are to go directly to the dinning room for an assembly. Would Jarred Hather also report to me when he arrives." Scott's voice cut out and Jarred swore and glared back at Luke there was no way of him being able to go get her after that and she wasn't going to go to the dinning hall either.

"Just don't talk, ever, ever again Chambers okay? That to hard for you're stupid French brain to work out?" Hather didn't wait for a response and went down the hall, Jade was well and truly gone.

Jade bounced down the stairs hearing the announcement she had been going to kitchen to get a drink she stopped dead in her tracks and walked towards the garage. She pulled a smoke out of her pocket and lit it walking past the staff room Scott was coming out of it after giving the announcement.

"Ms Nightingale what are you doing?" She turned around and walked backwards.

"Going to the garage." There was anger in her tone.

"We just.. Jade put that out, you know the rules." Jade took the smoke out and looked at it.

"You're right, no smoking in the halls or the mansion. Really should go outside then." She just turned and kept walking.

"Jade!" Scott yelled.

"Smoking Scott." She called back. "Will be back in doors once I'm done." She didn't look back. "Sorry though." Scott looked curiously at Jade as she walked, the last part had sounded sincere, maybe she needed the air, it was going to be the last breaths of it she got for a while, all that was going to do by making her go was going to create more tension, better not to have that.

"At least she didn't give you the finger." Warren said coming out of the staff room behind Summers.

Walking into the garage to already find Logan there she just put her hands on her hips, she was trying to hard to be herself again.

"I figure if I'm not allowed to leave that maybe I should fix the bike you claim is so broken?" she let the smoke float out of her mouth as she talked before rolling up her sleeves of her top as she looked at her bike. Logan looked over at Jade as she smiled at him.

"Sure, no problem," said Logan as he walked over towards Jade. The pair stared at the bike for a while before they got to work.

A disgruntled shadow moved through the tree line. They knew, they had to know, there was no one on the grounds, there had been a small bunch before that white haired witch came and shooed them all back into the house. Damn them, damn her for telling, little kitty would pay for that. Stalking around in the trees he tried to find others, but they were gone, they knew they had to know, he'd been here before there were always smalls to watch, to tempt, but now nothing. A quiet growl manifested itself in his throat, expressing his frustration when he caught it, that sweet sent. He moved further on, smelling, following, hunting. Stopping he could see her, there was much distance, she was a small blur, but it was her, his little kitty, but he also smelt dog.

"Dog…" he muttered and moved deeper into the trees, he couldn't get the smell out of his nose, not even to find her again. He needed the blanket, she'd taken it, and he wanted his token back. He moved from the tree line, no one was around to see him. Up the tree and onto the balcony, it was to easy, she'd left the window open, he noticed the broken window the slash marks and slowly ran his hands over it.

"Little kitty…" he sniffed around, the token was gone. "Dog." He opened the door to the hall and hurried down it, to easy, no one was hear to see, no one here to play with either, no one would know, not with Bucket's new chip that was stuck to the side of his head. Opening the dogs room he saw it and inhaled, Dog was there, but not strong, little kitty was still there still strong, even new ones too, smiling he opened the window and jumped heading back to the tree line. Back to wear he could see her, and now he could only smell her.

"Little kitty come play soon."

The room felt nervous, after the events of the last few days, it was hard for those students now filling the dinning hall, you could here it in the hush whispers and chattering going on, Kat didn't like it, she was playing and pulling on her own hair to keep her hands busy. The seniors hadn't sat down like most of the others, in order to see the teachers their small group had taken up key advantage spots at the back of the room. There was tension coming from the group as well, no one was talking to Luke, not even Sean who seemed to be constantly trying to keep the groups tension at a manageable level. Jarred was cross, Kat felt guilty for starting the questions and Luke was brooding over hurt pride from the group shutting him down. Looking around, the British brunet could only see Mr Summers, Ms Grey and Ms Munroe at the opposite end of the hall, they seemed to be waiting for the last of the students, finally Ms McCoy and Mr Washington arrived trailing the final groups of students, shutting the doors and heading over to the standing seniors.

"Attention, we need everyone to be silent and not to move about." Scott had his leaders voice on; it was one of the few tones he used that made the entire student body silent, while Jean and Ororo started to move about the room doing what appeared to be a head count.

"Due to outstanding circumstances, we have to request that no student leaves the mansion." This was met with shouts of disagreement, and shocked whispers "As of this moment no one is allowed to go outside with out teacher supervision, or be alone if outside. If you are outside please remain in groups no less then three to four." Kat looked at Jarred, why didn't he look as shocked as the others; in fact his expression hadn't changed. Kat turned her attention back to Mr Summers.

"We need everyone's cooperation's on this, the mansion is going into an effective lock down, classes will continue as normal, and we do ask that students go to classes, anyone absent will cause unnecessary concern. The lower levels will be open for students to spend their social time; in fact the sophomores are being put into the charge of Mr McCoy, juniors with Ms Grey and seniors with Ms Munroe. You will need to check in with them every two hours, outside of class time. There will be no trips to Salem, by any means, so don't try and sneak out, or you'll end up on kitchen clean up for a month, on your own." Scott's voice was very clear on that part. "As for the reason for all this, we've received notice of a potential threat to the estate." More nervous chatter. "THIS is no need for concern, the issue is being dealt with and no one here is under attack or at risk, we just need to keep you all safe. The Gym and pool will be open to all students including the younger ones. The Danger room will be open as well BUT only to be used with permission and staff present, no need to have you all in the med lab."

Scott looked over the students; they were still worried, though the seniors at the back looked annoyed.

"Also just because the lower levels are empty doesn't mean the seniors wing is open to little visitors, they still have a lot of study to do and just because we're stuck inside doesn't mean you're to cause trouble. Lights out times will stay the same, so that means sophomores, 9 o clock you're in your rooms 10 lights are out, juniors, 10 rooms, 11 lights, seniors, in your wing by 11."

Sometime during the speech Ororo and Jean had finished their counting and had confirmed that a few were missing, rolls were brought out and taken. Questions were asked, Jean did a quick scan of the Estate and found the remaining group, who were on their way back as they were picked up. Scott dismissed the students, quiet whispers had started, Logan and Jade's absents had been noted, rumors were already starting. Jarred headed for his room, letting Sean know he wanted some private time. Closing his door, while the others went into the common room, finally deciding to forgive Luke they were all talking again. Walking over to his window Jarred looked out over the grounds, he saw Ororo and Warren take to the sky, doing a sweep as the small group of four kids ran inside. Pushing his forehead up against the cold glass the young man screwed up his face in tortured emotion not before long Jarred felt a small wet tear run down his cheek and slide off his chin.

"Fuck." Sniffing Hather walked over to his bed and punched his pillow. "Fuck you Luke." A fist hit the pillow, followed by another, with just as many tears "Fuck you threat." again "Fuck you Scott." It came out "Fuck you Logan." More pounding, the cursing stopped but the punching didn't, exhausting himself Jarred stopped and walked away from the twisted shape and spotting Jade's jumper she'd lent him dangling off the bed Jarred picked it up, taking comfort in the feel of the material.

"Fuck you." He said to the jumper. "Fuck you for making this unbearably impossible to ignore." Tossing it into the pillow sat down other floor resting his head on the bed breathing hard, he screwed his face up again as if trying to stop the tears from starting again, he didn't want to cry, he didn't even know why he was, reaching up Harther's hand found the buddle material and pulled it to him and curled his hands in it. "Fuck you." Was all he could mumble as he pulled it on and hugged his legs.

They spent quite a few hours working on it, and by the time they were through, both had smears of oil and grease all over them. Logan and Jade stood a few feet from the bike as they admired their work. As they gazed at the bike, both Logan and Jade ran the backs of their right hands across the tips of their noses, wiping away a smudge of grease. After doing so, each sniffed in deeply, clearing their nasal passages. At the same time, both Logan and Jade turned away from each other, each spitting a glob of mucus from their mouths. Now, as Logan pulled out a cigar, Jade pulled another cigarette. They placed them in their mouths, and lit them at the same time, before exhaling clouds of smoke and returning their lighters to their pockets. Then, they turned and gazed at each other. Each shrugging they turned their attention back to the bike.

"She oughta run smooth now," said Logan. "How 'bout you crank her up? Give it a little test." Jade walked over to the bike and straddled it. She started up the bike and indeed, and roared like never before. She turned to face Logan, a smile of satisfaction on her face. "Not bad, kid," said Logan, "not bad at all."