A/N: and the drama unfolds. Will Kurt forgive Logan? Will he even let him explain himself? Will Logan explain himself or will he choose Jean? Read on and find out.

The day was beautiful. Storm saw to that. Hardly a breeze stirred the hair of those gathered to say goodbye to Charles Xavier.

Logan watched from a balcony, as Storm spoke. He heard every word she said, but his eyes were only for Kurt, who had dressed in a black suit and combed his hair to lay almost flat. He sat in the row behind Rogue, at the end of the aisle with his rosary twined around his hand.

Without warning, Logan found the full weight of those amber eyes on him, as though Kurt had known he was being watched. Which was entirely possible; the elf was incredibly perceptive. He held his gaze, until Kurt dropped it and looked away. His tail flicked agitatedly, belying his calm, somber demeanor. Logan sighed and turned to go back inside as the funeral goers placed flowers at the grave and Storm made her way back inside with Hank McCoy.

Kurt picked his way through the crowd after having placed a single rose among the others. The students were going to their rooms, to grieve in private or with friends. He sought his solace in the barn, among the horses. Rhys whinnied in greeting, nudging against Kurt to see if he had any apple.

"I'm sorry Rhys. No apples today. Today is a sad day, we are mourning Professor Xavier's passing." Kurt leapt over the stall door and settled into a pile of hay. Rhys tucked his legs under and lay down next to him. "I have been having a difficult time myself," Kurt murmured, scratching the pony's ears. "It is Logan, although this time it is for a completely different reason. You see, I saw him and Miss Grey kissing, although that seems inaccurate to describe what he vas doing." He allowed himself a small wry grin at the fact that he could still make a light joke given the circumstances.

"He loved her once upon a time. I knew zhat, but I thought...I thought that it was done with. The vay I understood it, he accepted her decision to be with Scott Summers," Kurt continued. "I should give him the benefit of the doubt, let him explain himself, because aren't I the one who has said most people will never know anything beyond what they can see. It seems a bit hypocritical doesn't it, to just go by what I saw? But I just can't. When I did see them, it was the worst feeling. However, I can't wallow in my own sadness. Not when everyone else is grieving. I just do not know vhat to do about Logan, and I must do something. You don't know, do you?"

Rhys looked at Kurt quizzically and nickered. "You're no help," Kurt muttered and vaulted over the stall door. None of the horses even flinched when he teleported out, so used to it by now it wasn't frightening.

Logan leaned against Charles's desk, wondering if he should step in. It was pretty clear to him that Storm and Hank were getting heated, and he didn't want them to come to blows. They were debating on whether the school should remain open or not. Hank was for sending the kids home, despite Bobby mumbling that some didn't have a home to go to. Storm however, wanted to keep the school open. Charles had made mention of her taking over in his place, and she felt more than ready for the challenge. Just as Logan was about to interrupt, the door creaked open the slightest bit.

The boy that peered hesitantly around the door was an angel, and not just because of the immense, soft wings tucked close to his shoulders. He was pale of face, with almost delicate bone structure under his wiry muscle. His hair was platinum blonde and gelled into soft spikes and his blue eyes were sad and a little frightened as he surveyed them all.

"I'm sorry," he stammered. "I know this is a bad time. I heard this was a safe place for mutants?"

"It was son," Hank answered resignedly, and the boy's face fell.

"And still is," Storm marched over to the boy, galvanized into action. "Tell the students the school stays open. And Bobby, if you could show…" she looked to the boy.

"Warren. Or, um, Angel," he answered, flushing.

"Angel, to a room?"

Bobby nodded, beaming and led the other boy down the hall.

Logan watched on for a moment from the doorway, as Storm stepped into her new role, taking a seat behind the desk. Satisfied that she could handle it, he slipped out the door and down the hall where he spotted a familiar figure trying to sneak out.

"Need a lift kid?"

Rogue jumped and looked back. "Logan. Aren't you going to tell me to go back to my room and unpack?" she asked warily.

He shook his head, "I'm not your father, I'm your friend."

She continued though, softly, as though she were trying to convince herself more than him of her reasons for going, and saying that he didn't understand what it was like to be afraid of your powers.

"Yeah I do," he assured her. "So whatever you choose, just make sure it's for the right reasons Rogue." Logan turned to leave.

"Marie," she called back.

"Marie," he agreed, nodding, and listened to the soft click of the mansion doors closing behind her. He continued to walk down the hall, unable to resist stopping by Kurt's door. He could hear him speaking softly in German, likely praying for the Professor. Hesitantly, he raised his hand to knock, then thought better of it and finished walking to his room.

Jean Grey visited both Logan and Kurt in their slumber that night, in different personas.

To Logan, she was the same sweet, almost unsure Jean he had fallen for. She came to him in flashes, showing bits of scenery while urging him to save her. He bolted upright, panting into the dark room and intent on doing as she bid him.

To Kurt, the Phoenix took over, and took great delight in tormenting him. She showed all the stolen moments of her and Logan together, emphasizing how much more passionate it was than anytime Logan had been with him. She was Logan's only love, she taunted, and she was going to destroy him and he would love it, while Kurt could do nothing to stop her. Kurt tossed and turned on his bed, tangling himself in the sheets and whimpering piteously all though the night and into the early morning.

Logan's leaving did not go unnoticed by Storm, who made sure it wasn't a peaceful good bye. Still angry at her and himself, he stopped in the empty hall in front of Kurt's door once again. He pulled out a granola bar from his pocket; he'd found it in his pillowcase and intended to leave it for the elf. He cocked his head, hearing the pathetic moaning from the other side of the door. Sounded like Kurt was having a hell of a nightmare. Hurriedly, Logan slid the granola bar under the door, knocked on it, and took off down the stairs.

Kurt jerked in surprise at the knock on his door. He looked over and saw the granola bar wrapper glinting at him from the floor. It was bent at a slight angle and looked squished but otherwise intact. That must've been the one he'd stuffed in the pillow in case he got a craving for a midnight snack. There was only one way that the snack he'd hidden in Logan's pillow could have gotten to under his door.

"Logan?" Kurt looked up and down the hallway, scanning for Logan. He wasn't there, but Storm was. "He's gone, hasn't he? After Miss Grey?"

"I'm afraid so. I was wondering; I know this seems like a callous thing to ask right now, but could you take over his class while he's gone?" Storm asked.

"I can do that. But because you asked me to," Kurt answered, tearing into the wrapper of his half melted snack. "I still do not feel as fondly towards Logan."

"I wouldn't expect you to. He needs to get his head on straight and figure out what he's going to do. It's not fair what he's doing," Storm said, frowning. "But anyway, thank you for watching his class."

Kurt flopped back into his hammock, letting it swing gently. He took a bite from the granola bar; scowling at how stale it was starting to taste. I'm sure there's a metaphor there somehow, he thought, chucking it into the trash. He tilted his head back, gazing upside down through the window and he couldn't help but wonder if Logan would come back, and if he did, would it be to him?

The days slipped by without a sign from Logan. Kurt watched over his class, which was a surprisingly simple task. Rogue and Kitty helped him keep control, and try to follow Logan's lesson plan. He spent the time perched on one of the cabinets with his sketchbook and a stick of charcoal while the students sketched or painted or worked with pottery.

Logan, meanwhile, had been having a far less easy time of it while tracking down Jean. He had found her among Magneto's camp, watching impartially as he rallied his forces. He followed her to a semi secluded glade where the master of magnetism had pinned him to a tree and informed him that he was not in fact, holder Jean against her will. After that, well, Logan became very familiar with the surrounding area as Magneto sent him backwards with all the force of a bullet from a gun. He had lain on the forest floor until he'd healed and then trekked back to the road to make his way home.

Once back at the mansion, a grim faced Logan had met with Storm and Hank in the foyer. He spared Kurt, who was watching from the second floor, a brief glance before returning to the discussion. He filled the other two in on what he'd seen; the army Magneto had, Jean joining with him. Hank added that the news on television had been full of the coming attack. Magneto had moved the Golden Gate Bridge in order to storm Worthington Labs on Alcatraz, and it was his massive army that they had to stop to save the Labs.

"So, there are seven of us. And we are to stop an army to save a lab which has developed a cure against us?" Kurt asked while Storm tried to find him a suitable uniform.

"Sounds about right. Here, this should work." She held up the uniform, which was the standard black edged in sky blue. "The only problem is your tail."

"I got it." Logan happened by, already in his uniform, and overheard the problem. He sized up the uniform and Kurt, estimating just the right spot to slice. "Should work now."

"Danke," Kurt mumbled, taking back the uniform. Neither of them made a move to leave. Instead they stood awkwardly, shifting and not looking at each other. Storm shook her head and stepped back, but not before giving them each a nudge towards each other with a gust of wind.

"So," Logan started. "I thought you didn't do battles? You're a man of peace, aren't you?"

Kurt eyed him back, chin lifted defiantly. "I have found that sometimes there is no other option, try as I might to avoid it. Also, I could not sit by while my friends fought. Not only is it cowardly, but I would be sick with worry. So instead I fight alongside the X-men. But I won't kill anyone."

Logan couldn't suppress the grin that turned up his lips. That last bit had sounded so petulant, as though he was daring Logan to say anything different. Without another word, he grabbed a handful of the front of Kurt's uniform and pulled him into a brief yet near bruising kiss. When he let him go, Kurt looked almost cross-eyed and unsteady as he blinked at Logan.

"Just…be careful out there elf. And I am sorry, but it's me that's gotta take care of Jean, whatever that means. After that, we can…sort this thing out. If you want, that is."

Kurt swallowed thickly, unable to tear his gaze from Logan's retreating form.

"You coming?" Kitty called, sticking her head through the side of the Blackbird. Kurt nodded and jogged up the stairs. He buckled into a seat next to her and leaned back, eyes closed.

"Are you ok? You look sort of, well not green, but not good exactly?" the young girl tilted her head to the side, looking at him.

"Ja, I'm fine." He opened one eye and looked back at her.

"Are you scared?"

"A little," Kurt answered truthfully.

"Me too. Not of Magneto," Kitty said hastily. "But of the cure. I mean, I don't want to lose my power. It's me, has been since they kicked in."

"I've never not had them," Kurt confessed. "I have always been blue and had a tail. I can't imagine not having my power."

They continued to talk quietly over the hum of the engines. It helped them stay calm in the face of what they were about to do. But too soon it felt like, the Blackbird was landing and Logan was ushering them out and into a rough line in front of the laboratory building and the soldiers who were armed with plastic rifles loaded with cure darts.

The ground underfoot trembled as Magneto's first line charged down the ramp the bridge had created. Logan flexed his wrists, popping his claws out and baring his teeth in an anticipatory smirk. Oh, this was going to be fun.

The battle was underway within seconds, and the line broken. Storm took on the mutant known as Callisto while Hank threw himself into the fray, flinging mutants aside like dolls. Kitty was in a race with Juggernaut to get to the boy, Leech, who had been used to create the cure. At the same time, Bobby was finding himself struggling against Johnny, also known as Pyro, who had once been his best friend.

Kurt found that if he gave himself over to the fight it was almost fun. He was more agile by far than those who fought him, 'porting to just behind them and delivering a swift kick to knock the legs out from under them, then leaping over that fallen adversary to drive his leg up in a graceful roundhouse to the face of another.

He snapped his hand up, forcing the heel of his palm up into the nose of a mutant at least twice his size, and bared his teeth gleefully. He had never fought like this in the simulators with Logan. He wondered briefly if it was how Logan felt when he brawled, knowing he would win; that it was only a matter of time. If it was, he could understand why it seemed Logan always picked fights with Scott, wasn't adverse to a bar fight. It was exciting, a rush like no other, it was-

Kurt stumbled, jerking in surprise at the sharp pain in his neck. He clumsily pulled three tiny darts from where they'd lodged into his neck. They slipped from suddenly nerveless fingers to be trampled underfoot as Kurt backpedaled and tried to get his vision to focus. He shook his head, but it didn't work. If anything, it made the world spin even more. He never even saw the charred car that came flying his way.

The soldier who had fired watched in horror as the mutant he had shot was hit by the skeletal remains of the car. He hadn't meant to hit him; his finger had pulled on accident. He was new and in the heat of battle, had trouble telling friend from foe. He'd simply seen a mutant with a pointed tail teleporting and kicking the ass of anyone who dared mess with him and had reacted. And now that mutant, whom he now saw was wearing the uniform of the X-men, would pay for his mistake.

Peter, his skin gleaming silver, lifted Logan by the front of his uniform.

"Make it a strike," Logan said, grinning. Peter nodded and threw the other mutant at Magneto. As expected, the master of magnetism caught him in midair.

"You never learn, do you?" the elder mutant asked, slamming Logan into the ground.

"Actually," Logan chuckled, lifting his head, "I do."

With a roar, Hank flew from behind Magneto, jabbing him in the neck with a magazine of cure darts. Eyes wide, Magneto fell to his knees, unable to believe what had just happened. Logan got up, surveying the battle zone. He took note of everyone who he'd arrived with. Hank was still gazing shocked at Magneto. Storm was gathering Kitty and the boy Leech. Bobby was covered in ice and running alongside Angel, who had appeared out of nowhere to save his father. Peter was watching him as well. That left Kurt.

"Elf? Where the hell are you?" Logan skidded down the slope, scenting for Kurt. He climbed over piles of mutants and burned cars. "Kurt! Answer me damn it!" He lifted his head, flaring his nose to better catch that oh so familiar smell. Nothing, nothing, c'mon damn it where was he? There! Faint but carried on the slight breeze. Logan charged after the smell. It lead him to the charred frame of a car, the work of Pyro. Kurt was trapped under it and unconscious.

"Tin Man!" Logan yelled, shoving his shoulder under the car. Peter rushed over and helped him lift. Together they moved the body of the car. Logan knelt, clearing the debris from around Kurt. His elf was pale, unnaturally so. As he watched on in shock, his tail started to shrink and his hands and feet started to become more human, having five fingers and toes. His ears rounded out as well. His now paling skin showed the bruises and scrapes he'd received in sharp relief, as well as the tiny pinpricks from the cure darts.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Logan lifted him and placed him gently in Peter's arms. "Look after him will ya?"

Peter nodded in understanding and took off at a run, carefully cradling Kurt. Logan saw him onto the Blackbird before turning back to the red head who was watching impassively. He could almost feel her probing into his mind, gathering everything about him and Kurt and their time together.

"You can love both of us," she told him telepathically, her tone soft and almost wistful. "Just, love him more now. He deserves it, and the time for us is over."

Logan hung his head, knowing she was right about everything. But it still gave him an ache in his chest to hear her say it. "It's over Jean." He started to walk towards her.

"Fire!"

"No!"

The remaining soldiers had gotten back into formation and taken aim at Jean. Her power flared around her, her eyes turning dark and burning, her hair flowing around her like bloody flames. The soldier, the labs, the island itself started to disintegrate in the face of such raw power.

At an agonizing pace, Logan moved towards her, fighting to get through the storm her power had created. His flesh was torn from his bones even as he struggled to repair himself. His uniform became nothing but scraps of material covering him, and even that was slowing breaking down at a molecular level. He finally stood at the epicenter of her power, inches apart from the woman he had loved.

"You would die for them?" she asked, her voice harsh. Veins stood out in her cheeks and she had a sickly green cast to her.

"No. Not for them. For you," Logan answered, choking on his words.

A flicker of the old Jean passed through her, and she turned eyes that might've been wet with tears down at him. "Kill me," she whispered.

He shut his eyes, and his claws slid out and into her chest. Jean jolted with the force of it, her gaze clearing and a serene smile forming on her lips. She slid to the ground and into Logan's arms, at peace finally.

Logan held her as the island settled around him and water lifted from the ocean pattered down, and wept.

A/N: one more chapter left guys. And then the sequel.