The smell of fresh coffee was coming up the corridor and his senses woke him to find the centre of the smell, to get some into himself. Blinking at the morning light he saw Ororo walking down the corridor with a small tray, the smell emanating from it. She looked relaxed this morning, happy even, he wondered if she knew Kurt had tattoo’s all over him by now?
Seeing the twinkle in her eye he guessed she did. Noticing Logan was awake she made her way down to him and put the tray next to his side. Coffee, bacon, eggs, ham and toast, quite a big meal. Without asking he just picked up the bacon and stuffed it in, feeling it crunch under his teeth. Growling as he ate he looked at Ororo, her hair was still messy and her calm exterior had slipped a little as she watched him devour the plate.
“If I’d known you’d be so hungry I’d have brought two.” Her smile sparkling at the corners of her eyes, he could smell Kurt mixed with her own musky scent.
“Yeah well, I’m always hungry in the morning, usually done something to earn it in the night.” His comment hit home and she flushed a little, a smile playing with her lips.
“I have no idea what you mean Logan but it’s early and I’ve got to get ready for class. So when you’ve finished please take the tray back to the kitchen.” Picking up a slice of toast she wandered back to her own room, when the door opened he caught the scent of Kurt, a relaxed Kurt at that. Smiling to himself he finished off the breakfast on the tray, he was just draining the cup when the door opened.
Freezing the movement his eyes were glued on the door, it was Damask. She looked out and smiled as she saw him, what must he look like? He felt like a hare caught in the headlights of truck, he knew they’d talked but what about he didn’t know. She waved him closer, like a small child sharing a secret. Placing the cup carefully down on the tray he walked toward her. Her scent was light and airy this morning as if sleeping in a bed had changed her tone completely. Her skin even looked a little pink this morning, showing up her patterns. He bent close to her, taking in her scent and feeling himself rise to the aroma. She noticed and smiled, he could tell as she brought her control to bear on it and it remained like a scent of summer on the air.
“We talked,” her voice was quiet and small as she spoke. “I told her that you’d wanted to tell her some thing’s yourself and that I’d tried to delay Storm as long as I could. We’re going to talk more later. Where will you be at lunchtime?”
“I have no idea, why?”
She looked around and up the corridor checking to see if anyone was around. “Try to be near the pool. I’m having a lesson after math. Rogue’s going to teach me how to swim.”
He could see light beginning to come from her, after so much darkness she was finally beginning to bloom. “Anyhow I can hear her moving around so we’ll see you later yeah?” Then he was looking at the door, still as bewildered as he had been the night before. He just hoped the rest of the day would turn out better.
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Lunch saw him fixing some doorframes that had been damaged by a fight last night. Colossus had broken it up, including the door frame. He remembered his courage the night of the raid, facing the soldiers he’d been able to save most of the kids and lead them out of the school into the grounds, where they’d all hidden until they’d returned for them. He liked Colossus, quiet, thoughtful and very strong, both in mind and body. There was a lot there for others to follow, looking at the doorframe he hoped that not too many followed his punches though. Planing the frame he’d just fitted he tried the door’s fit, it sat snugly in it’s new home and he smiled at a job well done.
Looking out of the window he saw Rogue dressed in her all-in-one costume sat at the pool’s edge with Damask dressed in her spare. From here they looked like twins, almost the same body shape, same height, same weight (although he had to reappraise that when he saw Rogue stand up, she had filled out nicely). Pulling his eyes away from the pool he looked over to the grass field and saw Bobby watching them both. Maybe he ought to get down there, just to be on the safe side. Picking up his tools he walked down the stairs and as he passed the last dorm on his left, two familiar smells reached his nose. His two creepers. Growling loudly as he passed their door, he heard their conversation halt mid sentence. He smiled inwardly, enjoying the feeling it gave him, he was going to enjoy this duty, even if it meant giving up a whole year of sleep.
The autumn sun was bright and the last of the warm winds were turning the trees scarlet, he watched them for a moment, his eyes seeing them dancing, moving and settling in the breeze. Taking a deep breath of the sweet scent he caught an undernote on it. Oil, light oil, taking another breath and tasting it, he narrowed it further.
Gun oil.
Dropping his tools he scanned the field, nothing unusual, just the kids sitting, playing Frisbee, talking and reading as they always did. The trees covered most of the edges of the grounds and the wind entered the courtyard from many different spots. Concentrating he walked out slowly into the field, his steps slow and easy, scenting the air with every step. The breeze brought more of it and he turned toward it, eyes scanning the tree line just outside the grounds, his eyes caught the glint of sunlight on metal. Following the sight line it pointed toward the school building, toward Xavier’s office.
Sprinting away toward the wall he heard the air split near by and a small tuft of grass blossomed in front of him. This was personal now. Running past Bobby he shouted, “Get them inside, we got a sniper! Move it you little asshole!” Anger replaced rational thought as he ran toward the shooter, unsheathing his claws as he reached the wall. Sinking them into the old brick work, he could hear the screams behind him and the almost breathless sound of the gun above him. Adrenalin flooded his system, couldn’t they just leave them alone? Whoever was up there was going to pay if they hit anyone, he was back and no-one would hurt them ever again. Not while he was alive and as others had found out, he was hard to kill.
Climbing to the top of the wall he launched himself into the tree, he saw the cradle of the sniper gently swinging but he’d long gone. Slicing the cradle down he pulled it toward him, food packs fell out as he moved it. This guy had been here for days. Holding it tightly in his grip he flung himself back over the wall and landed on the field. Still furious he walked toward the group who where running toward him, Cyc was there, so was Colossus shining in the sun, his metal skin reflecting the red of the leaves around him. As he reached them he pushed the cradle into Colossus chest, “Check the perimeter, if there’s one there’s bound to be others.”
His eyes speared Scott. “When was the last time you did a check?” His anger just barely under the surface. Scott avoided the question, his mouth opened and shut ineffectually making him seem like a fish in one of Xavier’s ponds. “Just go and check on the Prof, they were after him. I’ll check on the kids.” Colossus had taken a group of young men and they were checking all the trees around the walls, he could talk to him later about getting these men organised into patrols. It seemed like the madness he’d seen out there had reached here at last. He needed to check on the kids, two in particular.
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As he reached the pool area he could see a small knot of kids gathered round, pushing his way through them he saw Damask giving Marie the kiss of life. When she saw him she almost collapsed with relief. “Thank god someone with some sense, get me a stretcher, she’s been shot!” His nose picked up the scent of blood all around, looking into the water he could see the pink tinge against the blue of the pool tile. Checking her suit over he found the wound, it was in her upper arm. The bullet had gone straight through, a lucky break. He watched as Damask sent off a child to the infirmary, turning back to Logan she shouted at him.
“Well don’t just stand there do something!” Snapping out of his thoughts he snarled at the gathered kids to get inside and go to their rooms. Picking Marie up he could feel her heart beating again and colour was beginning to return to her. Looking at Damask as she kept up with him, he had to ask her.
“Do you feel odd? Strange?” Confused she lifted her eyes from Marie and looked at him.
“Why?”
The realisation hit her as he asked the question and he saw it cross her face. “Oh god I touched her didn’t I? She didn’t hurt me.” Her violet eyes were wide as they got inside the building. “Oh god Logan I can touch her!” The stretcher bearer was coming toward them and Logan ignored him, preferring to carry her down to the infirmary. Looking at her pale face screwed up in pain he would make someone suffer for this. Almost instinctually his claws fired and the medic backed away, opening the lift door for them to go down. Damask held Marie’s hand as they went in, her eyes opened at the touch, looking up at Logan she smiled thinking it was his hand that held hers.
When she looked down and saw Damask’s hand holding hers, her eyes widened and he could smell her confusion. “I know, who says miracles can’t happen? I didn’t even think about it I just pulled you out and started on you.” Damasks voice was almost apologetic. “Seems my days of watching E.R. actually paid off.” Marie felt the small hand in hers and squeezed it for all she was worth, almost turning the knuckles white.
“I don’t care how, I’m just glad you can.” Tears flowed, mixing with the chlorine smell that rose from both of them, inside he wished it had been his hand she was holding onto. He could feel the bond beginning to form between them and the wall he was building to keep them both out.
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Retracting his claws as the doors opened he put Marie on the table in the medical centre, his eyes betrayed how he felt and Marie lifted her hand to touch him. But she couldn’t, she knew if she touched him she’d take more from him than just a touch. She’d hurt him and she didn’t want that. Damask was there at her side, holding her hand, stroking the back of it with her small fingers, knowing how sensitive her skin was he knew she was trying to help her. To let her feel something that wasn’t pain.
The medic started to cut the arm from the swimsuit to get at the wound, he watched her face as she showed her annoyance.
Logan had been with her the day she’d bought them, it hadn’t been easy to find something that wasn’t neoprene or rubber. Now she was losing one. Sensing her displeasure Damask spoke. “Well at least one of us will have our arms free the next time we try swimming.” She was trying to take her mind away from the pain and the situation, something he couldn’t do. He looked at her as she was tended to and began to push himself away when Xavier called him.
Seeing that he wasn’t needed here he turned to the door and went out. If he’d looked he’d have seen Marie’s tears fall as she watched him leave her yet again.
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The mixture of emotions left him feeling like a sailor at sea in a typhoon. The quiet stillness of the school seemed unnatural, which it was. The outside world had intruded yet again and brought pain to the ones he loved, he needed to kill the thing that had done it. Not hurt, not fight but *kill*. Going into a run he hoped to burn off some of the anger he felt inside but all it did was get him to the garage a little faster than he’d been expected. Coming through the doors he’d seen the man dressed in green talking to Xavier and he lost all cohesive thought. Claws extended he flew at the man who had brought so much pain and fear to his home.
Logan never reached him, Colossus met him half way across the room and took him down to the floor. Using his weight he pinned his arms to his sides while he raged in an attempt to get at his target. He heard Xavier in his head, calming the animal that raged in there, soothing his mind until he was able to gain control of himself. Blinking out of his rage he looked into the red eyes of Colossus, “Thanks for that. Are you going to let me up now?”
The quiet voiced young man answered. “As long as your not gonna hit me for diving on you.” A quirky smile showing on his face.
“Just let me up and we’ll see,” as he released him he reminded himself that if they ever came to blows to be behind the big man, away from those arms.
Now he was calmer he took a good look at the man they had seated on the floor of the garage. A small man, light, agile by the looks of him, his scent was clean, no stink of drugs or chemicals. What he was doing was what he’d wanted to do, or had been ordered to do. Looking at the range of kit they’d spread out on the floor, he had been prepared for a long wait. The rifle was propped against the station wagon they used for the grocery shopping. A piece of pure artwork, light, made from composite materials, this was no gun shop special. This was military.
His gaze dropped on Xavier who was quietly searching the young mans head, watching as his face showed all the emotions that he found in there. After a few minutes he came back to them and his face was serious and set.
“Gentlemen it seems we have a problem in Washington.” He turned to Scott and asked him to ready the jet. Turning to Colossus he spoke “Peiter I want you to accompany us, Logan I want you here.” He felt his face turn crimson and his blood began to boil. He was about to argue when Xavier explained.
“The children feel safer when you're around, they know you can keep them safe. *I* want you here. Secure the grounds and make sure that no-one leaves the school until the grounds are safe.” Looking at the young man at their feet smiling as if he was sat at the beach, he spoke. “I need you here. If they come back I need someone who won’t hesitate,” his eyes found Xavier’s. “No matter who or what they are.” An unwritten statement passes between them at that moment.
It read, do whatever you feel necessary to ensure their safety, if it means killing someone, then do it out of their sight but do it.
Straightening up and calming himself he prodded the young sniper with his boot. “What about laughing boy here?” Smiling Xavier looked up into his eyes, the cold he found there almost sent him reeling.
“We’re going to visit his commander and we’re taking him with us.” The depth of his feeling showed for a second and it worried him, he was human after all, had the same feelings as they all did. He just controlled them better. Before he left the garage he turned back “We’ll have that talk when you get back, I’ll buy.” Seeing the relief written in his eyes as he knew he understood his role here now. What he wanted him to do, what they all needed him to do. He’d get started right after he knew they were all settled.
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Half and hour later he had all of them in the tv room, sprawled on the large sofa’s on chairs, on the floor, some on the walls, others gently floating mid-air. They’d all seen the jet leave with the Professor and the mood of the room was almost tangible. They were afraid. He walked in accompanied by Ororo and Kurt, all eyes turned to him and several young men lowered their gaze as he looked around the room. Smiling to himself as he realised that news travels fast in a place like this, he shouldn’t have much trouble for now. Clearing his throat he began.
“Right, for those of you who don’t know me I’m Logan, I’ve been left in charge of you until the Prof gets back so there’s going to be some new rules for a while.” He could smell the change in the crowd, fear, anticipation, shock.
Smiling he carried on. “There’s going to be patrols from now on, those of you who are on your last year of education here are going to help out. You're going to be on rotation and Storm here has the sheets.” He watched as she passed them out to the group of students, faces fell, some smiled, others just sat resigned to their new duties. “These will be a regular thing from now on. The world outside has changed their views on us but we haven’t on them. You won’t hit first, if you find anything, you call for the rest of the patrol. You don’t act alone, you never walk a patrol on your own either. If one of you needs to go to the bathroom you do it outside.”
A mixed chorus of ‘Oh my god he’s joking isn’t he?’ and ‘Eeewww’, the talking rose and he decided to make his point clear. Unsheathing his claws loudly he slammed the rota on the wooden panelled wall, pinning it there for everyone to see. The noise sent out a bubble of quiet that quelled all the arguments and talking. He could feel their eyes looking at the weaponry on display and he decided to finish what he needed to say now he had their attention again.
“I will expect *everyone* to help out, as of now the classes of the term are over until we get our security problem sorted out. Any arguments?” The room was silent, all eyes watching the claws.
“If you are on this rota for tonight stay behind, if not get into your dorms and either Kurt or Storm will be visiting you soon.” The kids just sat there watching the claws as they stuck in the wall, retracting them from the paper stuck to the wall he turned to look at them all.
“Are you unclear on what I want you to do?” His gaze travelled over the gathered faces, some afraid of him, others challenging, some happy that he was around. “Well get moving.” The children dispersed quickly, some to their dorms, others to the games room to pick up stuff to do.
The first patrol group went out at 8pm, following his instructions to the letter. Never more than ten feet apart from each other, each group of three walked and watched the tree line, the sky and the field. He’d been out already and checked the grounds earlier, even the forest area around the back of the school. Nothing but it wouldn’t do the kids any harm for them to be watchful, the world had changed again and he wondered how many would come out the other side whole. His mind flew to Marie and her injury, he’d been so wrapped up with everything he’d forgotten about her. Shame building in his head he headed off to the infirmary.
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He opened the door to find both of them asleep, curled up to one another on the bed, Damask wrapped around Marie. Her hand on her bare arm, resting there as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Walking toward them both he felt his heart pull, he was being excluded here but he needed to see that they were both safe. Sighing heavily he turned to go, closing his eyes for a second he could feel her thoughts and was surprised when he found himself in them.
Standing still he concentrated on her thoughts, her mind within his and he could see their patterns. She was thinking about him, that he was behind her, holding her, touching her, keeping her safe. Opening his eyes he heard the medic coming and he left them asleep, giving them the only comfort he could at the moment. He had work to do and he’d die first before he failed in its execution.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Logan finds that having two women in his life make for difficulty but something rears it's ugly head at the school and Scott realises how much he's let slip.