August 14, 1992

Lorna drove down the back roads that led to the Institute. So much of it was rolling hills and trees. She remembered the summers she had spent there, how beautiful it had been. That beauty was still the same, even if so many other things had changed.

As she drove Lorna couldn't help but feel giddy. She had brought Max a few things from home, and she hoped that it would help. She'd also gotten him some of his favorite maple fudge from the local candy shop down the road. As far as she knew they only made it there.

She hoped that Max was getting better. The sooner he got control of his mutation the sooner they could take him home. It broke her heart to have left her son at the Institute, but she didn't know of anywhere else that could help him.

Maybe Alex was right and they would have to relocate to New York again. She had hoped that Luna wouldn't have to grow up at the Institute. Luna had heard stories about the X-men, but hearing stories and growing up around them were two completely different things. Lorna didn't want her children to have too much exposure to that kind of lifestyle. Not until they were older.

She turned the corner that led to the Institute's driveway. The gates towered above her, their rusted iron singing out to her like an old song she'd heard many times before. Lorna smiled to herself.

No matter what had happened, things were looking a little better. The fight at Staten Island had gone well: none of the X-men had been killed. She wasn't sure about the Brotherhood, but she knew that her father was in jail. Lorna had decided to talk to the Professor while she was there about finding time to visit him. She knew she wouldn't be welcome, but she could never stop trying.

Thing even looked better for Max. Alex would be there soon, as well as Angel and Luna. Lorna knew that it would be the first time that Angel had ever set foot inside the Institute. She was more than a little scared, but Lorna so no reason for that fear. She wasn't a member of the Brotherhood anymore. She wasn't an X-man either. Angel was a mutant who was finding her way in the world, and people like that had always been welcome at the Institute.

She pulled up alongside the access pad. Lorna had called ahead, so punching in the key code took only seconds. She'd hate to have to climb the fence like she'd done when she was younger.

Lorna looked out the window and waved her hand. The metal keys pressed in by themselves and Lorna waited for the code to process. After a few seconds the gate opened and she smiled. Lorna was about to see her son.

She drove through, but not before she saw someone drive in beside her. Lorna immediately hit the brakes and reached out for the metal in the motorcycle. It stopped and Lorna got out of the car.

She walked over to the motorcycle, her hand still out. The man on the bike glared at her.

"This some sort o security procedure I didn't know about?" he asked.

"It is when you don't enter the key code," she said.

Lorna looked over the stranger and frowned.

"Isn't that Scott's bike?" she asked.

The man chuckled. Lorna cocked her head.

"So you're a thief who doesn't know the code to the front gate?" she asked.

"Listen, lady, I'm just here to talk to wheels," he said.

Lorna made a face.

"You're not talking about who I think you're talking about, are you?" she asked.

The man smirked. Lorna crossed her arms.

"I'm going to have to talk to the Professor," she said, "We don't just let anyone into the school. There are children here."

The man rolled his eyes. She sighed.

"Listen, if you're a regular here and I don't know you, then I'm sorry," Lorna said, "I'm kind of out of the loop here, but I prefer to be on the cautious side-"

The man snorted and started to get off his bike.

"I've had enough of telekinetics," he said, "I'm walkin, if you don't mind."

"Hey, wait!" Lorna said.

She reached out for metal, hoping that he was wearing a watch or a belt buckle that she could use. Instead she felt a great deal more metal than she'd expected. The man stared at her, frozen in place. She was equally shocked.

"Do you have a hip replacement...no," Lorna said, "That's far too extensive...what the-?"

Lorna.

She straightened.

Professor? she thought.

He's fine, Charles thought, A little unorthodox, but fine. And yes, that is Scott's bike. He's been looking for it actually.

Then you can tell him it's back, Lorna thought, I'll be in in a minute.

I'd like to talk to you when you have a moment, Charles thought.

Of course.

She released her hold on him and the man moved again, glaring at her. Lorna shrugged.

"The Professor just okayed you," she said, "Like I said, I'm out of the loop, but I'm not taking chances."

She jerked her head towards the school.

"My son's in there," she said.

"Apology accepted," the man rumbled.

"I'm not apologizing," Lorna said.

He raised his eyebrows and Lorna smiled gently.

"I'm just explaining Mr...?" she asked.

"Just call me Logan," he said, getting back on the bike.

"I'm Lorna-" she began.

Before she could finish Logan geared up the bike and drove away. Lorna shrugged and got back into her car. She started up the engine and continued driving. Her chance encounter with Logan wasn't going to ruin her good mood.

She parked in front of the Institute and walked into the lobby, her suitcases levitating behind her. She'd always taken care to buy trunks with metal buckles. Lorna had told the Professor that she would be there, so she had hoped that she wouldn't have to go on a wild goose chase for her son.

"Mom!"

Lorna turned and saw Max run up towards her. Her heart sank when she saw him. His face was still bright, if not a little worn. His clothes were completely changed. Gone were his careless t-shirts and jeans. Now he was wearing a coat, gloves and a turtleneck. He shouldn't have to dress like that.

At the same time, no matter what pain he was going through, he was her son. Lorna opened her arms and hurried forward. She hugged Max and held him tightly. Lorna noticed briefly how he moved so she wouldn't touch the skin of his face, but the important part was that he was there.

She pulled away and beamed at her son. Lorna put her hands on his shoulders. She could feel the tears in her eyes.

"I think you've grown," she said.

"Mom," Max laughed.

She put her arm around his shoulder.

"I brought you a surprise," Lorna said.

Max crossed his arms and Lorna opened one of her trunks. She pulled out the box of fudge and Max's eyes lit up.

"Seriously?" he asked, taking the box, "You brought this all the way from Alaska?"

"Yeah," Lorna said, "It might have melted a little, but-"

Before she could finish her sentence Max had already torn off the lid and popped a chunk into his mouth.

"It's sho good," he said, the fudge sticking his teeth together.

"Max, don't talk with your mouth full," Lorna said.

Max grinned.

"Max? Ah was wonderin if ya could help with-oh."

Lorna looked past Max. A girl was standing in the doorway with brown and white hair. Lorna noticed her gloves and long sleeves immediately. Max swallowed before he turned to her, trying to wipe the last of the fudge off his mouth.

"Hey Rogue," Max said.

He gestured to Lorna.

"This is my mom," he said.

"Hi," Rogue said.

Lorna put her hand out for Rogue to shake. Rogue glanced at it for a minute before she put her gloved hand in Lorna's. Lorna continued smiling.

"I'm pleased to meet you Rogue," she said.

"Ah've heard a lot about ya," Rogue said.

"Really?" Lorna asked.

She let go of Rogue's hand.

"Well, I hope you're tolerating my son," she said, "I know he can be quite the handful."

"Mom," Max moaned.

"He's a good friend," Rogue said.

Lorna nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that," she said, "He worries me with the way he takes after his father. Real troublemaker."

"Alex could be a real handful sometimes."

Lorna didn't even bother to turn around before she began speaking.

"Nice to see you again Scott," she said.

"Likewise," Scott said.

He walked beside her and rubbed his head.

"Headache?" Lorna asked.

"Yes," Scott said.

"Does that have anything to do with the guy who stole your bike?" Lorna asked.

Rogue perked up.

"Logan's back?" she asked.

"Yes," Lorna said.

She smiled and Max gave her a thumbs up. Rogue turned and hurried up the stairs.

"Nice ta meet ya Mrs. Summers!" she called over her shoulder.

"Nice to meet you too!" Lorna said.

She turned back to her son and brother-in-law.

"Are they related or something?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Max said.

"More or less," Scott said, his voice irritated.

Lorna shared a look with Max, who shrugged. She supposed that Scott didn't like Logan very much, and she knew that she would find out why later from Max. He was giving her a knowing look that just begged to share information.

Lorna, am I interrupting anything?

Not really Professor, Lorna thought.

I was wondering if we could have that talk.

Give me a moment, Lorna thought.

She walked over to Max and put her hands back on his shoulders.

"Max, I have to go talk to the Professor for a minute," she said, "I'll be right back down afterwards."

"See you then," he grinned.

Lorna let go of his shoulders and headed up the stairs. When she reached the landing she leaned over the rail and called:

"And don't eat all of that fudge in one go!"

"Awww!" Max said.

Lorna grinned and headed up to the Charles's office. It felt like she was reliving part of her life all over again, the good parts. She ran one of her hands absently against the wall, tracing the familiar patterns in the wood.

She knocked when she reached Charles's office.

"Come in."

Lorna walked in, still smiling. She was doing a lot of that that day.

"Lorna," Charles said, smiling.

"It's good to see you again," she said, walking up and shaking his hand.

"And it's good to see you," he said.

Lorna sat down in one of the chairs across from his desk. She looked around.

"Is Moira not here?" she asked.

"She's doing some tutoring at the moment," Charles said, "But she's here."

He coughed.

"It's one of the things I want to talk to you about," he said.

Lorna sat up straighter, folding her hands in her lap.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Charles leaned back.

"I'm not sure if you've heard about Warren's death-" he said.

"It was on the news," Lorna said.

She swallowed. It was the only thing that had managed to dampen her mood. She'd tried to forget it for a bit, knowing that her son was the most important thing. She'd been doing well until Charles brought it up.

"He was a good student," she said.

"He was," Charles said, "But...before he died he gave us a warning. He believed that something was happening in Boston, and that we might be a target for attack."

She felt her heart skip a few beats.

"What sort of attack?" Lorna asked.

"We're not sure," he said, "We're sending a team to Boston, which means that we'll be a little short-staffed here."

She saw immediately what he was asking. He looked uncomfortable, and Lorna understood why. She'd always been adamant that, unless there was an emergency, she had put fighting behind her. Lorna still kept in shape, but she hadn't been an X-man since before Luna had been born.

However, this was an emergency. More than that, Max was at the school.

"I understand," she said.

She managed a small smile, the first one she'd had to force all day.

"Looks like I'll have to fish out the old uniform," she said.