There was really nothing like the open road.

Logan sat on his motorcycle, watching the trees speed past, letting his mind run its thoughts. The strong breeze from moving so fast whipped his hair back, and he savored the feeling. On the road, all his problems and emotions seemed to slip away, leaving his mind clear, if somewhat empty.

His encounter with Raven wouldn't leave him, however; it was burned too deep for that. It wasn't that he regretted kissing her. He was the one who'd initiated it, after all. The part that shook him was the fact that while he was kissing her, he had become totally lost in it. He couldn't think – he could only feel – and while it wasn't an unpleasant feeling, it was so completely foreign to him that he wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. Only once before had he felt that way, and that was a long time ago, with a woman whose name he couldn't remember. She was just a shadow in his memory, so much so that at times he'd wondered if he hadn't just dreamed her up in the first place.

But then, if that were true, then how could Sonya see her?

With a growl, he slowed down and turned off on a side road that was little more than a dirt path through the woods. Soon, the trees parted, opening into a clearing carpeted with violets, and Logan turned off the ignition and stepped onto the clearing. At the very edge of the field was a cliff; the drop was no less than a hundred feet, straight down. Logan sat on a large boulder right at the edge, letting his legs dangle into the nothing beneath him. The sun was high in the sky, already making its way toward the west, and he could see a lone hawk circling in front of him. It seemed content to just wheel around and around, its huge wings barely moving in the breeze.

He closed his eyes, letting the fragrance of the violets fill his nostrils. As soon as he did, memories came flooding back. The ride had cleared his mind, he realized then, but it had only done so for a short time.

"You're pure beast." The words echoed through him, so loud he swore he could hear them echo off the trees behind him. While he had denied that it was true, how had he expected anyone to think anything else? He secretly believed it himself, after everything he'd done in the past. He was, after all, the only person in the mansion who slept far away from everyone else, locked away in the attic like, well, like some kind of creature.

Like an animal.

Logan was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a twig break behind him. He jumped up and spun around, letting his claws shoot out, ready to face whoever – or whatever – was there. He was so shocked to see who was standing there, that he found himself unable to move.

The man standing before him smiled gently, at first not speaking. Then, as Logan stepped forward, the man said, "I knew I would find you here."

Logan's voice caught as he spoke. "Professor?"

"Yes, it's me. How are you, Logan?"

He took another cautious step toward the man. "How…how are you standing?"

Professor Xavier smiled even wider, as if Logan had made a small joke. He sat on a fallen log, seemingly unaware that his gray suit would get dirty, and motioned for Logan to join him. He did so, still unsure if Xavier was really even there.

"I can stand, Logan, because I'm not really here."

Well, that answered that question, Logan thought. Aloud, he said, "What?"

"I am inside your mind. This is the way you wish to see me, therefore, I have no need of a wheelchair."

Logan was confused. "But, how can that be? I'm not dreaming."

The Professor chuckled. "Quite right. Yet here I am. Puzzling, isn't it?"

Logan said nothing. There was so much to say, yet he couldn't find the words. Finally, he managed, "Why are you here?"

"I'm not sure. I suppose it is because you need advice. That is why you used to come to me."

"I feel so…confused. I've never been used to feeling that way, and it scares me."

"Confused about what?" Xavier asked. Or rather, his likeness did.

Logan shrugged. "A lot, these days. There's this girl at the school, Sonya, and her powers are surfacing. She told me last night that she loved me."

"And you don't know what to do with that."

"Well, yeah. I mean, she's a great kid, but…" he let himself trail off.

"Logan, I know you don't work well with feelings, but how do expect to understand your true potential if you never trust anyone? If you never learn to love?"

Logan stood up and began to pace. "But see, that's it. I do love her. But I'm afraid. Everyone I love…" his voice broke then, "…they're all dead."

Xavier sat silent for a moment, fully understanding for the first time. His smile faded quite a bit, and at first, he only watched Logan pacing. Logan himself felt himself becoming more agitated with every step. Why was this so hard? He asked himself.

"So, what else are you confused about, Logan?" The Professor asked finally. "About your feelings for Raven?"

Logan spun around at the mention of her name. "How do you know about that?"

Xavier shrugged. "I'm your imagination, remember?"

Logan relaxed. "Right. Anyway, I don't know how to feel about her. She's done some bad things -"

Xavier held up his hand to silence him. "So have you."

Logan thought about that for a moment. He did have a point there. "Well, yeah. But when I joined the X-Men, I put all that behind me."

Xavier's brow furrowed. "It seems to me, Logan, that the only reason you are the way you are today, is because someone gave you a chance. Because someone trusted you."

When Logan said nothing, the Professor continued. "I believe that almost anyone has the potential for good, Logan. Even a fearful, mistrusting man such as yourself. If you can join the cause, then…" he simply shrugged.

Logan looked at the sky again. The hawk was gone, and the sun had slid even more toward the horizon. The clouds had turned a light shade of pink, edged with the golden reflection of the sun. When he turned toward the Professor again, he noticed that the man was beginning to fade slightly.

Not wanting him to leave, Logan rushed to speak. "You think I should trust her."

"I think that deep in your heart, you know how you feel already. You're simply afraid to take the next step." The man stood then, and became even more transparent. "I have to go, now, Logan."

"Professor, wait…" Logan jumped up, but Xavier held up his hand again, and Logan stopped in his tracks.

"Take care of my school, Logan. We'll meet again, of that I'm sure."

As the last word escaped his lips, Xavier simply vanished, leaving Logan alone in the clearing once more. Not knowing what to do, he stayed where he was, letting his mind absorb what had just happened.

Suddenly, he remembered the setting sun, and looked down at his watch. It was 6:30. He would have just enough time to get back to the mansion. He climbed back onto the motorcycle, turned the ignition, and left the clearing.

XXXXX

"What if he doesn't come back?"

Bobby looked up at the girl who'd come into the kitchen, where he had been doing his homework. He smiled softly, then patted the chair beside him. She sat down, and Bobby turned to face her, his hands on his knees.

"He will, Sonya. He always comes back. This is his home, now."

She looked at him suspiciously, but said nothing. Bobby winked, then leaned close and asked in a conspiratorial tone, "Hey, you want some ice cream?"

Sonya nodded, so he got up and went to the freezer and looked inside.

"Chocolate or vanilla?"

Sonya thought for a second, then replied, "Vanilla."

Bobby grinned again. "Good choice. That's my favorite, too."

"What's your favorite, Bobby?" A female voice asked from the doorway.

Bobby looked up, though he already knew who was there. "Hey, Rogue. I was just getting Sonya some ice cream. You want some?"

Rogue smiled. "Sure."

"Could you get three bowls from the cupboard?" He asked her, and she nodded.

"So, is Logan back yet?"

Bobby shook his head. "Not yet, but he still has five minutes. Sonya was just asking about him, too."

Sonya crossed her arms. "I still don't think he's coming."

Rogue sat in Bobby's seat, pushing his books toward the middle of the table. She slipped a stray hair behind her ear, then smoothed the rest of her hair with her gloved hand.

"Sonya, there's one thing I know about Logan."

"What's that?" the girl asked.

"If Logan makes a promise –" she stopped when the roar of an engine echoed off the courtyard outside.

"He keeps it," Bobby finished, unable to hide his wide grin as Sonya and Rogue both jumped up and ran to the front door. Most guys his age would be jealous if their girlfriend paid as much attention to someone as Rogue did to Logan, but not Bobby. Oh, he had been, at first; but he soon realized that Rogue saw Logan as a father figure. He'd protected her, and saved her life, and her feelings were those of a child to their parent – one who actually understood their unique gifts and abilities.

In fact, the only thing Bobby was jealous of was that she had someone like that, and he didn' soon as the front door swung open and Logan stepped inside, both girls rushed at him, squealing his name and hugging him.

Overcome by a sudden rush of tenderness, Logan dropped his leather jacket, which had been slung over his arm, and embraced both of them.

"Hello to you, too," he laughed aloud.

When they stepped back at last, Sonya looked up at him and very seriously said, "I didn't think you were gonna come back."

Logan's grin faded, and he crouched down to peer directly into her eyes. "I told you I'd keep you safe here, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"Well, here I am. And tonight, that is my main job." He stood up, noticing Bobby standing in the hallway, quietly watching. "So, what's going on around here?"

Bobby spoke up then. "We were just about to have some ice cream."

Logan nodded appreciatively. "Why don't you make that four, then?"

"Sounds good."

Logan followed the three of them into the kitchen, listening to the girls chatter on about their day.

It was good to be home.