but it doesn't help the story at all.
- . - . -
The Professor smiled at Elizabeth while she stared at him, agape.
"What?" Elizabeth asked. She was certain she'd heard him wrong. She might have hallucinated. That was possible, right?
"I said," he was still smiling, "Laura phoned us to ask if you are taking any self-defense courses. She's aware that the other students train in hand to hand, among other things. She insisted to Logan that you should be working with him to improve your abilities in that area."
"But," she was aghast, "I'm not a fighter. I'm never going to be an X-man; I'm not a mutant."
"Still," he said, "Laura and Logan have convinced me that it may be in your best interests to work with the new, younger X-men for a portion of their training. If that doesn't suit you then Logan may be able to spend time with you and teach you independently."
"But," she stumbled, "But-But-" and then she started to wail, "I'm lazy."
Logan, to the Professor's left, snorted. Scott, on his right, tried to hide a smile or a laugh with a cough.
"I lack discipline," she added, emphatically.
"I might be able to do something about that," Logan drawled. There was something in his eyes that made Elizabeth wary and suspicious.
"I'm not going to like it," she muttered, then something occurred to her and she brightened, "Can I bring Todd? Everyone always says he doesn't know anything about hand to hand combat."
The Professor's eyes flicked in Logan's direction briefly. There was a pause, during which Elizabeth was sure Logan and the Professor were having a silent conversation.
"That would be acceptable, if he is willing," the Professor finally said.
"Great!" Elizabeth stood up, then paused, "Did you have any other terrible news for me, Daddy dearest?"
Scott choked at the daddy dearest.
"No, Elizabeth," he sighed, "This is the only terrible news for today."
"Sweet," Elizabeth bounced out, already on her phone texting Todd.