Hey all, so here's the next chapter. Sorry for the wait, I've been busy. Huge thanks to storyofgreen and Patricia for reviewing. So, oh my god, excitement, things are moving, moving. I'll warn you, something climatic happens in the next chapter, not THE climax, no worries there's plenty more to come, but something big, and more reviews I get the sooner I'll update, so review, review, review. K? K, great. :) Read, Review, Enjoy.


The next day, Warren seemed to be everywhere Logan was, despite the fact that they were both trying to avoid each other. Finally, Logan saw Warren take to the air, and they were both able to spend the rest of the day sulking out of each other's sight.

Logan spent it working on his bike, grumbling to himself and calling himself an idiot several times, only in somewhat less polite terms.

Warren on the other hand, remained for the most part, soaring high above the school and trying not to think at all. From time to time he would perch in one of the trees, he always chose one at the back of the school, well away from the garage, in order to rest. Finally, in the late after Scott woke up, or anyway, became as awake as it was possible to be in his perpetual drunken stupor, and came to seek Warren out.

Warren escaped as quickly as possible, leaving Scott somewhat less than conscious on the rusting fire escape where everything had started and took the air again, staying up for longer than he usually would have in the hopes that when he woke Scott would wonder off in search of more scotch and leave him be for the rest of the day. He didn't even bother going to dinner, Scott had made him very not hungry.

When at last he did land, night had begun to fall and the institute was lit by cheery windows behind which comparatively carefree mutant kids where finishing their homework, laughing and joking with their friends, and getting ready for bed. Warren wasn't ready to go in yet, so instead he landed silently just beyond the trees that covered a large part of the huge grounds and on the large lawn beside the school, and grabbing his shirt from the tree where he'd left it, left it half buttoned, and went for a stroll. He breathed in deeply as he walked, the warm night air calming him as it always did.

He was so preoccupied with carefully not thinking about a certain two older mutants that he hadn't even realized the small group of boys about his age, a few even older, grouped around the wall smoking.

"Hey, look it boys," one of them crowed gleefully, "It's the little princeling, decided to grace us poor earth-bound folk with his presence."

Warren whirled, but before he had time to properly react they had formed a ring around him.

"Did you come out to play with us, hm?" another asked. Warren recognized several of them from his classes, a few other's he didn't want to know.

"Yeah," a third sniggered, "Play with us." Warren backed away uncertainly, his hands up defensively.

8

Logan threw the old towel he'd just finished cleaning grease off of his hands with carelessly into a far corner of the garage as he walked out under the starry evening sky. He had long since ceased to actually verbally grumble, but there was still often a steady stream of senseless profanities passing through his mind.

Suddenly his ears pricked as he heard faint sounds of jeering around the corner of the building. Grumbling something incoherently about kids who don't go to bed, even though it wasn't actually after curfew yet, he started toward the sounds that broke the peace of the night.

His pace quickened immensely when he recognized the blonde boy who was getting shoved roughly around the ring.

"What's going on here?" he demanded, pushing through the ring to get to Warren and glowering at the rest of them.

"Nothing," one said innocently, "We was just havin' some fun."

"Not on my watch, now get to bed," Logan growled threateningly, "And if I ever seen any of you put so much as a toe out of line again I'll report the whole lot of you to Storm." The boys scampered.

"Those idiots," Logan growled angrily, beginning to lead Warren by the arm without even fully realizing he was doing it, "Oughta know better, the uncivilized scu-."

"Stop," Warren said, and Logan did stop, out of shock. It was the first time he'd ever heard Warren speak without stuttering or sounding as though he was afraid someone would lash out at him for opening his mouth.

Warren pulled his arm for Logan's grasp, his eyes resolutely level. "Thank you for your assistance," he said stiffly, "But I didn't need it."

"Bullshit," Logan said, surprise more than anything else pushing the word through his lips. He was by now in a thoroughly sour mood, which accounted completely for his angry tone.

Warren flinched slightly, but didn't waiver. "And I thank you to please stop attempting to talk to me outside of class," he continued, sticking his chin mulishly in the air, his jaw carefully knotted as he forced out his lies.

Logan snorted, he knew Warren was lying, he just couldn't figure out why. "I just can't figure you out," he said, his voice rough with the emotions he was not used to feeling, or at least, not being able to control, "One minute you're practically falling all over me, then the next you're putting on airs and 'thanking me for my assistance'?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Warren replied, but his lower lip quivered, just a little, as he turned to walk away.

Logan stopped him, grabbing his arm and pushing him against the wall in frustration. He pressed his body close to Warren, bracing his hands on the wall one on each side of Warren's head. Warren's breath hitched and his eyes widened considerably, but Logan pretended not to notice. "Why the hell are you even with Scott?" he demanded, "You like me, I know you do. I can see it!" He was practically yelling, but he didn't care.

"I-I-" Warren stammered, finding it nearly impossible to breathe with Logan so close, especially in that position, but Logan didn't even give him the chance to try and finish.

Instead he surged forward, taking Warren's lips in his. Warren's gasp was stifled by Logan's tongue sliding itself into his mouth. Warren closed his eyes, struggling with himself, but finding it impossible to think with that sweet taste in his mouth.

But just as Warren was about to give in, Scott's face forced its way into his mind, and that poisonous hiss filled his mind, "I would just hate for something to happen to your precious Mr. Logan. So be a good little boy now."

"No!" Warren yelled, impulsively shoving Logan away without even realizing he was doing it.

Logan stumbled back several steps from the sheer force of the push, looking hurt. But Warren's eyes were too blurred with tears to see.

"Just get away from me!" Warren yelled, "Just go!"

For a moment Logan looked like he was going to say something, but instead he just turned and fled into the night.

Warren sank weakly to his knees, sobbing. He wrapped his arms around his chest, it hurt, it hurt so much. He'd cried so many times in his life, but never like this, not even the first time with Scott, he'd never cried this much. It felt as though his chest was going to rip apart at the seams, like his whole body was just going to fall to pieces with the force of his sobs.

Why? Why? That was all he wanted to know as he knelt there in the dark, drowning the grass beneath him with his tears. He rocked back and forth, hugging himself in a futile attempt to hold himself together.

8

Barely a few feet away, just within the belt of trees a pair of dark sunglasses hid their wearer's expression, but it wasn't hard to feel the anger, hate, jealousy, and vengeance rolling off of Scott in heavy, oppressive waves as he watched Warren sob, the heat pulsing through his veins like a living thing. He was already imagining ways to avenge the situation.


Once again, reminder, review, review, review, for the huge thing coming next chapter. :)