After going through Chopin's etudes, a Beethoven sonata, and
various Bach pieces, Hannah felt like her old self. She wasn't actually
sure what that meant, since her recollection of her old self, her past life
was very limited. But the piano had been the center of her universe for as
long as she could remember, and that was only the last 10 years. She
didn't have any recollection of time, as she stood up and stretched and
then she heard the chimes of a clock. She counted the them and was
surprised when they chimed 10. She had been playing for the last 4 hours.
The last thing she wanted to do was go to bed. The jet lag had effected her but it was more than that. She was having nightmares about what had transpired a few nights ago, the amount of blood that was shed. The last thing she had seen as Logan had carried her outside was her father's body lying limp on the staircase. Logan had tried to shield her face, but she pushed his hand away. She wasn't sad. She hadn't cried. She had sat stunned as the van had sped away from the house she had called home. She never questioned these strangers taking her away, they had explained that she was in danger. But she didn't care. She didn't speak one word the whole flight to New York. She had let them take control of her life, just like others had taken control of her life in London.
As she left the conservatory she noticed a light coming from down the hall, and the faint sound of laughter. Part of her was curious and she headed towards the sound and the open door. She stood back, not wanting to be seen. She recognized the one called Storm, with the white hair...and then the man with the glasses, was it Cyclops...and Jean, the doctor who had examined her ankle in the van. The one that Logan had continued to eye when she wasn't looking. She was envious of their laughter, she couldn't even remember laughing about anything with anyone.
Ororo was the one that noticed the figure standing in the doorway, and once spotted Hannah tried to back away, but Ororo came towards her, "Hannah, come on in. We're just playing Scrabble and Scott is whipping our asses." Hoping for a reaction from Hannah, she got none, "We were enjoying your playing, it's really incredible."
"Thank-you." Hannah responded politely.
"I guess you hear that all the time."
She nodded. Her eyes focused on the London Times sitting on a side table, and the headline shocked her, YOUNG PIANIST MISSING, SUSPECTED KIDNAPPING. She pushed past Ororo and picked up the paper, the whole story absorbed in seconds, she turned to the others.
"They think I've been kidnapped, is that what my godfather wants them to think?" Hannah's voice became agitated. "Those men, who are they? What do they want from me?" They all exchanged glances. It was the first time they had seen her show any kind of emotion.
Jean stood up and moved over to her, placing a comforting hand on her arm, "You need to trust the Professor's judgment. He only wants whats best for you."
Hannah pulled her arm away from Jean's grasp, "I want to see him. I think I have a right to see him." Hannah was convinced anything these people were about to say to her would all be lies, Charles Xavier included.
Jean looked over at Scott hoping he could come up with some reason why she couldn't.
He hesitated, "Hannah, he hasn't been feeling well. But the doctors say he should be fine in a few days. So I hate to say this, but you're stuck with us until then."
Jean couldn't believe the ridiculous story, but she watched curiously as Hannah took this information in and a calm came over her.
Hannah knew only to well, that the best thing was to let them believe she was fine. That she believed that ridiculous story. She shouldn't have been so easily flustered, showing emotions to these strangers. She knew the plot so well by now....Keep Hannah happy, keep Hannah safe, Keep Hannah calm. She forced a half smile, "I'm sorry, I'm tired. I didn't mean to snap, I think I'll just go to my room and listen to some music."
There was a pile of fashion magazines on the table and she ran her hand over them....pg 141, HOW TO GET THE GUY OF YOUR DREAMS....1.FLIRT 2. BE CONFIDENT 3. TRY A NEW LOOK....ETC. She closed her eyes tightly, why did that keep happening. She did it again, PG. 97 JEANS GO WITH EVERYTHING...pictures of models in jeans posing in all sorts of settings popped into her head. When she opened her eyes, she noticed their stares.
"You sure you don't need anything?." Ororo offered.
She hesitated and then touched the cover of the magazine again, the different ads showing fashionable women were very appealing to her. "I need clothes. I'd like to go shopping. Maybe tomorrow?"
Ororo wanted to oblige but knew the professor was adamant of her staying on the estate for the time being. "I"m afraid the professor doesn't want you to leave the estate just yet, but I don't see why I couldn't pick up a few things for you, just tell me your size."
Hannah was used to this kind of treatment. But she thought there was the possibility of her being allowed to do something normal for a change. Why should it be any different here. "I want a pair of jeans. I've never owned a pair." Hannah not only hadn't ever owned a pair of jeans, she had rarely worn trousers. There were those rare occasions she was allowed to ride a horse, and of course she wore riding trousers then. Her parents were always so concerned that she would harm herself, and possibly injure her hands. She looked down at her hands, wiggling her fingers, and then thought of Logan...the claws. She rubbed her left hand over the back of her right hand. She looked back up at the others, "Has Logan returned?"
Jean had noticed the gesture of her hands and now she was asking where he was. This seemed a bit odd to her, "I doubt he'll be back tonight. He often stays in town"
"With his girlfriend? The one in the photograph?"
Jean didn't want to appear upset, but this innocent question meant only one thing, Hannah had been in Logan's bedroom. Scott noticed some tenseness in Jean, and wondered what that was all about.
"We don't know who she is. Logan is really private, keeps to himself. You know, Hannah, you really shouldn't mix with him. He's not the kind of guy you're probably used to. Rough around the edges, bad temper, likes to drink, smoke, carouse, you get the picture?'
Hannah didn't like this guy at all. What did he know about the kind of guys she was used to? Logan had been honest with her, she knew exactly where she stood with him. Unlike these others who acted like they were stepping over eggshells trying to talk to her.
"I'll remember that, Scott. Thanks." She turned to Storm, "And thank you for offering to go shopping for me. I really appreciate it." That was the one thing Hannah could do....she could thank people, she could sound sincere. She'd had plenty of experience at it. "You've all been so kind." She then turned and headed down the hall. She was relieved to get out of there.
Ororo was a little bit upset with Scott's comments about Logan, "I really don't think you should be telling her things like that."
"Well, they're true. The guy is a dick. I was just trying to say it in a nice way." He put his arm around Jean, "I'm about ready to call it a night, how about you?"
"you go on ahead, I'll be along in a minute."
He gave her a kiss, "Don't be long."
After he left Ororo watched her best friends' mood change, "I don't believe it."
"What?"
"You are jealous of her. That Logan is paying attention to her." Ororo found it rather amusing. Jean had been the object of Logan's affections for quite some time now.
"I am not. Look, I told him to back off in London. You know that. I love Scott."
"You can't fool me, Jean Grey, you love Scott, but you don't want anyone else to have Logan."
"She's hardly his type."
"What is Logan's type? " she smiled at Jean.
"Well, for one thing, he despises classical music. And she's so prim and proper. She's a spoiled brat." she headed to the window looking out onto the front drive, wondering if Logan would return tonight, or had he found someone else. And what of the professor's goddaughter. What was her game? She hated she was feeling this rage of jealousy building up inside her.
"Well, well, well, your true colors are coming out tonight, Jean Grey, and they seem to be in different shades of green."
"That is ridiculous." Jean wanted to change the subject, she turned back to Ororo, "I really wanted to hear what you really think of the professor keeping his distance from her?"
"Okay, you don't want to talk Logan, I get it." Ororo smiled, then turned serious thinking about the professors attitude earlier, "I don't know, the professor was acting weird. But I sure hope he doesn't keep this game up, because there is only so much we can say to her. She must have a hell of a lot of questions. And the weirdest thing is, she hasn't shown any grief for the death of her father."
"I think she's still in shock, possibly blocked the whole event out of her mind. She's been through a lot in the past few days."
"Now you sound like you feel sorry for her, when 2 seconds ago you called her a spoiled brat. Jean, make up your mind."
"Well, I think she is spoiled. She's had everything she ever wanted, people bowed and scrapped to her, but it's all she's ever known." Jean scanned the cover of the newspaper with the publicity photo of her smack dab in the center larger than life. "I can't really blame her for that. Her family has played a major part in that...and the professor...I am just so curious about his connection to her. I've never seen him behave like this. He's always so warm. I thought when she arrived he'd be overjoyed to see her. But it's just put him in a funk"
"I suppose he feels to blame for what's happened to her. And I don't think that mind block is working. Did you see her when she touched those magazines? Something happened."
"Well, the mindblock can't take away her powers...it only takes away who she was, and what she remembers of her past. I assume she has no recollection of her life before the mutancy kicked in."
"She has to be frightened. With no one to talk to."
"Except Logan." Jean once again made a disgusted face.
"Oh, come on, Jean. Stop this. And really, I don't think you have anything to worry about, Logan wants nothing to do with her. He told me so earlier. Of course I think it's a mistake."
"Really? Why do you say that?" Jean was curious.
"She's an outsider too. She doesn't know about her past, they have more in common than you think. He could be the one to help her through this time, adjusting to her mutancy, but it doesn't look like that will be happening. For one thing, Logan has washed his hands of her, and the professor is putting off the inevitable."
"I'm going to talk to him in the morning. You're right, she needs to be told soon. It could just escalate and cause a lot of problems." She put Logan out of her mind and thought of Scott waiting in their room, "I think it's time to turn in."
Storm smiled, "Oh, yeah, loverboy is waiting. I just hope you made the right decision. Logan looks damn hot without a shirt on."
"You just wait, Ro, I've seen the way you look at Hank. I have no problem getting you back for all the grief you've caused me over this Logan fiasco." Ororo thought about Henry, otherwise known as the Beast. He was the sweetest smartest funniest mutant Ororo had ever met. They had become fast friends, and there was the possibility of a romance kindling, but the last thing she wanted was Jean to bud in.
"Okay, I'll back off. Although I just want you to know you are ruining all my fun."
Jean headed out the door, and gave her best friend a smile, "Goodnight, Ro. See you in the morning."
* * * * * *
Hannah fell asleep with the headphones on listening to Mahler's 1st symphony. Not the most relaxing, but it soothed her in her own way. She didn't hear her door open and the visitor enter.
It was nearing 2am when Logan waltzed down the hall of the staff's quarters. Even after a half a dozen beers, he wasn't drunk, because his healing factor always kicked in, sometimes he wondered why he drank, it really didn't serve any purpose. It was now just something he did, he tried not to think about it too much. He wasn't expecting to come home at all. Home. Was this what this was? Was he getting soft? Not one woman had enticed him tonight. Of course after Jean's little revelation in London, he thought he would be fine. He could deal with the rejection. But it wasn't as easy as he thought. A few doors down he knew Scott and Jean were sharing a bed, and once again he was alone.
He stopped abruptly a few yards away from Hannah's room. He could hear a voice, the amplified whisper stronger because of his enhanced senses, and it was odd her door was cracked slightly. Logan felt an urge to protect this young woman, and he was prepared to face the intruder full on. He went to the door, ready to swing it open, his claws extended, when he saw the figure by her bed.
It was Chuck. Logan retracted his blades and listened as the professor continued his conversation with the sleeping Hannah. Logan was extremely curious why he had chosen this time of night to have a conversation with his goddaughter. Especially a conversation she was unaware of even happening.
Charles looked at Hannah sleeping peacefully. Her headphones still perched on her head, but the music had finished. "Oh, Hannah, if I could have made things different I would have. I could have given you a life like my other students. I think you could've been happy here." He paused, "I will do anything in my power to make it up to you. I hope I am not too late. I think your mother would have wanted you here. It was only Alan Masterson that disapproved of our kind." His thoughts went back many years ago to Joanne Parkenson, Hannah's mother. Hannah's resemblance to her was uncanny. One of the reasons he hadn't been able to look at her. He gentle stroked Hannah's hair, "this is your home now, I am your family now. And we are going to get through this difficult time."
A shadow passed over the floor, coming from the hall. Charles looked up, turning his wheelchair. Logan immediately backed away and headed down to his room. Charles was out in the hallway just as Logan was turning the doorknob, he called out to him.
"Logan." Logan turned.
He was silent, Charles knew that he had overheard some of the conversation, "I was just making sure Hannah was settled in."
"Maybe next time, you might want to consider a more civil hour of the day. Hey, she might even be awake then, and you could have a two way conversation. Now that is a novel idea, wouldn't you say?" He said bitterly.
"I don't expect you to understand."
Logan was thinking he understood more than he wanted to. He had said he wanted to wash his hands of this girl, but things kept happening and he was finding it harder to do just that. He didn't want to get into a heated discussion with the professor at this ungodly hour, and turned the door handle, looking over at him, "Goodnight, professor. You should sleep well tonight, knowing she's comfortable, settled. What a relief, eh?" He then went inside his room, closing the door behind him.
Charles felt he had just taken a step forward and two steps back. Logan had been a challenge, but in the last few months, Logan was becoming part of the team in his own way. Now Logan seemed to be regressing to his old ways. The anger and bitterness returning full fold. And Charles was the target of these emotions. It would only cause more friction with the others and he needed to sort this problem out before it got worse. But first he needed to deal with Hannah. She was now he first priority. Tomorrow....he would take care of everything.. He headed towards the elevator that took him to his private chambers. Knowing full well, he would have another sleepless night.
Logan waited a few minutes before he headed back out into the hallway. The Professor was gone and Hannah's door was now fully closed. He went over the one sided conversation he had just witnessed and wondered what it all meant. He walked slowly to Hannah's door, and listened. it was quiet. He wasn't about to disturb her, he had had enough for tonight. The thought of his comfortable bed and soft pillow sounded so inviting right now. He started to walk back to his room, when he heard the sounds.
They weren't screams, but they were definitely disturbing mumblings coming from her room. He quickly moved back to her door, and quietly opened it. Hannah was thrashing about in the bed. The mumblings made no sense to him. But he was only to familiar with nightmares and restless nights. And didn't wish them on anyone. He moved closer to the bed, and wondered if he should try to wake her. He whispered her name, "Hannah."
Her eyes flickered but there was no response, he couldn't bear it any longer and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, "Hannah, wake up. You're having a nightmare." The gentle shaking aroused her, and her eyes opened. Seeing the strange figure squatting over her bed, she immediately thrashed out at him. Logan grabbed both of her wrists, and brought his face inches from hers, "It's me, Logan."
Not understanding the disturbance, she was angry, "Why are you in my room?"
Logan was a little put off by her lack of appreciation, and In his flippant way he responded, "Well, I was passing by and figured I couldn't get any action tonight, might try something a little closer to home."
This made her even more mad and she started fighting him, "I can scream you know."
"I'm sure you can. Don't worry, I wouldn't touch one pretty little hair on your head. You're not my type." She looked at him, not really surprised by this remark, but she had to admit the words stung. She began to relax and he let go of her wrists. He turned towards the door, deciding to make a quick exit. He reached the door and turned back at her, "You were having a nightmare. I heard you from the hall."
She felt bad, that she had been so rude, "I'm sorry. I have them a lot."
"Hey, don't explain. I don't need to know your life story. Just didn't like seeing you in distress." He was nearly out the door.
"Logan."
He turned slowly. "What?"
"I guess we're even now."
"Even?"
"Me being in your room...you being here...uninvited." She tried to make light of it, but he was a tough one. Did he ever even smile?
"Right, even." he said nonchalantly, and closed the door behind him. Hannah sat in the darkness clutching her pillow tightly. What was it about him? Why did he seem nice one minute and the next he acted as if he hated her. Her experience with men was pretty much non existence. A relationship would only have spoiled her career as far as her parents had been concerned. But she was pretty sure most men weren't like Logan. She couldn't help be curious. He was bitter about a lot of things, just like she was. She needed an ally here and he seemed to be the only one that she trusted. She wanted to talk about the things she was feeling, the nightmares, what had happened in London and most importantly the things in her head, that kept recurring lately. She didn't think Logan would think she was crazy. But they were off to a bad start.
She removed her headphones, and fluffed up her pillow, lying back. She had to make an effort to be nice. He had cared enough to awake her from the nightmare, that said something. But something else fogged her mind. Somebody else had been here tonight, in her room. Or was it part of the dream. She was a bit confused about what was real and what was part of the nightmare. It couldn't have been real. Stupid to even think about it. She closed her eyes, and put it out of her mind, at least for tonight.
"
The last thing she wanted to do was go to bed. The jet lag had effected her but it was more than that. She was having nightmares about what had transpired a few nights ago, the amount of blood that was shed. The last thing she had seen as Logan had carried her outside was her father's body lying limp on the staircase. Logan had tried to shield her face, but she pushed his hand away. She wasn't sad. She hadn't cried. She had sat stunned as the van had sped away from the house she had called home. She never questioned these strangers taking her away, they had explained that she was in danger. But she didn't care. She didn't speak one word the whole flight to New York. She had let them take control of her life, just like others had taken control of her life in London.
As she left the conservatory she noticed a light coming from down the hall, and the faint sound of laughter. Part of her was curious and she headed towards the sound and the open door. She stood back, not wanting to be seen. She recognized the one called Storm, with the white hair...and then the man with the glasses, was it Cyclops...and Jean, the doctor who had examined her ankle in the van. The one that Logan had continued to eye when she wasn't looking. She was envious of their laughter, she couldn't even remember laughing about anything with anyone.
Ororo was the one that noticed the figure standing in the doorway, and once spotted Hannah tried to back away, but Ororo came towards her, "Hannah, come on in. We're just playing Scrabble and Scott is whipping our asses." Hoping for a reaction from Hannah, she got none, "We were enjoying your playing, it's really incredible."
"Thank-you." Hannah responded politely.
"I guess you hear that all the time."
She nodded. Her eyes focused on the London Times sitting on a side table, and the headline shocked her, YOUNG PIANIST MISSING, SUSPECTED KIDNAPPING. She pushed past Ororo and picked up the paper, the whole story absorbed in seconds, she turned to the others.
"They think I've been kidnapped, is that what my godfather wants them to think?" Hannah's voice became agitated. "Those men, who are they? What do they want from me?" They all exchanged glances. It was the first time they had seen her show any kind of emotion.
Jean stood up and moved over to her, placing a comforting hand on her arm, "You need to trust the Professor's judgment. He only wants whats best for you."
Hannah pulled her arm away from Jean's grasp, "I want to see him. I think I have a right to see him." Hannah was convinced anything these people were about to say to her would all be lies, Charles Xavier included.
Jean looked over at Scott hoping he could come up with some reason why she couldn't.
He hesitated, "Hannah, he hasn't been feeling well. But the doctors say he should be fine in a few days. So I hate to say this, but you're stuck with us until then."
Jean couldn't believe the ridiculous story, but she watched curiously as Hannah took this information in and a calm came over her.
Hannah knew only to well, that the best thing was to let them believe she was fine. That she believed that ridiculous story. She shouldn't have been so easily flustered, showing emotions to these strangers. She knew the plot so well by now....Keep Hannah happy, keep Hannah safe, Keep Hannah calm. She forced a half smile, "I'm sorry, I'm tired. I didn't mean to snap, I think I'll just go to my room and listen to some music."
There was a pile of fashion magazines on the table and she ran her hand over them....pg 141, HOW TO GET THE GUY OF YOUR DREAMS....1.FLIRT 2. BE CONFIDENT 3. TRY A NEW LOOK....ETC. She closed her eyes tightly, why did that keep happening. She did it again, PG. 97 JEANS GO WITH EVERYTHING...pictures of models in jeans posing in all sorts of settings popped into her head. When she opened her eyes, she noticed their stares.
"You sure you don't need anything?." Ororo offered.
She hesitated and then touched the cover of the magazine again, the different ads showing fashionable women were very appealing to her. "I need clothes. I'd like to go shopping. Maybe tomorrow?"
Ororo wanted to oblige but knew the professor was adamant of her staying on the estate for the time being. "I"m afraid the professor doesn't want you to leave the estate just yet, but I don't see why I couldn't pick up a few things for you, just tell me your size."
Hannah was used to this kind of treatment. But she thought there was the possibility of her being allowed to do something normal for a change. Why should it be any different here. "I want a pair of jeans. I've never owned a pair." Hannah not only hadn't ever owned a pair of jeans, she had rarely worn trousers. There were those rare occasions she was allowed to ride a horse, and of course she wore riding trousers then. Her parents were always so concerned that she would harm herself, and possibly injure her hands. She looked down at her hands, wiggling her fingers, and then thought of Logan...the claws. She rubbed her left hand over the back of her right hand. She looked back up at the others, "Has Logan returned?"
Jean had noticed the gesture of her hands and now she was asking where he was. This seemed a bit odd to her, "I doubt he'll be back tonight. He often stays in town"
"With his girlfriend? The one in the photograph?"
Jean didn't want to appear upset, but this innocent question meant only one thing, Hannah had been in Logan's bedroom. Scott noticed some tenseness in Jean, and wondered what that was all about.
"We don't know who she is. Logan is really private, keeps to himself. You know, Hannah, you really shouldn't mix with him. He's not the kind of guy you're probably used to. Rough around the edges, bad temper, likes to drink, smoke, carouse, you get the picture?'
Hannah didn't like this guy at all. What did he know about the kind of guys she was used to? Logan had been honest with her, she knew exactly where she stood with him. Unlike these others who acted like they were stepping over eggshells trying to talk to her.
"I'll remember that, Scott. Thanks." She turned to Storm, "And thank you for offering to go shopping for me. I really appreciate it." That was the one thing Hannah could do....she could thank people, she could sound sincere. She'd had plenty of experience at it. "You've all been so kind." She then turned and headed down the hall. She was relieved to get out of there.
Ororo was a little bit upset with Scott's comments about Logan, "I really don't think you should be telling her things like that."
"Well, they're true. The guy is a dick. I was just trying to say it in a nice way." He put his arm around Jean, "I'm about ready to call it a night, how about you?"
"you go on ahead, I'll be along in a minute."
He gave her a kiss, "Don't be long."
After he left Ororo watched her best friends' mood change, "I don't believe it."
"What?"
"You are jealous of her. That Logan is paying attention to her." Ororo found it rather amusing. Jean had been the object of Logan's affections for quite some time now.
"I am not. Look, I told him to back off in London. You know that. I love Scott."
"You can't fool me, Jean Grey, you love Scott, but you don't want anyone else to have Logan."
"She's hardly his type."
"What is Logan's type? " she smiled at Jean.
"Well, for one thing, he despises classical music. And she's so prim and proper. She's a spoiled brat." she headed to the window looking out onto the front drive, wondering if Logan would return tonight, or had he found someone else. And what of the professor's goddaughter. What was her game? She hated she was feeling this rage of jealousy building up inside her.
"Well, well, well, your true colors are coming out tonight, Jean Grey, and they seem to be in different shades of green."
"That is ridiculous." Jean wanted to change the subject, she turned back to Ororo, "I really wanted to hear what you really think of the professor keeping his distance from her?"
"Okay, you don't want to talk Logan, I get it." Ororo smiled, then turned serious thinking about the professors attitude earlier, "I don't know, the professor was acting weird. But I sure hope he doesn't keep this game up, because there is only so much we can say to her. She must have a hell of a lot of questions. And the weirdest thing is, she hasn't shown any grief for the death of her father."
"I think she's still in shock, possibly blocked the whole event out of her mind. She's been through a lot in the past few days."
"Now you sound like you feel sorry for her, when 2 seconds ago you called her a spoiled brat. Jean, make up your mind."
"Well, I think she is spoiled. She's had everything she ever wanted, people bowed and scrapped to her, but it's all she's ever known." Jean scanned the cover of the newspaper with the publicity photo of her smack dab in the center larger than life. "I can't really blame her for that. Her family has played a major part in that...and the professor...I am just so curious about his connection to her. I've never seen him behave like this. He's always so warm. I thought when she arrived he'd be overjoyed to see her. But it's just put him in a funk"
"I suppose he feels to blame for what's happened to her. And I don't think that mind block is working. Did you see her when she touched those magazines? Something happened."
"Well, the mindblock can't take away her powers...it only takes away who she was, and what she remembers of her past. I assume she has no recollection of her life before the mutancy kicked in."
"She has to be frightened. With no one to talk to."
"Except Logan." Jean once again made a disgusted face.
"Oh, come on, Jean. Stop this. And really, I don't think you have anything to worry about, Logan wants nothing to do with her. He told me so earlier. Of course I think it's a mistake."
"Really? Why do you say that?" Jean was curious.
"She's an outsider too. She doesn't know about her past, they have more in common than you think. He could be the one to help her through this time, adjusting to her mutancy, but it doesn't look like that will be happening. For one thing, Logan has washed his hands of her, and the professor is putting off the inevitable."
"I'm going to talk to him in the morning. You're right, she needs to be told soon. It could just escalate and cause a lot of problems." She put Logan out of her mind and thought of Scott waiting in their room, "I think it's time to turn in."
Storm smiled, "Oh, yeah, loverboy is waiting. I just hope you made the right decision. Logan looks damn hot without a shirt on."
"You just wait, Ro, I've seen the way you look at Hank. I have no problem getting you back for all the grief you've caused me over this Logan fiasco." Ororo thought about Henry, otherwise known as the Beast. He was the sweetest smartest funniest mutant Ororo had ever met. They had become fast friends, and there was the possibility of a romance kindling, but the last thing she wanted was Jean to bud in.
"Okay, I'll back off. Although I just want you to know you are ruining all my fun."
Jean headed out the door, and gave her best friend a smile, "Goodnight, Ro. See you in the morning."
* * * * * *
Hannah fell asleep with the headphones on listening to Mahler's 1st symphony. Not the most relaxing, but it soothed her in her own way. She didn't hear her door open and the visitor enter.
It was nearing 2am when Logan waltzed down the hall of the staff's quarters. Even after a half a dozen beers, he wasn't drunk, because his healing factor always kicked in, sometimes he wondered why he drank, it really didn't serve any purpose. It was now just something he did, he tried not to think about it too much. He wasn't expecting to come home at all. Home. Was this what this was? Was he getting soft? Not one woman had enticed him tonight. Of course after Jean's little revelation in London, he thought he would be fine. He could deal with the rejection. But it wasn't as easy as he thought. A few doors down he knew Scott and Jean were sharing a bed, and once again he was alone.
He stopped abruptly a few yards away from Hannah's room. He could hear a voice, the amplified whisper stronger because of his enhanced senses, and it was odd her door was cracked slightly. Logan felt an urge to protect this young woman, and he was prepared to face the intruder full on. He went to the door, ready to swing it open, his claws extended, when he saw the figure by her bed.
It was Chuck. Logan retracted his blades and listened as the professor continued his conversation with the sleeping Hannah. Logan was extremely curious why he had chosen this time of night to have a conversation with his goddaughter. Especially a conversation she was unaware of even happening.
Charles looked at Hannah sleeping peacefully. Her headphones still perched on her head, but the music had finished. "Oh, Hannah, if I could have made things different I would have. I could have given you a life like my other students. I think you could've been happy here." He paused, "I will do anything in my power to make it up to you. I hope I am not too late. I think your mother would have wanted you here. It was only Alan Masterson that disapproved of our kind." His thoughts went back many years ago to Joanne Parkenson, Hannah's mother. Hannah's resemblance to her was uncanny. One of the reasons he hadn't been able to look at her. He gentle stroked Hannah's hair, "this is your home now, I am your family now. And we are going to get through this difficult time."
A shadow passed over the floor, coming from the hall. Charles looked up, turning his wheelchair. Logan immediately backed away and headed down to his room. Charles was out in the hallway just as Logan was turning the doorknob, he called out to him.
"Logan." Logan turned.
He was silent, Charles knew that he had overheard some of the conversation, "I was just making sure Hannah was settled in."
"Maybe next time, you might want to consider a more civil hour of the day. Hey, she might even be awake then, and you could have a two way conversation. Now that is a novel idea, wouldn't you say?" He said bitterly.
"I don't expect you to understand."
Logan was thinking he understood more than he wanted to. He had said he wanted to wash his hands of this girl, but things kept happening and he was finding it harder to do just that. He didn't want to get into a heated discussion with the professor at this ungodly hour, and turned the door handle, looking over at him, "Goodnight, professor. You should sleep well tonight, knowing she's comfortable, settled. What a relief, eh?" He then went inside his room, closing the door behind him.
Charles felt he had just taken a step forward and two steps back. Logan had been a challenge, but in the last few months, Logan was becoming part of the team in his own way. Now Logan seemed to be regressing to his old ways. The anger and bitterness returning full fold. And Charles was the target of these emotions. It would only cause more friction with the others and he needed to sort this problem out before it got worse. But first he needed to deal with Hannah. She was now he first priority. Tomorrow....he would take care of everything.. He headed towards the elevator that took him to his private chambers. Knowing full well, he would have another sleepless night.
Logan waited a few minutes before he headed back out into the hallway. The Professor was gone and Hannah's door was now fully closed. He went over the one sided conversation he had just witnessed and wondered what it all meant. He walked slowly to Hannah's door, and listened. it was quiet. He wasn't about to disturb her, he had had enough for tonight. The thought of his comfortable bed and soft pillow sounded so inviting right now. He started to walk back to his room, when he heard the sounds.
They weren't screams, but they were definitely disturbing mumblings coming from her room. He quickly moved back to her door, and quietly opened it. Hannah was thrashing about in the bed. The mumblings made no sense to him. But he was only to familiar with nightmares and restless nights. And didn't wish them on anyone. He moved closer to the bed, and wondered if he should try to wake her. He whispered her name, "Hannah."
Her eyes flickered but there was no response, he couldn't bear it any longer and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, "Hannah, wake up. You're having a nightmare." The gentle shaking aroused her, and her eyes opened. Seeing the strange figure squatting over her bed, she immediately thrashed out at him. Logan grabbed both of her wrists, and brought his face inches from hers, "It's me, Logan."
Not understanding the disturbance, she was angry, "Why are you in my room?"
Logan was a little put off by her lack of appreciation, and In his flippant way he responded, "Well, I was passing by and figured I couldn't get any action tonight, might try something a little closer to home."
This made her even more mad and she started fighting him, "I can scream you know."
"I'm sure you can. Don't worry, I wouldn't touch one pretty little hair on your head. You're not my type." She looked at him, not really surprised by this remark, but she had to admit the words stung. She began to relax and he let go of her wrists. He turned towards the door, deciding to make a quick exit. He reached the door and turned back at her, "You were having a nightmare. I heard you from the hall."
She felt bad, that she had been so rude, "I'm sorry. I have them a lot."
"Hey, don't explain. I don't need to know your life story. Just didn't like seeing you in distress." He was nearly out the door.
"Logan."
He turned slowly. "What?"
"I guess we're even now."
"Even?"
"Me being in your room...you being here...uninvited." She tried to make light of it, but he was a tough one. Did he ever even smile?
"Right, even." he said nonchalantly, and closed the door behind him. Hannah sat in the darkness clutching her pillow tightly. What was it about him? Why did he seem nice one minute and the next he acted as if he hated her. Her experience with men was pretty much non existence. A relationship would only have spoiled her career as far as her parents had been concerned. But she was pretty sure most men weren't like Logan. She couldn't help be curious. He was bitter about a lot of things, just like she was. She needed an ally here and he seemed to be the only one that she trusted. She wanted to talk about the things she was feeling, the nightmares, what had happened in London and most importantly the things in her head, that kept recurring lately. She didn't think Logan would think she was crazy. But they were off to a bad start.
She removed her headphones, and fluffed up her pillow, lying back. She had to make an effort to be nice. He had cared enough to awake her from the nightmare, that said something. But something else fogged her mind. Somebody else had been here tonight, in her room. Or was it part of the dream. She was a bit confused about what was real and what was part of the nightmare. It couldn't have been real. Stupid to even think about it. She closed her eyes, and put it out of her mind, at least for tonight.
"