Sorry for the delay, there's alot on my plate right now. I have a 20 page report due on Monday, I am working all weekend at a job that doesn't allow much freetime to write or do schoolwork, and top it off with me being sick all week...well, I hope you guys can understand. Anyway, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this story and I've had plenty of time to think about ideas. It's just a matter of finding the time to actually type it up and post it.

The Professor had returned after being gone for nearly two weeks. In all honesty, it made Logan feel a little uneasy having Xavier around again. After what had happened between him and Kitty, he really didn't enjoy the fact that there was a powerful telepath in the mansion whose primary concern was to make sure that things were going smoothly.

And it didn't take a mind reader to see that something was up between the two of them. Kitty hadn't spoken to Logan in days, or even been in the same room with him. He'd tried on a number of occasions to find an opportunity to pull her aside and talk to her, but she always managed to evade his attempts. If he waited in the front entrance after school, she would come in through the garage door. If he hung around in the kitchen after breakfast was being cleared, she would find an excuse to leave for school earlier than usual so he couldn't seize even a moment to talk to her.

Though it was breaking his heart, Logan tried to tell himself that maybe things would be better this way. He respected her decision and hoped it was for the best. At any rate, with the Professor back, she had begun eating again. Very sparingly of course; she always got the smallest amount of helpings possible and never ate all of what was on her plate, but at least she was coming to meals on a regular basis. She had also made a point of waking up in time for school so she could carpool with Jean or Scott. He knew he should be happy that she was putting a little more effort in school, but he had loved giving her rides in the morning. Plus, it had given him a reason to give his bike some exercise.

These acts of deliberately avoiding him were tearing him to pieces inside. He had lain sleeplessly in bed every night with his mind replaying what had transpired between them in his room. It had been so perfect for that one moment and then..."ugh". He rolled over on his side and looked at the clock. It was only five in the afternoon. He'd been trying to nap - more like trying a new technique to get through the day. Unfortunately, he wasn't the kind of person who slept alot. He preferred to be awake and aware of his surroundings. It sure gave his thoughts plenty of extra time to haunt him.

He couldn't shake the image of Kitty from his head- it was as if a picture of her that night was burned into his retinas. The lamplight's dull reflection off of her bare, long legs, the shimmer in her hair, the faint blush on her cheeks and the way her clear blue eyes burned into his as she came towards him, glistening lips slightly parted, so smooth when they touched his own...

"Logan? I've got a mission proposal if you feel up to it. Please report to my office." He sat straight up and nearly carved a new headpiece into his bed. God, he hated when Xavier did that. "Sorry, Logan. I always forget. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." Logan frowned in response. What the hell did Charles mean by that? Xavier really had a knack at making him feel completely unnerved. Logan stood up and hastily tried to keep his mind clear as he realized that he'd become semi-aroused by his thoughts about Kitty. In a way, it made him feel a little ashamed of himself.

The office looked the same as it had the last time Logan had come in. The Professor looked up as he crossed the threshold. "How are you, Logan?"

"What's this scoop, Charles? I want to cut straight to the chase. You know I like your missions." Professor Xavier smiled. "Alright, alright, I'm just accustomed to those trivial things that most people call manners." Logan responded with a grunt.

"Nick Fury has just contacted me and he wants to get in touch with you. It sounds to me like he has some new S.H.I.E.L.D. operations and I think you might be interested to hear what he has to say." Logan had tuned in attentively as soon as he'd heard the name. "Fury...I can't say I'm thrilled to hear that he has plans concerning me. What's the real deal?" Xavier shrugged. "I'm under the impression that there is no hostility or expectation against you. He simply wants to meet up and discuss some matters of a discreet nature." There was a pause. "He left me a time and address, just in case you gave in to his request. He even left a little gas money, in case you wanted to take your bike."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Now you've got my attention. Where and when, Charles?"

- - -

Kitty heard the rumbling engine and looked out of her window in time to see Logan speed down the road on his motorcycle. She sighed. He didn't even want her. She had given him the ultimate chance and he had denied her. She wasn't even good enough for a guy who hadn't gotten laid in...well, she didn't actually know how long and she wasn't about to start speculating. But she tried to convince herself that it had probably been a while. At least since he'd been here at the Institute...so at least two years.

And yet he had been looking at her with reproach these last few days, as if it was she who was in the wrong. It was infuriating; what right did he have to blame her for the tension between them? Hadn't he wanted her? Hadn't he been unable to keep his eyes off of her? Hadn't he thrown her away like a piece of trash? And now he was going off on his bike, he was probably going to disappear for a couple weeks, probably going to come back and act like he was so self-righteous and wise and like he knew what was good for everyone. She threw a pillow across the room, knocking over the books that were stacked precariously on top of her dresser.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door. "Hey, Kitty?" It was Rogue. "I heard a crash, you okay in there hun?" Kitty got up and opened it a crack. "Yeah, I just dropped my books. I'll be fine." She tried to shut the door, but Rogue grabbed the edge and held it open. "Let's go for a walk before dinner, just you and me. I wanna talk to you."

"Look, 'ah know what it's like." They were walking the outer perimeter of the Institute grounds. Kitty looked up skeptically at Rogue.

"Sure, I get it. You don't believe me. You don't think 'ah know how you feel. But every day 'ah look at Scott and jus' get a huge knot in my heart 'cause 'ah know Jean's got him wrapped around her finger and it's so hard, wanting someone and not being able to let them know." Kitty was tongue tied. Was it so obvious between her and Logan? She didn't even want him...did she? Rogue glanced at Kitty empathetically. "Aren't ya gonna say anything? At least tell me who it is..."

Kitty glanced nervously down at the ground. "Well, the truth- the truth is I... I like Lance." Rogue looked taken aback. "I mean, I always had a crush on him but lately I just can't keep my mind off of him. It's stupid." She felt confident with what she'd just made up. Rogue's expression showed her it had worked.

"Oh wow, 'ah was sure you liked...well no, Lance makes more sense. Well in that case, you're lucky 'cause 'ah think he likes you, too. Maybe you should just let him know how you feel." Rogue shrugged, obviously thrown by Kitty's convincing lie. The silence was threatening to lead to an awkward moment, but the dinner bell rang and both girls secretely felt relieved as they headed inside together.

At dinner, Kitty poked at her steamed vegetables and listened to the conversations around her. She could see Rogue down at the other end talking to Bobby and Kurt in low tones, and had the sinking feeling that it was about what she had "revealed" a little while ago. But Storm and the Professor were closer and their topic of conversation was a little more interesting to her.

"-don't know when he'll be back, could be up to a few months. I hope to hear from him."

"Where did he go, Charles?"

"He rode down to New York City. He's looking forward to playing some pool at his favorite bar. I guess everyone has something that makes them happy."

Kitty fumed silently and jabbed at a particuarly mushy carrot with her fork. So Logan was going to New York City and he'd be there for months? It was probably his "favorite bar" because it had his favorite whores. She could see it now; he'd get drunk and bring some dirty, wasted piece of ass to a motel room and they'd destroy the mattress. Kitty's self esteem fell through the seat of her chair. He'd sleep with a New York City slut but he wouldn't even touch her.

She excused herself and carried her plate into the kitchen, scraping the scraps into the garbage can. Then she made her way into the main entrance and picked up the phone, dialing the number she wanted and waiting for the other end to pick up. A click. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Lance? It's Kitty."

Two could play at this game.