The remainder of the trip was spent rather drowsily, and many students fell asleep. Heads heavily falling to rest on each other's shoulders, headphones blaring into un-aware ears. A few of the guys snored moderately near the back. Even Scott had dropped off to sleep, his limbs slackening, and resting his head back into the seat, not staying conscious long enough to feel Katie's head rest on his shoulder as the bus turned and shifted her position.

The bus rounded a sharp corner with a bounce, jolting some of the more half-asleep students back into wakefulness. Katie looked up blearily, half-awake. Looking around, she realized that she'd scooted over to the where the dividing armrests usually were (they'd moved them up to tend to her face), and was tightly curled up against Scott, head resting on his shoulder. Grinning to herself, she closed her eyes to go back to sleep without moving from her comfy position.

But before she did so, she looked up to observe Scott's slumbering face. On his face was an expression of complete peace, a small smile curving his lips from time to time. Katie couldn't help but sigh, grinning giddily. He was so adorable. She then snuggled closer, not wanting him to wake up before she could actually get away with falling back to sleep curled up so illegally close.

Scott, thankfully for Katie, did not stir for quite some time. He had not slept well lately, and the warm, close atmosphere of the bus was perfect for sending sleepy students or their teachers to sleep. But when he did, yawning and opening his eyes, he was more than surprised by the warm, soft form pressing itself against his side, head having slid down to rest against his chest. It was the closeness and pose of a lover, or at least a significant other, who had reason to be so trusting of the other's presence...

Scott's heart soared up and into his throat, choking away his gasp. He soon calmed down however, seeing that Katie didn't look as if she were about to wake up anytime soon. Cautiously, Scott placed a hand on Katie's head, sifting his fingers through her hair gently, letting his hand slide to stroke a pulse point just below her ear, enjoying the silken slide of her skin beneath his fingertips. He looked about him as inconspicuously as possible, trying to see if anyone was looking in their direction, only to find that almost everyone had fallen back to sleep with not so much as a stretch or a yawn.

Certain that he was safe; he gently ran his hand through her hair again, savoring the feeling. How often would he get a chance like this, with no one the wiser? It also furthered his certainty that whatever Nicole had said, Katie had no idea that he was Shade. If she knew, she'd hardly be this comfortable with him... rather; she'd probably avoid him like the plague. He froze again as she shifted, exhaling in relief as she settled back asleep. This definitely wasn't good for him.

Katie shifted in her sleep and Scott felt her bosom brush and push against his side before she settled again. Definitely not good for him at all... Katie sighed in her sleep, small hands reaching up to clutch at Scott's shirt, tickling the tense muscles beneath it. She pulled herself as close as humanly possible, nuzzling her face into Scott's chest, inhaling and exhaling loudly. He watched her, utterly amazed that she (asleep or not) could be so comfortable with him. Of course, she (hopefully) didn't have any idea why she shouldn't. But he knew, obviously, and it still amazed him. With another quick glance to make sure everyone else was still asleep, and let the hand that had been gently stroking her hair slide down, until he had his arm wrapped about her waist. She only snuggled closer, oblivious.

Scott sighed softly, a part of him scolded him for his slip in respect for student-teacher boundaries, but the other (the more dominant part) was enjoying her warmth. Scott failed to keep the smile off his face as drowsiness, as a result of Katie's comfy warm form clinging to him and the lulling purr of the bus engine, kicked in and his vision of the world slowly grew dark and fuzzy.

He yawned, and before he realized the inevitable, (and before he had the presence of mind to remove that incriminating arm) he'd fallen asleep.

- - -

Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Katie jerked awake, completely and totally confused. Something was vibrating in her pocket and sounding all too much like her alarm clock... wait a minute. Where was she and why was she so warm? What exactly was going on? Ignoring the irate beeping of her cell phone (which was what had woken her); Katie tried to concentrate her bleary, half-asleep mind on those pressing questions.

She tried to shift ever so slightly and found that she was somewhat trapped. She was pressed against something warm and soft, and something was loosely keeping her there. As her mind slowly became more aware that it was awake now, objects became clearer and more defined and she found that she was pressed against a completely and deeply asleep Scott. His head was tipped back and his mouth was open just a bit, he snored very lightly as his chest rose and fell with breath. His arm hung limply around her waist. He must have wrapped it around her waist in sleep, being attracted to the nearest source of heat and comfort. A part of her shivered pleasantly in response to his arm that kept her so close to him.

BZZZT! BZZZT! The phone continued to buzz at her, as though annoyed at being ignored (even though the fully adorable, very warm and sleeping Scott was some seven thousand times preferable). Groaning to herself, she eased it out of her pocket, and looked to see who was calling. Maybe if she hung up quietly she wouldn't wake up Scott? She looked at the number. Oh, damn. It was Nicole. What a hard choice...

Finally unable to avoid it any longer, Katie made a noise somewhere between a groan and a sigh of frustration, she shifted Scott's arm so that it went to where it belonged, (by his side and not around her). Then leaned away toward the window, and opening the flap of her violently vibrating phone to answer it. "Hello?" she inquired, soft enough as to not wake Scott, but loud enough so Nicole could hear her.

"Hey Katie" Nicole greeted, sounding raspy and very stuffed up.

"How're you doing?" Katie asked, still quiet. Scott had stirred briefly, but had settled back down. Maybe if the call was quick, she could manage to sneak over for another cuddle with him none the wiser?

"How dare you even ask me that question." Nicole commented, not sounding amused. Rather, she sounded hoarse and very sick.

Katie couldn't help but grin, "Sorry." she laughed, not sounding it at all, really. She heard a huff and the sounds of fabric shifting around on the other side followed by soft grumbles before Nicole actually decided to answer.

"Yes well, while you're all nice and comfy on a bus headed for Salem, here I am wallowing in my bed of sickness and disease, while Logan pops in periodically to annoy the hell out of me just for the thrill of it... Remember that when you're having fun." she grumbled, clearing her throat and coughing softly.

Katie couldn't help but giggle. How fun it must be, being sick AND alone in a huge mansion with Logan. "Oh but thinking of that would put a damper on everything." she baited, biting in a giggle when Nicole growled raspily.

"Yes, well that's my job, and if I'm not there to do it I'll do it in spirit."

Katie sighed theatrically. "Yes, it is your job. I'll do my best to think of you locked alone with Logan as I..." here she switched conversation topics. "Hey, guess who I've ended up sitting with? Since you had to go, and get sick and leave me alone and defenseless?"

Nicole groaned, "I'm bad at guessing gaaames... especially when I can't cheat and just read your mind. Damn long distances." she whined, not annoyingly mind you, but it was a whine none the less.

Katie rolled her eyes, grinning even more broadly.

Nicole sighed on her end of the phone, "Uhm... Pyro? If you are make sure you sit a good foot away from him, there's no telling what kind of diseases you may contract my just breathing near him." she ventured hopefully at first as though unsure of her natural guessing abilities, then plowing on powerfully her voice growing hoarser as she grew excited and she finally trailed off, hacking.

Katie rolled her eyes once again, glancing surreptitiously in Scott's direction. He remained contentedly asleep, though his mouth was closed now and he was breathing slowly and deeply. "Nope. Try again." she teased.

Nicole sighed, and Katie could just about picture her friend rolling her eyes, lying in bed all sick-like. "I don't know... someone attractive?" She offered, mental facilities not up to their usual capacity.

Katie, casting another glance in Scott's direction, grinned (though, as she was on the phone, Nicole couldn't tell). "Mmhm."

Ooh, can't you just tell me already..." Nicole began, before trailing off suddenly. "Wait a minute. Are you sitting with Scott??"

Katie was unable to suppress the rather girlish giggle that burst from her lips, "Maybe-" she sang.

She heard a rather loud outburst of frustration come from Nicole on the other side, "Oh, come off it Katie. I know that it's Scott now. 'Maybe'" she mocked in a girly voice. Well, as girly as a raspy sick person could make it without hacking uncontrollably (i.e. not very high and not very convincing). But that wasn't all Nicole had to say, "And you mean to tell me, that Scott's just sitting pretty next to you, and hasn't caught onto who you're talking about right now? You're sitting right next to each other after all."

"Well, I'm sure he would have caught on..."

"Would have?" Nicole interjected.

Katie trailed off, taking another glance at the peacefully sleeping Scott. "But he's sort of asleep right now. Like I was before you called and woke me up, loserface."

"So you and Scott are sleeping together now?"

Katie blushed, chancing another glance in the slumbering Scott's direction. Oh if only... "Well, if you want to look at it like that, fine. But it's a very poor joke." she chided, though she felt her cheeks burning as she stared determinedly out the window, though failing to watch the cars passing slowly by in the bad traffic and paying more attention to Scott's reflection more than anything.

Nicole snorted. "I wasn't joking. That's just a literal way to take it. "

"I know... but still. Its a little too close to anything I might be thinking of right now." Katie replied dryly, continuing to look at the reflection (but only so she'd know when to stop talking of course, or so she tried to tell herself).

"Pining away, are we?" Nicole asked.

Katie made a face into the window. "Only as much as you are. I wonder why Logan hasn't already staked out his side of the bed..."

Nicole laughed weezily, "Hmm... he might not have given the fact that my bed wouldn't fit him all by himself, never mind me too. His legs would hang off the end. Besides, he's got himself a good-sized bed, I doubt he would ever want to sleep anywhere else. I wouldn't if I were him, anyway." she replied, just by the tone of her voice, Katie could tell that Nicole had shrugged somewhere during her statement.

She smirked at her reflection, "Yes well, you'd be surprised at some of the things people do when they're madly in love." she hinted. Oh, it was so much fun to tease Nicole, especially when she was in a weakened state. She was less likely to say rather nasty things back, given the fact that her brain wasn't working properly.

Nicole groaned, and Katie could practically hear her debating hanging up. "You're not very nice."

Katie just chuckled at her friend. "You're the one who called me!"

Before Nicole could say anything else, Katie heard the door open in the background. "How sick can you really be if you have the energy to call someone?" She could dimly hear a rather put-out sounding Logan complain.

Katie was just barely capable of holding back her laughter as she heard them both preparing for an argument, feeling the tension stretch as though she stood in the room with them. "Very sick indeed. Sick of you coming in to check on me every 5 seconds! And since when is it your business whether I'm well enough to be concerned about the well being of my friend?" Katie heard Nicole snap, she could practically see Nicole's scowl just from the tone in her voice.

Katie distantly heard Logan huff in an annoyed fashion, his response was rather faint given the fact that he wasn't exactly talking directly into the phone. Katie would be rather worried if he were, that would most likely mean that he was within a rather unnervingly close proximity to her unwell friend. "Since you've been put under my jurisdiction, and since I'm now technically responsible if anything unpleasant were to befall you while talking on the phone." his response came lowly, apparently he was growling. He didn't sound happy.

Katie heard Nicole growl deep in her throat. Then again, she might have just been clearing her throat. It was hard to tell, given Nicole's raspyness. "Your jurisdiction, what am I, a sick person or a criminal, officer."

Katie, stifling a giggle, could hear the smirk in Logan's voice. "Well," He drawled, "You have been a rather bad girl..."

This time, Katie failed to muffle it. "Hahaha! What's next, him threatening to punish you? Really, if you're going to get all kinky on me, can you at least do it so I don't hear? I'm gonna be scarred for life or something..."

"Katie!" Nicole squealed, her voice breaking rather roughly from it's rasp into a loud squeak. She spluttered afterward, seeming to either choke on her words with embarrassment or because of a cough attack. Katie shrugged, forgetting that Nicole couldn't see her. "Well, you two are rather obvious; I wouldn't be surprised if you're both humping like rabbits when you're well enough. By the way, I wouldn't doubt if you start feeling better in a matter of 24ish hours." she commented dryly.

Logan was asking what Katie was saying because Nicole was 'shush'-ing him, apparently trying to hear what Katie was saying.

"You're turning beet red." she heard Logan state stubbornly, "I swear, I'll cut the cord if Katie's inappropriate comments are bothering you that much, that shade of red can't possibly be healthy for you right now.."

Katie burst out into laughter again, also at her friend's expense. "Logan showing actual concern for your health and well being? Or is it just that if you kick the bucket, he'll have to explain that you died while he was responsible for you? Or maybe it's actual caring…? Love works in mysterious ways..." She had the feeling that if Nicole had been able to kick her, she would have, and very hard at that.

Katie heard Nicole go on, she had most likely chosen to not respond to Katie's comment, "Chill, given the fact that you're what, 45? 50? You might just burst an artery or something at your old age, and if you do, I'm not about to mop you up." Nicole declared blandly, "Besides, if you die, who will be here to take care of me? Unfortunately, I need you."

Katie giggled, then giggled still more loudly when she heard Logan quite clearly burst, "Oh, old am I? Well, we'll see how you feel about that once this 'old' man really doesn't feel like taking care of you any more." he threatened.

Katie heard Nicole begin to retort suddenly, slightly confusingly since Katie couldn't actually see what was going on. "No- don't!" The dial tone blared in Katie's ear.

Katie sat there, eyeing the dead connection, laughing to herself. Oh, Nicole and Logan... what a pair. She'd be quite surprised to find the school still standing when they got back if things continued at that rate. Hopefully the mutual sexual attraction would keep them occupied and out of trouble?

Looking around, she realized that the bus had left the highway, and was now nearing an inviting-looking hotel. "Maybe we're here already?" She commented to herself, mildly puzzled and entirely distracted from her contemplation of Nicole's "field trip".

"Seems like it." Scott replied, his voice was quite close to her ear, close enough to bathe both it and her neck in warmth. Katie jumped slightly, alarmed at the very close Scott, who appeared to be leaning over her in an attempt to get a good look at the hotel. After a moment's observation, he came to a conclusion. "Yes, that's it, one of the Hilton Branches. It was the only hotel in the area that was willing to let a whole school full of mutants reside in it."

"I wonder why the others were so reluctant..." Katie commented, enjoying the feeling of having him so close. He was still leaning over her, breath on the back of her neck, making her shiver in enjoyment. Oh, sitting next to him definitely had it's perks!

Scott chuckled at her comment, it sounded even better when heard from so close up (again, she shivered. He'd probably start thinking she had some sort of twitching problem, at this rate). "Well, having a 'headmaster' that is both rather wealthy, and an incredible telepath has its perks when we run out of options..." he laughed, never pulling back.

Their breath fogged up the glass; Scott reached over her and wiped it away so that they could see the hotel properly as it became larger and clearer as they neared. Katie's heart jumped up into her throat momentarily before settling back into its rightful place, though it was a lot more fluttery than a heart was meant to be. It acted more like a butterfly than a heart, but Katie didn't mind. Whatever side effect came about from Scott's nearness was worth it, as far as she was concerned.

Scott's own heart was not exactly calm either. He was much too close right now; close enough to smell her hair. Why did he need to invent these situations, just as an excuse to touch her? Shouldn't he be mature enough to simply stay away? Why bother? one of those icky back-of-the-mind voices piped up. You know you'll give in eventually. Why not sooner rather than later? Save yourself the pain... He ignored it, staying where he was, arm looped around her to continue unfogging the glass.

When he pulled his arm away, finally finished de-fogging the glass, Scott couldn't help but sigh in frustration when it simply fogged up again.

Katie laughed softly, drawing a comical smiley face in the fog. Scott chuckled, leaning over her once again to add to the masterpiece, adding a halo. Katie immediately drew horns underneath it, her finger squeaking slightly as her finger wiped the condensation away from the cool glass.

He chuckled again, and Katie grinned up at him, both enjoying the mutual cute moment immensely. Of course, to anyone else, their grinning ridiculously at each other, so close together, would have seemed some sort of dead giveaway. That is, if anyone paid them any attention, which they didn't.

Unfortunately for them, as the bus pulled into the parking lot. Katie blushed and looked away, twirling a lock of hair about her finger, as he got up (more reluctantly than he made apparent) and made his way to the front. It was his job, as teacher/adult, to check in and pick up the room keys, ect, for his busload of children.

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Coke- Really sorry about how long its taking! Just bear with us, please. We have stuff written, its just our shedules getting in the way. So please, please be patient!