The door to the War Room swished open and I stepped inside, a collective sigh passed between all of us. Professor X, Storm and Hank sat at the table, already looking over the preexisting blue prints for the school. Uncle Logan stood at the disabled monitors, his expression more troubled than ever.

Ro looked up and gave a tired smile as I took the empty seat Between Hank and herself. "Are they all down?"

Nodded I ran a hand through my short brown hair and meet her blue eyes. "Yes, it'll be cramped for the time being but Scott, Even, Kirk and Bobby are camped out in the hanger, and Rogue, Kitty and Jean are in the medical bay." Turning my attention towards the professor I smiled. "The private room next to the hanger has been prepared for you Professor."

He paused meeting steady gazes from us all before giving a soft smile and nodding. "Thank you Tessa, that was very thoughtful and seeing as no one here will allow me to object, I accept. Do the four of you intend to move colts in here?" His tone stressed over our current living situation.

Logan moved from the console and took an empty seat next to Hank before speaking. "Don't worry about us Chuck, we'll survive."

He meet Logan's steady eyes and nodded. "Of that I have no doubt old friend."

Hank sat down the blue print he'd been examining and directed his attention to Storm. "There is one thing that I don't understand." We all turned our attention to him. "How did you and Mystique plan such a detailed rescue?"

Logan cracked his knuckles. "Ah've been wondering that one myself."

Ro smiled and meet his gaze. "Without an old associate of ours Logan, we wouldn't have. Nick Fury approached us and delivered the tablet that housed your location and maps."

Logan growled and I cringed knowing his reaction was coming. "Fury! Should have known his hands would be in this somehow."

Charles allowed his outburst and then rested a hand on his shoulder. "Logan claim yourself. At least his involvement played out in our favor."

I watched as my uncle brushed off the professor's hand and turned to face him. "Everything with Fury has a price Chuck, no exceptions." He turned back to Storm. "What did the jerk want this time?"

She shook her head and sighed. "Nothing, or at least he didn't ask for anything in return. He simply stated that he had his own reasons for helping."

That's when his eyes cut to me and he pinched his nose, chuckling. "Yeah, I bet he does."

Angry, I leaned towards him. "Don't go there Logan."

Our eyes locked and he smirked. "Why not? There's no other reason Ah've got to explain why Fury stuck his neck out."

Hank rested a hand over mine and turned his attention towards Logan. "What are you implying Logan?"

He chuckled again and meet Hank's eyes. "Ah'm not implying nothin', its fact. Fury's just wantin' ta repeat old history."

The professor cleared his throat. "Perhaps the details of this matter are best kept private."

Logan huffed and stood moving back to stand against the console he'd been staring at when I'd entered, and I sighed. "No Professor, it's alright, there shouldn't be secrets like this between the five of us."

The attention fell to me as Logan turned back and stared. "Nick Fury was my lover for most of two years nearly a decade ago. We'd met while in Rome, I'd been hired to complete a job and he got in my way. After that, Nick took me on as one of his sleeper agents, and I worked off the books for him alone."

Hank had been watching me closely and sighed adjusting in his chair. "I knew you had a shaded past but I never would have guessed."

Smirking, I lowered my eyes to the tabletop. "At that point in my life I lived for a challenge and the bigger the fight the better." My eyes moved to meet Logan's. "Guess it runs in the family."

Storm laughed and touched my hand. "Yes we have all seen the resemblance."

Nodding I caught Logan's smirk out of the corner of my eye and I sighed. "Well I am a Creed after all. Anyway, I worked for Nick for roughly two years, and in that time we grew very close. I was reporting to him directly and always off of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar, which meant we met at hotels more often than not. We became accustomed to seeing each other in that setting and quickly became more."

Storm hand still held mine and she gave a gentle squeeze. "When did it change?"

I met her eyes and sighed again. "Near our two year mark. We'd been together for two days and he believed me asleep when a call came through. I overheard him giving commands that affected Logan's personal life and ordering my father brought in. While he took a shower I hacked his computer and saw that he had been collecting data on and about the both of them. S.H.I.E.L.D. had plans to use both of them as weapons against another power and I confronted him."

I met the professor's eyes, his gaze steady. "I walked away from him that very night, swearing I'd never have anything else to do with him and a few weeks later I met you, Professor. Accepting your offer to teach and live here was the smartest move I've ever made."

He rubbed his chin and smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way Tessa. I've always believed it was a smart play on my part as well."

Logan retook his seat and I met his eyes. "Well, Ah know of a decision ya need to make. Fury's been at the front gate for the past twenty minutes. Ya gonna go kick him out or do ya want me to do it?"

The other's attention moved to Logan and he shrugged. "What? We still have the base security running and believe what y'all will but once in a while I can have a cool head."

Laughter broke out between us and I stood meeting their gazes. "I'll go thank him and then as you so well put it, I'll 'kick him out'."

The rest minus the professor stood as well and began pushing their chairs in. Hank's yawn drew my attention to him, his slight embarrassment showing through his blue skin. "We'll set up a colt for you my dear."

Nodding I smiled and then moved towards the door. "If I'm not back in ten come help me bury the body."

As I entered the hallway I could hear Logan's claws slide from his hands and then Ro's disapproving voice and I smirked. "Logan put those things away and help me move this table."

~Outside~

Nick moved into sight and leaned against the already open gate as I reached him, amusement in his eyes. "I half expected Logan and a death threat. You are a nicer surprise though."

Smirking I stopped just before him. "If we weren't all worn out from the past few days I might not have been able to stop him."

He stepped closer and smiled. "So…you do still care?"

I looked into to his eyes and realized there was a reason I'd fallen for this man, my heart racing. "Just as you do or you wouldn't have bothered to help Storm."

His hand reached and brushed a section of hair from my face. "It wasn't much but…"

I took hold of his hand and lowered it but didn't release it just yet. "But I'm thankful none the less. You saved not only me and Logan but several others."

He leaned forward and held my chin between his forefinger and thumb of his free hand. "I've missed you Tessa." The distance between us closed as he pressed a sweet kiss to my lips and for a moment I returned it, even though my heart yearned for another.

Pulling away I met his eyes and he smiled leaning in to kiss me again. Only my hand stopping him. "You should go Nick, before Logan gets impatient and comes to see what's taking me so long to kick your sorry butt out."

He straightened and smirked. "Is that you're gentle way of telling me it won't happen again?"

Smiling I met his stare. "No, you just let yourself down for me."

He nodded and I turned closing the gate between us and I waved over my shoulder, walking back towards the ruined school. "Goodnight Nick."

I'd made it a few dozen feet when his voice reached me. "McCoy's a good man."

Turning I stared back to him. "I know."

He nodded and bit down on a new tooth pick before climbing into his S.U.V. and driving off as I continued walking back towards the school.

~Inside~

I'd just turned the corner to head back to the War Room when motion in Hank's lab caught my attention. Turning into the doorway I could see Hank busing himself with blankets and pillows, throwing them on the floor so I knocked my knuckles against his doorway, catching his attention. "Oh, Tessa. I didn't hear you come back in."

I smiled and stepped farther into his work space. "Another family trait that drives all of you crazy. I thought we were all sleeping in the War Room?"

His eyes softened and moved back to his plait before meeting mine again. "We miss counted I'm afraid. One of the cots has a sizeable tear. I'll be sleeping in here tonight, and yes, Logan and Ororo have already put up the same arguments that you were about to try."

I sighed and looked to where he had decided to sleep with a frown until his voice caught my attention again. "How did things go with Fury?"

Meeting his eyes I smiled. "Sometimes Logan acts as more of a father than uncle when it comes to me. Nick did tell me that he missed our time together."

Hank's eyes fell and my heart raced for the second time in an hour. In that moment I made a decision that had been plaguing me for weeks. And I watched with sad eyes as he turned towards his make shift bed again. "Well I imagine that he would my dear. Do you feel the same?"

Turned from me now his shoulders slumped and his voice held an emotional edge. "A few months ago I might have felt something more."

He nodded and I continued. "A man like Nick does bring a lot to the table for a girl. He's handsome, well educated, confident, experienced, loyal, and passionate."

I'd watched Hank's body language with every word and could see the effect it was having on his pride. He didn't even turn back to me as he spoke. "I'm sure he does my dear."

I knew it was now or never. "But there's one thing that he isn't…blue."

Hank froze and I could almost feel the emotion in his eyes without seeing them. "Well my dear, not all men can be blue."

I reached and touched his shoulder, turning him to face me. "They can't all be you Hank. I've struggled with my feelings for you the past few weeks, knowing you needed time to deal with your own problems. I can't go any longer without saying it. I love you Henry McCoy."

His eyes widened and I could see that his mind and heart were racing just as much as my own. He took my hand from his shoulder and gave a nervous smile as he held it in his hand. "Tessa I hardly think that Logan would approve of any romantic entanglement between us."

Stepping closer I met his eyes. "He already knows how I feel about you. He called me on it just a few days ago but I wouldn't do anything about it. I have a feeling that's why Nick's appearance bothered him so greatly tonight."

His eyes lost some of their shine and he again broke our eye contact, removing his hand from mine as well. "Was his visit a component of your decision to tell me?"

I stared at him, my heart breaking as he continued to look so defeated. "I won't lie to you Hank. Nick kissed me, I allowed it but I truly wished from that moment and ever since that it had been you. He is my past and not all of it was bad. I'm hoping that you will be my future."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes before turning towards me and straightening to his full height, only about an inch taller than me. "There is so much a man like Nick Fury can offer you that I couldn't even come close too anymore."

I meet his stare, my heart beating out of control and my mind racing at the thought that he was turning me away. "But you offer me things every day, just as my friend, that he has never been able too. I've never doubted that I had your friendship, even before you mutation took back over. You've granted me your trust, and your genuine affection. There is nothing besides your love that I could ever want."

His eyes softened as tears began to fall from my eyes, and I turned towards his door when it seemed as though he did not know what to say. "Goodnight Hank, I'll see you in the morning."

His hand caught mine as I reached his door and he turned me back to face him, a gentle but serious look on his handsome face. "I didn't think, it seldom crossed my mind after my mutation took back over that I'd ever have the chance to be loved."

My heart finally broke at his words and my eyes fell to the floor until his hand cupped my chin, our eyes meeting again. He smiled and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "Let me finish before you assume the worst. Do you remember when we first meet?"

I nodded and he led me back into his lab and we stood where we had been again. "Yes, more than a year ago when you removed that chip in Logan's head. Charles had called and asked you if you were willing to perform an operation."

He smiled and squeezed my hand. "We kept in touch and you began coming by the school to join me for lunch ever so often after that. Somewhere along the way of regular lunch date we became good friends, and I've harbored feeling for you ever since. I love you too Tessa."

Meeting his gaze I gasped and his smile widened. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

He shrugged, retrieving his hand and wrapping both of his arms around my waist. "You said it yourself, Logan does act as a father towards you at times, and after I'd moved in, I held a high regard for him and what he would approve of."

I smiled wrapping my arms around his shoulders and drawing closer. "And now?"

He sighed as our forehead came to rest together. "Now, I believe it may become just too painful to be without you. But are you sure my appearance won't bother you?"

Leaning back I studied him for a moment and his eyes saddened, but I couldn't allow that. "I wasn't describing just Nick, what part of handsome wasn't clear? Should I have used devilishly handsome instead?"

His eyes brightened and he spun me around before dipping me in his arms with a chuckle. "Oh my dear, you have yet to see just how devilish I can be."

Without another word he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine in a chase kiss. He pulled back and I smiled, staring into his eyes. "I sure hope that's not all you've got?"

He laughed and straightened our positions. "My dear, we may be at this all night."

He leaned close again and just before our lips could touch I whispered my response. "Promises, promises."

Passion erupted from us as our kisses grew longer and I didn't care who found us, or what they would say.

Sometime later I awoke to the lab door creaking open and I glanced up to see Logan standing in the dimly lit hallway, a serious expression on his face. Just as I had intended to raise from our make shift bed, Hank's arms tightened around me and I heard his soft growl in my ear.

Looking up towards Logan again I could see that his eyes were not locked upon mine but Hank's behind me and he nodded before meeting my gaze with a smile. "Bout time."

As he left and closed the door behind him I sighed and turned in Hank's arms, our legs intertwining as our eyes met. I kissed his softly and smirked. "Possessive already?"

His brow ridge lifted and he shrugged. "Complaining?"

Kissing him once more I settled against his shoulder and sighed. "No."

He kissed the top of my head and sighed as well. "Good, sweet dreams my dear." His voiced endearment was the last thing I knew before sleep overtook me again.