Chapter Two

October 7, 2001 (Saturday)

9:36pm

Rory was on her way down to the kitchens to grab some more snacks for Libby, Rogue, and herself. They were having a Girl's Night, because it was Rogue's "time of the month," and she was feeling pretty down about it. She pushed open the door to the kitchens, and was surprised by what she found.

John was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of strawberry ice cream while studying from his Physics textbook. He almost didn't notice that Rory had walked in, until she crashed into the counter and knocked over the utensil holder.

He looked up and smiled at her. "Hey Rory. Up a little late, hmm?"

"Speak for yourself, John," she replied, moving to grab the chocolate sauce from the fridge, and then grabbing the chocolate chips from the cabinet. "What are you studying for?"

"That Physics test on Tuesday," he replied. "That's a lot of chocolate you have there."

"Women troubles. You don't wanna know," Rory smiled at him, blushing slightly. "So, what are you having trouble with?"

"Newton's Theory and it's flaws," he explained as she sat down beside him. "I just don't understand it."

Rory folded her legs beneath her and reached over to grab his ice cream. "Well, I've been studying it for awhile. Do you... Want some help?"

"That would actually be great," he grabbed another spoon from the counter and settled the bowl between the two of them. "So, Ms. Summers... Let's get to work."

October 11th, 2001 (Wednesday)

12:34pm

Libby, Rogue, Rory, and Kitty were sitting out in the courtyard after lunch. The girls had invited Kitty into their group, knowing that the newbie was having trouble making friends.

"So, why did it take you an hour and a half to grab chocolate on Saturday night?" Libby smirked.

Rogue had a similar look on her face. "Yeah. Were you, by any chance, meeting someone?"

"Well, I didn't mean to meet anyone," Rory blushed. "But John was studying, and he didn't understand one of the laws we had to learn for the test. So... I helped him study for a little bit."

"YOU'RE BLUSHING!" Libby, Rogue, and Kitty all said in unison.

"You totally like him! It's obvious!" Libby said quite loudly.

"Shush!" Rory said, looking around to make sure that John wasnt in sight. "I do not!"

"YES YOU DO!" Rogue screamed.

Logan walked up to the group of babbling girls. He cleared his throat, and they looked up at him. "Elizabeth, I need your help in the classroom."

Libby groaned. "Right now? I'm kinda hanging out with my friends."

"Right now," Logan demanded.

Libby rolled her eyes. "Alright, I'll see you guys later," she picked up her schoolbag and followed Logan into the school. "So why did you need me, anyways?"

Logan pushed Libby into the classroom before quickly shutting the door and pressing her up against the door.

"Uhmm, Logan-" she managed to get out before he leaned down and kissed her. She let the bag drop from her shoulder and brought her hands up to his cheeks.

When he finally pulled away, she could only stare at him with big blue eyes. "Sorry about that," he muttered, moving to sit on his desk.

"Why did you just kiss me?" she asked, completely confused.

"Because I'm attracted to you," Logan explained. "Why do you think I pick on you so much? I've tried to hold myself back, but you've made it way too difficult."

Libby just stared at him. "That's why you've been such a jackass? Because you like me? Wow."

They stood in silence for a few moments until Libby slowly walked over and kissed him. He pulled her closer to his body, and she tangled her fingers in his hair. Little did they notice Rory and Rogue peeking in at them through the crack in the doorway.

5:25pm

Libby was sitting on her bed, thinking about what had happened earlier. She has kissed Logan. A TEACHER. But, more importantly, he liked her. True, she would be of age in a few months, but if she were to have an actual... Affair with him, they would have to be very discreet about it. Especially around her friends, and her Aunt Ororo.

Rory, meanwhile, was standing in front of John and Bobby's dorm door, debating whether or not to knock. Finally, she brought up her hand to do so, but the door swung open to reveal John.

"Uhmm, uh, hi," Rory said nervously. "I was just wondering if you wanted to walk down to dinner with me."

John smiled. "Sure. That sounds cool."

So they started down the hallway, walking in comfortable silence.

"So," he said. "I thought you hated me. So, why did you wanna walk with me to Dinner?"

Rory couldn't help but smile. "Well... You haven't been such an asshole lately. You've actually been pretty pleasant."

John looked down at her. "Well, I've been trying."

She blushed an even deeper red as they entered the dining hall and sat down at their table. Scott looked at his daughter with a frown on his face. Even though he had ended things with Jean, Rory still refused to talk to him, and he was very depressed.

"Just give her time," Charles said from the seat beside him. "She is very much like her Mother."

Scott smiled. "I know. I miss Kira so much."

Ororo nodded. "We all do, Scott. She was the light of our lives for a long time, and then she got stolen from us."

Kira Summers (formerly Kira Kampbell) was Scott's wife, and Rory's Mom. She had been kidnapped by a man named William Stryker when Rory had been only a year old. She had not been seen since, and was assumed dead.

"She will return to us one day, Scott," Charles said. "I'm sure of it."

7:12pm

Alkali Lake Mutant Experimentation Base

Kira Summers has long since given up on escaping the heavy chains that imprisoned her. She was too tired to continue, so she let her head fall back against the brick wall, and curled her legs beneath her frail body.

It was times like this that she thought about the past. Marrying Scott Summers, the man of her dreams. Finding out she was pregnant. Hearing the baby's heartbeat at 3 months; feeling the kicking at 5. Giving birth to the most beautiful baby girl she had ever seen, Aurora Jane Summers.

She had only gotten to experience family life for a year before she had been kidnapped by every mutants worst nightmare. Colonel William Stryker. The man was an evil genius, experimenting on every mutant he could get his hands on.

Kira began to cry. She just wanted her life back. She wanted to be back at Xavier's school, with Scott and Rory, Ororo and the Professor.

She just wanted to go home.

October 13th, 2001 (Friday)

1:21am

Rogue snuggled closer to Bobby, being careful not to touch his skin. Although he had discovered that making his skin extra cold allowed them to touch, they didn't want to take any chances. The only exposed skin on her was her face; the rest was covered my clothing.

"Bobby," she whispered.

"Hmm?" he responded, still half-asleep.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

John, despite what Rogue and Bobby thought, was not asleep. He was lying wide awake in his bed on the opposite end of the room. He quietly turned on his side and looked out the window at the moon. Wow, he thought. I'm turning into a sentimental freak, looking at the moon and thinking constantly about... His mind stopped. He had just heard a scream.

The door burst open, and Logan appeared. "Everybody up! Someone's attacking the school!"

Bobby groaned loudly. "Logan, do we really have to have a drill at one in the morning?"

"The thing is, Iceman, that it ISN'T A DRILL!" Logan said. "EVERYBODY UP!"

Bobby, Rogue, and John ran out after Logan, who was bolting down the hallway. Students were panicking, and scurrying through the hallways. Logan told each child that he passed to head to the secret corridor in the upstairs hallway; they would be safe there.

Rogue gasped. "Oh no; Libby! Rory!" she quickly turned on her heels and ran in the opposite direction.

"Rogue! Come back!" Bobby said, chasing after her.

Logan growled before running after the two of them and pulling John along as well. Rogue was so scared about the well-being of her best friends. She felt faint as she ran up the stairs, and started towards the room that she shared with them.

"Rogue!" Rory sobbed, throwing herself into Rogue's embrace. "They took her!"

Rogue's spine stiffened. "What are you talking about, RoRo?"

Rory sobbed harder. "THEY TOOK LIBBY!" she looked behind Rogue to see Bobby, Logan, and-

Before John could even comprehend what was going on, Rory had untangled herself from Rogue's grasp and launched her body at him. He wrapped his arms around her and gently rubbed her back as she continued to sob.

Logan was angry. No words could describe how he felt besides complete, immense anger, filling his whole body with rage.

"We have to get out of here," Bobby said. "It won't be long before they figure out that we're up here."

Rory clutched John tighter, and he picked her up bridal style. He assumed that she wouldn't be able to do anything too stressing for awhile, so this would be the easiest way to keep her safe. He followed after Rogue and Bobby, who approached the hidden corridor where the Mutants of Xavier's School were hidden. Once they were inside, Bobby noticed that Logan had not followed them into the hiding spot. He peeked his head out into the hallway, and noticed that Logan was facing a group of men that looked extremely violent.

Bobby brought his hand up to the wall, and mustered the energy to create a thick layer of ice between Logan and the small army.

"Logan, c'mon!" Rogue insisted. Logan finally followed them into the tunnel, and just managed to close the door when the bomb went off.

4:52am

The Hollywood Motel

Logan flung open the door to the motel room, allowing the four young teenagers to slip inside. John was still holding Rory tight against his chest, and her eyes were closed in a dreamless sleep.

"Get some rest," Logan said gruffly, watching the outside world through the large window.

The were two beds, so John carefully laid Rory down before settling himself against her warm back. She was still asleep, so he pulled her shoes off and threw them onto the floor, along with his own. He curled himself around her, and soon fell asleep.

Logan was trying to think rationally, but it wasn't working. Like a real wolverine, he had a chosen his mate. And then that idiot Stryker had stolen her right underneath his very nose. He turned away from the window to see the kids asleep. He silently prayed that everyone before them had made it out okay.

"Logan," Rogue walked up to him. "She's going to be okay. I promise; we're gonna find her."

Logan nodded swiftly, not knowing whether or not to believe her words to be true.