Warning: Not much in this chapter, save Logan's foul mouth.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Summary: Scott's sick, Logan's worried.

Okay. What with the stabbing then the collapse then the agonising healing – you'd think I'd have gotten used to waking up in pain. My face crinkled in discomfort. I didn't feel very well, not well at all... my whole body kind of ached, my head was killing me and there was a weird and somewhat temperamental feel about my lower stomach...

Was that me moaning just now?

Oh shit. I watched through my ruby mask as Logan gently returned to the land of the conscious. We were centre metres away, legs entwined and his arm thrown over my waist.

"Scott, you okay?" He said, his voice strained with tiredness. He inhaled, "Wait," He said, becoming more alert, "You smell hurt."

"I hate how you do that," I smiled. My voice sounded all weird and distorted; weak was the best description and I hated weak.

He sat up, worried now, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," I closed my eyes, the light coming from the gap in the curtains like a razor, fuelling my headache like a bush fire, "I think I've got a cold," I said rather pathetically.

The care and concern in his eyes almost brought me to tears. He looked so worried.

Shit; I was ill here, not premenstrual.

"Okay," He said, jumping up and pulling on some clothes, "I'm going to cancel all your classes today... don't move a muscle, Scott, I'll be back in a second."

I opened my eyes to see him leave, but I was too slow.

Shit. Scott was ill. He looked and smelt in pain, his normally delicious scent now tainted with discomfort. I was running down the hallway, making a beeline for Jean's bedroom. Scott wasn't going to be teaching today if I had anything to say about it, and Jean would sort it out with the students and the professor and everything.

It was about 8am, which meant –oh joy of joys- every student in the school seemed to be out in the hallways, having just got up and going to breakfast, meaning I got many an amused look, and also meaning that everyone, and I mean everyone, seemed to be in my way.

Fucking hell, could there be any more kids?

I finally reached Jean's door, having not run the whole way; I fact of which I was very proud of myself restraint, and knocked.

And knocked again.

I knocked a bit harder. Huh.

Just as I was about to punch the door down, a very scared Rogue walked past me. She half laughed, "I've just seen Jean down in the dining hall, Logan. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, okay?" I exclaimed, "Fuck! What's with the fucking third degree all of a sudden?"

Before she could answer I stormed off towards the dining hall, wondering why the hell Jean couldn't have stayed in bed an extra five minutes. Guilt hit me in the lift, once I had yelled at a bunch of young students to "Press the fucking button now or you're dead".

I rushed out, into the midst of possibly the most crowded room in the history of crowds and trying to see Jean. I was trying not to panic. I knew that sickliness was a natural occurrence, I knew that Scott wouldn't die while I was away, I knew he'd get better but... when you don't get sick, see, it seems really abnormal and it was taking all I had not to jump onto the table and yell out for the redhead who would at least comfort me a little, at least, and tell me it was going to be okay, then take care of all things technical while I spent the day with Scott.

Okay. I had Jean in my sight. I made a beeline right for her; she obviously sensed my distress and turned around with a terrified expression on, that quickly dissolved when she saw it was me.

"Jean," I growled, standing close while everyone else milled around sleepily.

"Logan, what is it?"

"Scott's sick. Sort it out. Bye," I turned around, but Jean grabbed my arm, keeping me where I didn't want to be.

"Logan," She almost chuckled. Her best friend, my Scott, was in pain upstairs and she was laughing, God, the nerve of some people – "You do know you're overreacting just a little bit... Everyone gets sick."

"Whatever," I shrugged my shoulder, trying for cool, dislodging her grasp, "Just tell Charles that we won't be teaching today."

"Umm," She sighed, "Logan, you know you're not ill, you still have to teach. It's like that time last month-"

"Yeah, yeah," I cut across her, not wanting to be reminded of that time.

"You still have to teach, I'm really sorry," Jean gave me a sympathetic look, "But you only have two classes today, so that's not too bad."

Not. Too. Bad. Not too bad? That was like, two hours away from Scott! She didn't get it, she didn't care-

"Logan, you know that's not true," She whispered.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Stay out of my head," I growled. There was a slight absence of chatter around us, and I was getting some attention. Just what I needed. Urgh. "I'll go to the fucking classes."

Jean gave me a small smile, "He'll be fine, you know. As I said, everyone gets sick, apart from you that is."

I turned to go, feeling marginally better.

"Give Scott my love," She called after me.

In... front... of... the... dining hall. Thanks for that, Jean, thanks a lot. Now they'd know why I was in a bad mood, like I needed anymore pitying, fangirl side ways glances.

I stomped all the way back to the lift, pressing the button violently when Rogue slipped through the doors.

"Okay," She grinned before I could say anything, "I know that it's probably dangerous to be in a confined space with you at the moment, but what gives?" She asked me, "You were really harsh this morning."

Oh guilt, I hate guilt. How did I explain this to her without her going 'aww' at the end? "Well, I'm sorry. There's been a problem this morning, I guess I got a little stressed and... um, overreacted a bit..." There, that was a fantastic apology! I leant against the wall, closing my eyes and realising how tired I was suddenly.

"Something... to do with Scott?" Rogue grinned at me expectantly.

"Don't you have class or breakfast or something?"

"Don't avoid the question."

"Scott's ill," I answered in a drastically more pathetic and moping sort of way than I would have preferred.

"Aww," Rogue beamed, "Logan, you can be so cute sometimes."

"Cute?" I looked at her incredulously as the doors pinged open. She bounced out.

"Can I come and see how he is, wish him better and stuff?" She asked.

"Cute?"

"I'm taking that as a yes then," She turned the corner after me and waited for me to open out door and walk in to the sound of coughing. I scanned the room for Scott, a wave of panic breaking over me when my mind registered he was absent.

Then the somewhat brighter side of my brain registered that the bathroom door was open, and that was where the sounds were emanating from. I rushed inside the small bathroom to see my Scott over the toilet, dry heaving.

He'd pulled on some boxer briefs which was good in present company compared to his birthday suit (however much I liked seeing him and just him, Rogue would probably go into cardiac arrest). I bent down, worry clawing at every inch of me, hand on his back while he coughed a little more.

"Rouge there's a glass on the bedside table, get some water?" I muttered, my eyes not leaving Scott.

She looked like she might have been about to say something but seemed a bit freaked out by my ominous serious voice (well thanks, I do try) and shut up and got the water, which I offered to Scott.

Scott himself had leaned back from the seat, his stomach seeming to have settled. "I'm fine..." He lied, his voice cracked and weak.

Ignoring the fact that Rogue was standing there, I held him in a strong embrace, working soothing circles on his back. I glanced up at Rogue and said meaningfully, "Don't you have class?"

"Um, yes," She babbled, "I just wanted to say, um, feel better soon, Scott." And with that, she was out of our room and a flash.

Scott's skin was burning hot, making my fingers tingle. I was scared.

I'd never had to battle sickness, I didn't know if this was bad or normal, it was an unknown enemy and I wanted it gone. "Come on," I whispered into his ear, helping him up slowly, gently to the bed and laying him down, pulling the sheets up over his all too tempting body.

"I've told Jean, and she's going to sort out your classes," I said softly, absentmindedly brushing the hair out of his face. "You're on permanent bed rest until I say so, you hear me?" I smiled down at him.

He was the most beautiful thing in my life, even when he was like this and all flushed and sweaty.

Actually, when he's all flushed and sweaty, he's usually-

Okay, focus. The point is; I love him.

And at that moment, I couldn't think of anything I wanted to do less than to have to leave him, but if I wanted to keep my job (yeah right, like they'd ever fire me) and didn't want an earful from both Charles and Jean (that was more like the reason) I was being forced to go.

Was he okay on his own?

What would happen if he needed me and I wasn't here? I'd be down in the danger room, unable to help, with a load of kids who would no doubt annoy the crap out of me.

Life's a bitch.

Actually; Life brought me to Scott, so maybe not so bitchy after all. Then again, it made him ill. Okay, back to bitch. I hated it when Scott was in pain – and there seemed to be quite a lot of that lately. Lets just say it hasn't been the easiest month, for both of us.

Scott moaned in pain, drifting in and out of consciousness. Oh god.

That's it, I was staying here. Screw Jean, the kids could cope without me for one lesson, right? Had I ever once pulled a sickie? No. Mainly because no one would believe me if I tried, but still – I had a perfect attendance record, which was something unusual for me; I'd never had a perfect record of anything. One day wouldn't hurt.

Plus, I really wanted to be with Scott.

"... Logan..."

Yep, that made up my mind. I was staying put, and would do so until forcefully removed.

And even then, I'd still put up a hell of a fight.

"So, do you think he'll actually make the lesson?" Kitty asked me in full gossip mode as soon as I re-entered the hall.

"I don't know," I hissed back, "Scott seemed pretty sick when I was up there, it isn't like a cold, and Logan seemed really worried," I supplied all information I had on the subject diligently, as Kitty and Jubilee 'aww'ed. "Yeah, he like threw up and Logan turned all serious..."

"They have to be like the cutest couple in existence," Kitty sighed.

"I know!" I squealed, "Who would have thought, right?"

"Didn't they like hate each other when they first met?" Jubilee asked as we set off for our first lesson, which would be Logan's danger room if he turned up, "I wasn't here back then. I've just heard people talking."

"Yeah," Kitty nodded enthusiastically, "Scott was engaged to Dr Grey and Logan really wound Scott up, he'd take any chance to annoy him, really competitive and like. And suddenly Jean and Scott were broken up and a few months later there was no more yelling or annoying – well, there was, but it was done like playfully – and they were together," She shrugged. We were now standing outside the Danger Room waiting expectantly for our teacher to come and get things started.

"They're like inseparable now," Kitty was still babbling.

"Which makes it even more unlikely that Logan will show," I checked my watch, "He's already ten minutes late. And Scott looked really ill."

"Do you think Logan would completely kill us if we went up to um, check whether class was on?" Jubilee said innocently, a complete contradiction of the evil little grin spread across her face.

"Why, no, I think that'll be fine, how else will we know if class is cancelled?" Kitty laughed, grabbing my arm and tugging me towards the elevator.

"Guys, Logan seems really upset about this whole thing," I tried to stop them barging in but my heart wasn't really in it, "Do you really think we should intrude?"

"Yes!" Jubilee cackled as we neared their bedroom. I made sure that we knocked on the door – we didn't want another drill night episode! Actually, we did, it's just I was sure Scott and Logan wouldn't – and we heard a gruff "Who the fuck is it?"

"Oh yeah, he was pretty pissy," I hissed, "Be warned."

"It's just us," Jubilee trilled, "Just come to see if class was like on. Can we come in?" She asked as she pushed on the door, but before any of us could see inside, Logan had appeared, opened the door, somehow managed to hide the contents of the room, and was now standing outside the door like a guard dog or something, all protective and looking daggers at the three of us.

"Um, we... just... wanted to see if class was...on..." Kitty was mumbling, looking down at her shoes with great curiosity in order to avoid the look on Logan's face.

"And to see if Scott was okay. I kind of spilled about him throwing up and the girls just wanted to check he was alright," I hastily concocted a story – which could have been true. I certainly did spill and the girls did want to make sure Scott was at least conscious – it had nothing to do with the fact that there might have been an opportunity to see Logan and Scott all loved up and couple-like, no, nothing at all. Yeah right.

Logan just about bought the fabrication, which showed something about his mental state at present. Normally he could detect any lie a mile off; all that worry for Scott was throwing him off. "He's asleep now."

God, I'd only ever seen him like this that night he'd accidentally stabbed Scott – his voice was all shaky and he was all wide, innocent, puppy dog eyes.

I shot a meaningful look at the girls beside me, to make sure they didn't squeal/jump up and down/aww/do anything else vaguely provocative or otherwise fangirlish.

"Well, is it the flu? That's been going round the school," I asked sympathetically.

There was a long pause. It looked as if Logan was really torn; between revealing inner worries and letting go of that pride or suffering in silence. He eventually cracked and said, "I don't really know. I don't... I don't know how bad it is, like if it's normal or not."

"Oh yeah, 'cause you've never been sick!" Kitty gasped as if this was a huge twist.

Logan tried for a glare but ended up just back to worry. Poor baby.

"I'm sure it's fine, probably just the flu – he'll be fine, sugar," I smiled at Logan, but he didn't seem convinced. "Do you want us to come in and check on him?" I asked after a pause.

It was obviously what he'd been hoping for because he said all too fast, "Well if you must," He turned round to open the door, "But just you, Rogue."

Jubilee's and Kitty's faces fell. I shot them a sympathetic 'what can you do?' look but inside I was glowing with pride that Logan trusted me enough to do this. Not Kitty, not Jubilee, but little Marie from down South.

He shut the door on them, and I could already hear them gossiping outside. As much as I love them, I really wish they had come with a mute button.

The curtains were closed, the room illuminated by a soft bedside lamp that cast rosy warm rays of light across the bed. Scott was in bed, bedclothes tightly tucked up to the neck (that was Mother Bear Wolverine at his best, looking after the cubs – he did the same to me sometimes, the cub thing, but never in the same measures or with the same care as he is with Scott). Scott looked pale, his goggles hiding his eyes but the rest of him looked tired, his skin coated in a light shimmer of cold sweat. Yup, there was no doubt about it; he had a fever.

I walked over carefully, not wanting to wake the teacher, and placed a gentle hand on his forehead, which – you guessed it – was almost scalding. Logan was shadowing my every move, as if scared I'd break Slim.

"I'm no doctor," I said quietly, turning around to Logan who was biting his lip and so worried I could almost feel the tension radiating from him, "But I think it's just the flu, just a bug. It's completely normal, he's dealing well," I gave him a smile, "Try not to worry too much."

He sighed heavily, with relief. "Thanks Rogue," He said wearily, sitting down on the side of the bed and looking at Scott. I smiled, not quite sure what he wanted me to do now. Should I leave? Stay?

I patted the very worried Logan on the shoulder, "I should get back to the Danger Room, tell everyone you won't be there," I smiled sympathetically, hoping Scott would feel better soon – more for Logan's sake than anything else.

He looked up, wide chocolate brown eyes still filled with worry – crikey, it looked like he was about to cry – his mouth was open as if he were about to say something, but just nodded.

"Okay then. Give my best to Scott," I smiled, walking over to the door and opened it, glancing over my shoulder as I did, and saw Logan lean slightly closer to Scott and brushing a stray strand of messy silken hair out of Scott's face. And that was it. No violent, sarky comment to go away with, just that.

I was beginning to feel worried now, it was so surreal to see this hero figure, the famous Wolverine, like this. All vulnerable and weak, exposed to the world, his one weakness exploited and out there for everybody to see.

Well, maybe not everybody - but everybody sure did want to see. Which brings me to...

Jubilee and Kitty practically jumped on me as soon as I shut the door, "What happened?" They hissed in unison.

"There's no class today," I said rather cryptically.

"What happened?" Jubilee asked again, giving me fake daggers as we walked down the corridor back down to the Danger Room.

"Not much actually," I said truthfully, "He barely said anything."

"But what happened?" Kitty whined, grabbing my arm.

I sighed, complying. "Scott was in bed, all tucked up. I went over to check his forehead; he has a fever. I said he had the flu, Logan thanked me and that's that."

"That's not even worth telling really," Jubilee said disappointedly, looking bored.

I didn't want to let lose any incriminating or embarrassing information – like the way Logan looked at Scott, with those close-to-tear eyes and the way he was so over protective of Slim, and the way he brushed the chocolate brown hair out of his face like Scott was the most precious thing in the world to him... No, I didn't want everyone to know how worried Logan was. So I kept quiet, shrugging sympathetically while the two girls interrogated me all the way down to the classroom, where the rest of our class were looking restless, waiting for Logan to appear.

"Okay, so Professor Logan can't make it to class today, so it's like, cancelled," I called out, smiling.

"What's up?" They couldn't take a hint when I turned around to go to the living room, all crowding around me. Urgh, keeping my mouth shut was getting harder and harder, especially when Logan and Scott were all so cute and loved up.

"Scott's sick and Logan had a minor heart attack, and won't leave his side!" Kitty grinned to the surrounding students, who were all practically drooling at the mental image, and 'aww'ing at every opportunity they could get.

Oh well.

I tried.

I know it's kind of sickening, and essentially pure fluff, but I hope you like it : )

Please leave a review or a request after the tone. Beeeep!

Lotsa love x