Chapter 9--Home

"How can you see into my eyes
like open doors?
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb?
Without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there
And lead me back….
Home."

Evanescence—"Bring Me to Life"
Copyright 2003 Wind Up Entertainment, Inc.

The ride back to the mansion was quiet and full of promise. Brianna kept her arms wrapped securely around Logan's waist, resting her head on his back. He could almost feel her humming with contentment, and thought his heart would burst. She had seen into his soul, found the animal within, and wanted to be with him anyway. And she had laid bare her emotions, letting him into a place she fiercely protected from others. That kind of trust and openness was not something Logan was accustomed to. They were both balanced on the edge of something new and wonderful, and he'd be damned if he was going to let anything take Brianna away from him. Not this time, Logan thought with a savagery that surprised even him. His heart had been ripped from him before, and the tragedy was that he didn't even know whom he was mourning. He would not let that happen again.

"We're home," Brianna whispered sleepily as they passed through the heavy wrought iron gates of the school grounds. Logan thought that "home" had never had such a sweet sound to it. Moonlight bathed the looming stone mansion in soft blue, making it appear as an apparition in the late August night. A smile found its way to Logan's lips. Could the Wolverine really be this happy? As he and Brianna made their way to the front door, arms securely around each other, he thought wryly, It's about damn time.


We had just stepped into the main hall, looking around cautiously like two teenagers out after curfew, when we were assaulted by a demon, or so was my first impression. There was a peculiar BAMF sound over our heads, the stink of sulfur, and I found myself being shoved unceremoniously to the marble floor.

"Can't you use the door like the rest of us, Wagner?" Logan's voice was harsh, but completely without surprise.

"I'm very sorry, fraulein," a soft German voice said earnestly and then I was being helped to my feet by very strong blue hands which, instead of the mandatory five digits, had three. I rose and came face to face with the Devil himself. Glowing yellow eyes stood out in a face so indigo as to be almost black, and was that a TAIL?

"I know I shouldn't be surprised by ANYTHING around here," I said as I brushed myself off, "But who the hell are you?"

Logan rolled his eyes and groaned. Our companion drew himself up to full height and with a flourish announced, "I am Kurt Wagner, but in the Munich circus, I was known as the Incredible Nightcrawler!"

I grinned broadly at his obvious pride. Shaking his hand, I replied, "Guten Abend, Herr Wagner. I'm Brianna Hastings, but in the music industry, I am known as…. Vixen." I bowed ceremoniously. I heard Logan mutter, "God, don't encourage him…"

I liked Kurt Wagner immediately. His gentle soul and soft manner were very apparent, even to a non-empath. After explaining to Logan that he and "Cyclops" had been out talking to a Dr. McCoy, trying to convince him to "join the team", Kurt bid us a guten nacht and vanished in a puff of inky smoke. Wide eyed, I turned to Logan, who explained, "Teleporter."

"Ah."

We stood silently for a moment, suddenly unsure of what to do next. "Are you hungry?" we both blurted at the same time, then laughed, the awkwardness gone. Logan took my hand and said, "Let's raid the refrigerator."

"What was Kurt talking about?" I asked as we made our way through the cavernous halls.

As comfortable as I was with Logan and the others I had met, it struck me that there was so much I didn't know about Xavier's school.

Logan thought for a second. "I don't know how much I can tell you. This is all the Professor's project. I'm just along for the ride."

"Oh, don't give me that," I replied. "You'd give your life for this place, and these people."

Logan stopped short and gave me a hard look, making me acutely aware that I might have overstepped my bounds just a little bit. "It's not my fault," I said defensively, scowling back at him. "It's not like I WANT to know what's going on in that metal skull of yours."

"No, you're right." Logan's voice was soft. "It's just not something I'm used to admitting to anyone. But you…I want you to know everything. Why?" He turned and closed the small distance between us. His hand came up to brush a strand of hair off my forehead, looking so intently into my eyes that I thought my heart would stop. We both felt the electricity in the air, and knew that this was THE moment. Logan bent his head to mine and our first real kiss was one to shake the earth. Our lips melded together, each of us understanding that there was no second-guessing these feelings between us. I slid my arms up around Logan's shoulders and pressed my lips even harder against his, letting all my desire and longing flow through our minds. All of the sexual tension that had been building up between us was threatening to explode. Logan tore his lips from mine and stared down at me, utter lust and yearning making his hazel eyes flash silver. "My God, Bree," he said thickly.

My voice was equally rough. "What, you've never kissed an empath before?" I chided gently. I ran a hand around the smooth curve of his neck and twined my fingers in the abundant mass of luxurious hair at the back of his head. "It gets even better, you know." I ignored the uneasy feeling that was nagging my subconcious.


It took all of Logan's self control to keep from throwing Brianna over his shoulder and finding the nearest unoccupied room. He could feel the feral lust beginning to boil in his veins. He wanted her, badly, but his rational human mind told him that the bond they had was fragile and acting on purely animalistic hunger right now would destroy what they had already shared. With great effort and regret, he disentangled himself from Brianna's embrace, sensing that she had come to the same realization. They exchanged a long look, full of promise and passion. Soon.

Brianna whispered, with a smile, "I'm still hungry. What kind of date are you?"