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Chapter 5

It was dark in the mansion when Talyn wandered around.
She had been sleeping, but Erik was interrupting her dreams again, telling her once again that he wanted Leech. Dead or alive, it didn't even matter to him.
She had been protesting, telling him she couldn't get close to him, that he would kill her, but he trusted that she would figure it out. If she wanted she could kill him herself and spare herself a trip with a captured boy.

She smiled when she finally found the kitchen. She had woken up hungry and thirsty, she hadn't had a good drink in ages and definitely needed a beer.

She grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat down at the little island in the middle of the kitchen.
She sunk into her own thoughts, but was startled when Logan walked into the kitchen. She hadn't noticed him coming in.

"Hey kid," he growled low. He still sounded a little bit sleepy. "What ya doin' up at this time?"
"I can ask you the same," she said grumpy. She was rather sleeping right now.

He grabbed a beer from the fridge as well and sat down at the other side of the island. He drank it silently and just stared at some point past her.

Talyn took another gulp from her beer and stared at Logan absent-mindedly. She then noticed for the first time he was actually pretty muscular, now he was only wearing a white shirt. She suppressed a smile and tried not to look again, but glared once more. Muscular, nice dark hair, a little sharp around the edges, manly jaw line…
Damn, she couldn't think like this. If there was one thing she had promised herself was never to go through men-troubles again. She didn't even want to.

Logan hadn't noticed Talyn had been staring at him at just looked a bit drowsy.

Talyn yawned and Logan looked up distracted.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, not really having anything else to say.
"Nothing."
"Oh right." There was not much conversation in there.
"I'm gonna play some pool," Logan then said, his voice sounded hoarse.
"Oh," she smiled, "can I come?"
"Whatever."

He grabbed a few beers from the fridge and walked through the dark halls towards the game-room. She followed in his wake silently.

They barely said something when they started the game.
He was good at it, she sucked big time.
He laughed shortly when she completely missed a shot. "You ever done it before?"
She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "Nah, only a few times. Besides, it's four in the morning, I'm not at my best now."

He passed another beer to her and took another shot. When it was her turn again, he only snickered briefly.
"What?" she said irritated.
"You're not gonna hit any balls that way."
She grinned. "You know it better mister?"

He grinned as well and walked over to the side of the table she was standing.

"I can show ya," he growled while he walked behind her and wrapped his arms loosely around her. He was positioning the cue and pulled her body a little bit backwards, so she would stand in the right way.

She was a little taken back with his sudden movements towards her. She was used to men coming over her, but most of the time she barely knew those men. Logan was more like her, he stood closer to her as a person, and she didn't like it when people she knew were getting too close to her.
She wasn't a girl that would trust people, not soon. There had only been one person in her life that she had trusted completely and that was Erik, and even he was not the best choice to rely on.

When Logan touched her, she had startled a bit and her body froze for less than a second.
He didn't seem to notice, or just ignored it. He moved his hand lazily over her hand on the cue and gently pushed the cue down on the pool table, so she could take the shot. She could feel his chest pressing against her back, his muscles were tense and his breathing slow. He hold her a little longer than he was supposed to. A second more than necessary.
In that short moment, she could hear and feel his heart beating on a slow and relax pace, she could feel the hairs on his arm against hers, she could feel his tense muscles, and his smell that smelled like cheap bear and cigars, but not in a disturbing way.

She was sure he was sensing the same things about her. He would probably feel her faster heartbeat, the smell of coconut on her body, and maybe even the little tension in it.
He didn't say anything about it though.

"You can take the shot now," he said, suddenly, "don't push too hard."
She swallowed and shot, making a successful turn.
He stayed behind her and hold onto her arms for a second longer. She swallowed again.

Then he let go of her, walked around the table again and started polished his cue like nothing had happened. "That's how you do it," he said, and shortly looked up at her. His eyes were dark, but with a little twinkle.
She raised her eyebrows shortly. "That was instructive."
"I'm a good teacher," he said, while taking another shot.

Talyn slept long that next Saturday. She had been playing pool with Logan 'til six in the morning and afterwards it had felt like they somehow had connected over more than only the claws they shared.
She took a quick shower when she got up and brushed her long black hair, until it was smooth again. She could hear Logan stumbling around in the room next to hers.

After she picked up some food from the kitchen, she went outside and sat down on the grass at the side of the lake. The weather was beautiful today, a little but chilly, but the sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. She had always been more an outside person that an inside person, and always took the opportunity to enjoy some nice weather when she had the chance.

While she ate, she studied some of the other mutants that were outside. Some of them were playing around with their powers; a girl was growing flowers around the grass, Rogue's boyfriend – Bobby – was freezing things, another girl came outside by walking through the walls instead of using the door… Talyn smiled briefly and a short thought about her past life went through her mind.
She had met a lot of mutants, while she was in the Brotherhood. Most of them were abandoned, either by their parents or their beloved ones or either by society… it didn't matter, all of them had been full of anger. The people here were different, even though some of them had been abandoned as well, they seemed to be fairly happy living here, with fellow mutants, in peace.
Now she saw that it wasn't all black and white like Erik had told her.

"Hey Talyn."
Talyn looked behind her and saw Jean Grey standing there with a bright smile on her pretty face.
"Mind if I sit with you?"
"Oh, no, that's okay." Talyn moved over, even though there was plenty of room. Jean sat down next to her and they both stared at the water for a little while.
"Do you enjoy it here?" Jean asked, trying to make a little small talk.
Talyn took another bite from her sandwich. "Yeah I guess, it's okay."
"I'm still sorry about Jimmy," she said apologizing, "I hadn't thought about it. Else, I would have never let him close to you."
"Oh, I know," Talyn smiled, "that's okay. Luckily for me I heal pretty fast."

Jean smiled as well and stroke a hand through her red hair. "So, what do you wanna do while you're here? You know, we can make you a program to follow a few classes that might help you, or you can help me and the other teachers with their classes, maybe eventually be a teacher yourself…"
Talyn shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I don't know, I've never been to school or something, as far as I can remember… And I don't think I'll make that good of a teacher."

"Well, Logan teaches as well," Jean laughed, "if he can do it, you probably can do it better."
Talyn laughed. "There you got a point."
"Anyway," Jean continued, "I don't know how long you want to stay around, but you'll probably get bored when you've nothing to do."
"Yeah, sure about that," Talyn confirmed, "I guess I can follow a few classes, maybe help some of you guys with your classes…"
"Sounds like a plan. We can make a program for you, later on."

That sat at the edge of the lake for some more time, and talked to each other about their past, the school and everyone on it. Jean seemed to be a really nice person, and even though Talyn was always wary of other people, this Jean had something about her that had to make you trust her instantly.

"Hey Jean."
Talyn looked up when the low voice called the woman next to her. Logan was standing behind them, wearing old jeans and a leather jacket above it. He put a cigar in his mouth and took a drag.
Jean looked up as well.
"The professor wants to talk to you," he said. "Ya know, 'bout the school when he's away."
"Ah okay, I'm on my way." Jean stood up from the ground. "Did you talk to him already?"
"Yeah," Logan growled, "he's leaving this evening."
Jean took off and Logan plumped down next to Talyn on the grass, then took another drag from his cigar and blew the smoke to his side, so that it wouldn't get in her face.

"The professor is leaving?" Talyn asked curious.
"Yup."
"Why?"
Logan shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, business I guess, he doesn't say a lot 'bout it."
"Something with the Cure?"
"I think so, maybe the Brotherhood."
"Oh." She was silent for a short moment and thought about a few days ago, when she had just arrived here and Charles Xavier had asked her to help him with the troubles around the Cure and the Brotherhood.
"He's not mad at you kid," Logan looked at her sideways, "that you don't wanna talk to them."
She knew he was talking about Erik. The others in the Brotherhood. Her past.
"He can handle it himself. Charles' a big boy." Logan grinned.
"Who's gonna take care of everyone around?" Talyn had suddenly thought of the opportunities of a mansion without Xavier. He was the only one that could read her mind, even though it was only a little bit. Jean had told her she couldn't really read it. If Charles was gone, she could do her final favor to Erik. She could kill the boy, then leave the castle before Charles would return and go back to her old life. She could do whatever she wanted without Erik bothering her.
"Storm's in charge," Logan said. "Jean and I will help her a bit if necessary."

When she and Logan were walking to the dining hall that evening, for dinner, she was stopped by Storm, who asked her if they could talk for a short moment. Logan walked on as they both stepped into a small classroom.
"I think you've heard the professor will leave for a short time," Storm smiled, "I'll be in charge of the school as long as he'll be away."
Talyn nodded. "Yeah, I know, Logan told me about it."
"We only have one tiny problem now." The smile on Storm's face grew wider as she talked. "Now I'm in charge for a while, I have a lot to do. There's a school dance though, tomorrow evening, one of the biggest we ever had and everyone has been looking forward to it for ages."
Talyn cocked her eyebrows. What had that to do with Xavier leaving?
"We need a few of the older mutants around to keep an eye on the kids," Storm said, "you know how they can get with alcohol around."
Talyn grinned. She knew.

"I would keep an eye on them first, but tomorrow evening I'll have to go to a few kids homes, inviting them over to the mansion and take lessons here… So now we're a little short on supervisors." She winked when she said the word 'supervisors'.
Talyn smiled as she saw where this was going. "Oh, I don't know if I'm a good one for that," she grinned, "with alcohol around and stuff…"
"Oh that'll be fine!" Storm interrupted her, "besides, you're not the only one keeping an eye on them. Jean, Logan, Hank and Warren will be there too."
"I don't know… I don't think it's a good idea to…"
"Come on, you'll do me a huge favor!"

Talyn hesitated for a few seconds, but what the hell, she deserved a good party after all she's been through.
"Okay, fine," she said.
Storm squealed and pulled her in for a short hug. "Thank you so much!"

Charles Xavier had left the school after saying a short goodbye to the students during dinner. Talyn knew she had to do it, one of these days, while he was not around.
She had started to like the school though. Now she had to leave again, she couldn't stay there after she killed the boy, not when Xavier could read a little of her thoughts. Not when no one around the mansion would understand why she'd done it, that she owed Erik.
Not when no one would understand she wasn't actually a killer.

She sighed deeply and quickly fell into a long, but restless sleep.