Ooh, disclaimer! I own nothing, nada, zip!

Logan had actually decided to join them for dinner, but it was really the last thing on Jean's mind. Scott, on the other hand, engaged the man in a lively conversation of battles and tactics. Jean tried to focus on the meatloaf in front of her, keeping her mind on a tight leash. She was so excited she could hardly contain herself and practically yelled out in delight when she was told to clear the plates while Scott got the dishwater ready.

Jean cleared the table like she'd never cleared the table before, often glancing at the clock, counting down the minutes. She had enough time afterwards to brush her teeth and sit down for a moment. She bit her nails anxiously, thoughts running through her head. What would it be like? Would it make any difference? And then it was time. Jean walked down the hallway to the Professor's study. He was sitting, waiting for her. "Hello, Jean," he greeted. "Ready?"

"You bet." Jean positively glowed as she walked over, taking the seat across from the Professor.

"Alright," the Professor told her, "tonight we're going to work on pulling your powers inward."

"Pulling it in," Jean repeated.

He nodded. "Yes, before you can send your telepathy outward I'd like you to be able to rein it in. Now," He wheeled a little closer, "I'm going to help you through it, take you a level of the astral plane so you can see how your telepathy flows outward from you, and you therefore have the ability to pull it back."

"What's the Astral Plane," she asked.

"It's a place of pure thought. Its name is just a label, it doesn't define it." He placed his fingers lightly on her temples. "Now, if you'd just relax," he told her.

Jean took a deep breath, two, three, four, another, two, three, four. Ready, a voice questioned. Yes, she answered. Here we go, the voice told her. Stepping into her inner psyche was like stepping into a warm bath, comforting, and relaxing. At the same time though, it was unfamiliar. She had been expecting nothing but blackness, like when she closed her eyes. Instead a vision of pinks and reds met her inner eye. Wonder if this is what Scott sees every day.

I'd thank you to keep your mind on the task at hand, please, the Professor reminded.

Oh, right, sorry, she apologized.

That's alright. Now, I want you to focus on pulling all that color inward, not obliterating it, but holding it close, increasing its intensity. It will be easiest if you focus on where the red ends.

It ends? Jean focused, taking in the greater whole, then she realized she wasn't on the inside, looking out, she was on the outside, looking down. Her whole body glowed in shades of pink and red, and she had been looking at the very center of herself. Taking in the whole she realized it became lighter and wispy the further from her heart it got, which Jean found amusing. She had thought that if her power emminated from some point it would be her head, not her hear. Tendrils of psychic energy reached outward towards the chair she sat on as well as the professor, one particularly stubborn one reached outward, towards the door. I see them. She concentrated, on the more easy-going wisps, those that simply deteriorated into nothing at her fingertips. They obliged, moving towards her center. It seemed like forever before she decided to tackle the stubborn one, reaching towards the door. She yanked, and it pulled. Jean focused, harder than she had for the other ones, knowing this one seemed to have an ulterior motive. Professor, she called.

Here, Jean, let me help you. A blue power mingled with hers, forcing the tendril to retreat towards the center. Like a cattle dog rounding up sheep the Professor helped her to steer her power inside herself. When all seemed in place his voice spoke again, it's time to come back.

Come back, Jean wondered. She was already home here in her mind, but she obligingly followed the Professor's instructions, pulling away from the inner warmth to the air-conditioned study. Jean was glad for the chair, for she doubted she would have been able to support her self. "I'm exhausted," she said, voice barely audible.

"It will get easier," he assured her.

"That tendril..." she started.

"Simply an undisciplined psyche trying to reach out to another mind." Scott, she thought; he was the only one in the Institute she had made a connection with. "You're excused from tomorrow's morning training session, but you're due back here same time tomorrow. Do you think you'll be able to make it back to your room?"

Jean steadied herself on the arms of the chair and pushed herself up. She collapsed back into the seat. "Probably not," she responded.

"I'll call someone to help you." Xavier reached out, searching for someone nearby. Logan was the closest but he knew the two weren't familiar enough to make either comfortable with a helping hand. Ororo was up in her tower, tending her plants, which left Scott, who was reading in his room. Scott, would you be so kind as to help Jean back to her room?

No problem, Professor, came the reply. He made it to the study in record time. Jean blushed, she couldn't believe she needed help getting to her room, let alone that Scott would be helping her. She had already proven herself to be a cry-baby in front of him when she had arrived and now that she had dispelled that label she had a new one on her hands, that of the weak girl. "Hey, Jean," he said, "Heard you needed a little help?"

She nodded, "Yeah, just a little."

"Alright then," he told her walking over to the chair. Scott made a nervous noise in his throat as he helped Jean wrap her arm around his neck, fingers clasping, and his other arm grabbed her about her waist. "Count of three," he said, "One, two, three," he lifted upwards as Jean pushed up with her legs.

"Thanks," Jean said quietly.

"We haven't made it to your room yet," he reminded her. They walked slowly out the door. Jean hadn't realized it took so much energy to walk. She felt bad that Scott had to slow down to assist her. As they walked down the hall Scott cleared his throat and asked, "So, it was a real mental workout, huh?"

"Yeah," she responded.

"Y'know, Jean, if you're that tired I could...well..."

"Scott, what are you talking about?"

"This," Scott responded, letting go of her to sweep his arm under her legs and Jean felt herself lifted into the air. She found herself cradled in Scott's arms as he marched down the hall to her room, "See? Much faster, and I figure you'd like to get some sleep as soon as possible."

"True but," she didn't know what she could say in retort. They reached her room and Jean tried to make the excuse that she could make her way to her bed by herself but Scott would hear nothing of the sort saying that he had promised the Professor that he would help her back to her room and he wasn't going to stop short of seeing her safely inside. Jean had nothing to say to that reasoning, partly because she was fighting to stay awake. She whispered her thanks as Scott set her on her bed and pulled back the covers. "It's no problem," he told her with a smile, "Good night." Jean watched him go and then slipped off her shoes before letting sleep take hold of her.

"No, you're still not seein' it, are you," Wolverine growled for what seemed to Scott like the hundredth time that morning. It became very apparent that Logan was an expert at hand to hand combat and took training of new "troops' very seriously. He wondered how Jean would react to Logan's constant criticism.

"Here, come over here," Logan advised, pulling him over to the large bay window that looked in on the kitchen. "Can you see your reflection? If you can't, move until you can." Scott did as he was told, too tired to argue. They'd been at this for over an hour. By this time Scott was convinced his new teacher might never dismiss him for breakfast.

"Alright, run through that combo again," he instructed. Scott performed two punches and a kick. "Now do you see it," Logan asked. Scott merely looked questioningly. "Your stance," Logan bellowed, "You're droppin' your stance!"

Scott stared at his reflection and realized it was true and adjusted accordingly. "Alright," Logan told him, "ten more and you're done if you make sure you're watchin' your stance."

With the prize of food in his empty stomach Scott nodded. He had to adjust his stance every time, but Logan seemed none the less pleased. "Now you're gettin' it. An enemy'll look for an opening; they'll pick up on your balance if it's off. You gotta learn to look for the same in them. When I get through with you there ain't gonna be an off balance bone in your body."

"Great," Scott said grudgingly, completing combo number ten.

"Alright, hit the showers and get some chow."

Scott started for the nearest door but stopped when he realized Logan wasn't following him. "You coming," he asked.

"In a minute," came the gruff reply, "I got my own stuff to do first."

Scott nodded, retreating into the house; he didn't need to be told twice that he was dismissed. He smiled when he saw Jean at the breakfast table, bowl of cereal sitting in front of her, though it looked like she hadn't touched it. "Still worn out," he questioned.

"Kinda," she responded, in actuality she had begun staring into space right after pouring milk onto the Frosted Flakes (she'd upgraded since yesterday). While she sat staring into her bowl of cereal she had started to contemplate if she could go onto the Astral Plane by herself, just to see if her powers had wandered again.

"Well, you can always go back to bed," Scott told her, popping some bread in the toaster.

"Nah, I'm up now. So..."she took a bite of the soggy flakes and grimaced at the mushy feel, "how was training with Logan."

"More work than I would have thought possible. You'd think he was preparing us for some kind of war."

"Isn't that kind of what this whole place is about," Jean asked, and quickly covered her mouth. She couldn't believe she'd just said that! The words had come completely unbidden out of her mouth. On some level she knew the words were true, why else would a man such as the professor be gathering mutants to his home and teach them to control their powers as well as physical combat? It was all so suspicious.

"No, it's not what this place is about," Scott responded, shocked. "That's not the point at all. Everyone should have some basic concept of how to defend themselves. Besides, don't you think mutants have some kind of responsibility to use their powers for good?"

Jean winced at the word mutant...she hated thinking of herself in those terms.

"Whatever, not like I'm staying here for forever anyways." Jean could feel Scott's

eyes upon her after she said that but he didn't say anything in response, he just buttered his toast and rummaged in the refrigerator for some jelly.