A Future Unkown: An X-Men Fanfiction.

Chapter 18

“Then what are you doing about it?” Logan yelled, clenching his teeth. He’d give anything to smoke a cigar right now; arguing with the Professor did that sometimes. It just seemed that no one around here was really trying to help her; they were all just going about their daily business.

“We’re protecting her.” Xavier replied calmly, not bothering to look at Logan.

This wasn’t the answer he was looking for. “How is keeping her trapped like an animal protecting her?” he rolled his eyes, leaning back on the wall. “You can’t keep her here forever, you know.”

The Professor finally looked up at him. “I am aware of this already.” He returned his gaze to the papers he was grading. “Do you really take me as a fool?”

Logan scoffed. “If you’re aware of it, then what are you doing to fix it?” he ignored Xavier’s question for the moment. He took him for a lot of things, but never a fool. That didn’t mean they didn’t have their differences. “Trying to find Magneto? We already know you can’t, not with that helmet of his.”

He could tell that the Professor was growing rather annoyed with him, but was doing his best to keep it under control. “Tell me Logan, for someone who told me you didn’t care, you seem rather worried about the girl.”

A knock on the door prevented Logan from responding, so instead he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, a bit disappointed that he had been interrupted. However, when Kaya walked in, he was afraid that she had overheard their conversation. He had to remind himself to breathe. It wasn’t that he didn’t want other people knowing that he did, in fact, care for her, so much as he was afraid of what would happen if he actually admitted to it. Everyone he cared about seem to perish around him.

“I’m sorry, am I interrupting anything?” Kaya asked, her voice was so soft he could barely hear her.

Xavier smiled, sign of his earlier annoyance had all but vanished, “No, not at all, Logan was just leaving.” He shot him a look, to which Logan just rolled his eyes and, reluctantly, left. Wishing he could have stayed to make sure she was alright. He just didn’t like the idea of her being alone with the professor, thinking he wasn’t doing much of anything to help her, but maybe that was why she wanted to talk to him in the first place. Logan supposed he would just have to wait and see, that was, if she even decided to tell him.

“You look cheerful.” A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up and grinned.

“Jean, haven’t seen much of you lately.” He replied.

Now it was her turn to grin. “Now, whose fault is that? You’ve been off with your new friend.”

“She needs a friend here.” He walked over and sat in a chair. Jean had cut her hair short, and it suited her. The fact that Logan had not been spending some time with her just went to show that something was off about him. Perhaps he was learning.

“She does.” Jean agreed with a nod. “But so do you.”

Logan sighed, leaning back in the chair. “If people were smart, they would stay away from me.” He looked away, refusing to meet her eyes, only to feel a hand on his face, gently moving it so he had no other choice but to look at her. He did have friends, but again, most of the time they were injured around him. Rogue flashed though his mind, how he should have been able to protect her-especially after his promise. Then there was Jean, his earlier affection just causing her pain between having to choose Scott or him.

“Then why are you here Logan? Why surround yourself with people?” she asked, and he knew, deep down, that she was right. That, however, didn’t stop him from moving his head away and out of her grip. “Admit it Logan, even you need friends.”

“What good are friends if you can’t protect them?” he nearly snapped, standing up and moving away from her. He didn’t come here to get ridiculed, or questioned, about his decisions. Yes, he stayed at the school, but he didn’t fully know why. Perhaps there were things, people, keeping him here, but he would never admit that.

“I’m only trying to help.” She stated, looking hurt. Logan sighed, hurting Jean was the last thing he wanted.

“I know, I’m sorry.” He apologized, closing his eyes. “I know I need friends, and I do have them. I just get tired of how my friends get hurt when they’re near me.” His breathing was steadier now that he had calmed down some, and he decided to take a seat again.

“You can’t protect everyone Logan.” Jean flashed a sincere smile. “Though your loyalty is admirable.”

Logan nodded, but he didn’t smile, though he knew Jean was right. He was just one man, even if indestructible, he couldn’t protect everyone. There would always be another mutant, or a human, who would be a threat, and there was no way he could be two places at once. Eventually he would just have to accept that and move on, try to be a better friend and protect the ones he could. Like how Kaya needed protection, which he knew he could do. Even if he didn’t agree with the Professor’s method of keeping her here the whole time, he knew in the end it was all just to help protect her. Though, that may be going better if they knew where Magneto was in the first place. As long as he had that helmet though, that was near impossible. They had even tried to find Mystique, but it looked like she wasn’t with him because the police, whom Kaya’s mother had called, managed to catch up with her.

He left Jean then, making his way to his room. It had been a long day and he was tired. These days though had been restless, the ever constant nightmares raging in his mind, bringing him no peace. He would constantly wake up, claws bared, sweating and panting in the middle of the night, already having to replace his bed sheets several times this week. Sometimes he thought it would be better if he slept with no sheets at all, but then he assumed he would just destroy the bed. The nightmares were more like memories though, but he could never grasp them, just see glimpses of his past. It left him with even more questions than he already had.

It didn’t bring him closure, that was for sure.