Out on the Lawn there arose such a clatter

[Wolverine]

"This's total BULLSHIT Emma!" he growled over his shoulder as he left her standing there in the cabin. "Get outta the way kid" He thumped down the back ramp of the Blackbird as it was sitting there on the lawn, smoke steaming it's way from the engines and gave Diesel a bit of a shove to the side as he walked into the middle of the little group that had just deplaned. Those same faces that had stared blankly at him circled him and on the far side of the circle they parted as Scott Summers entered to walk up before him. "You want some more?" he snarled at the X-Men's leader. Logan's hand flexed but didn't ball up into a fist. Not just yet.

"Look, you're about to have an even worse day than yer already havin if you say one damn word." He held his finger up for a second before poking Cyclops in his chest and turning to look at what a mess this whole thing had become. He just wanted to keep it simple, but no.. that wasn't allowed to happen. Jocelyn had made her point so Logan took a chance that he could do with a little help, but upon deeper reflection he saw the truth of it all and he had been right to trust only himself from the start.

In his heart of hearts he knew nobody could be trusted. In his haste he had come up with some hair-brained scheme, and Haven's Scooby Doo remark was a smack in the face.. just the smack in the face he needed. "Right, since we got a change of plans then I'm gonna change the roster."

As he looked around he realized Rogue and her class were starting to close in on the group. Logan didn't really care who knew what at this point since it might be good for the rest of the kids to know that they would never be safe in this world. There were too many people out to do wrong, and they didn't play by any rules that excluded kids.. there was a time long ago when they did, but that time had long since passed by. "No kids! I don't care who else comes but I ain't riskin any more kids."

[Haven]

"What!!!" Haven rushed forward to get right up in Logan's face. "If you haven't noticed there's already kids on the way to wherever they got em kidnapped at and I ain't gonna be left out! If you're worried about if you can trust us well, I know I kept your secret for how many months now? If that ain't trust then I don't know what is." She stared right back into the hairy man's animal eyes, her own eyes never blinking as she threw it in his face that she had kept him safe from persecution when she could have done otherwise. Of course the fact that it was her best friend she would also hurt in revealing the secret was beside the point she was making, so she willingly ignored that part of it.

"And on toppa that I TOLD her to go last night. She was worried about you and I said well, go then you're an X-Man.. I gave her the encouragement, it was MY fault she left!" Skillfully she deluded herself yet again to neglect the fact that Aideen was going to go anyway, but Niki had endorsed the idea whole heartedly and for that she shared the blame.

"So if you think you're sittin ME out then you got another thing comin 'BUB'" she threw his word in his face "cause I'm goin even if I gotta fight you for a seat on that broke ass Blackbird!" She could feel the eyes of her friends and the teachers and her beloved Ian burning into her with all she had just revealed, but there was far more at stake than what anybody felt about her. Niki didn't give a shit about anybody's opinion of her or how she thought or who she covered for. The only thing that mattered right then was getting her friend back.

[Cyclops]

"Whoa hold on." Scott took hold around Niki's shoulders and pulled her back from Logan. He knew the man would never hurt a child, but Haven was more irksome than anybody he knew to recent memory and she was in his face about personal things at a time when the Canuck was hardly able to process his rage.

Scott could handle being the one he vented on. It wouldn't be the last time he took a shot or two from the feral X-Man, but somebody had to be the grown up and his position as leader made the choice very clear to him. "Get back over there Haven." He sent her back to stand next to Diesel, knowing he would have to deal with her withholding information a some future date, and turned back to address Logan.

"Wolverine, you are too close to this situation. None of us are that far removed from it, and I apologize for my earlier comment to you, but this has nothing to do with any of us and everything to do with you." He looked around him as the crowd was gathering, students had come over to see what was going on from as far off as the stables. It wasn't every day that the X-Jet nearly crashed into the mansion, so who could blame them.

"And it's too important for us to not have the personnel we need involved. I'll be leading this mission, that means someone has to cover my class. Colossus, that's going to be you. It also means you need to hold down the fort.. don't let the children get out of control." He nodded his thank you to Piotr for being responsible enough to not argue and to take the responsibility seriously and treat the turn of events with the respect it needed.

"And to leave a world class telepath behind would be utter foolishness, so Emma-" he did not get to finish his sentence as the ground suddenly left his feet...

[Wolverine]

...and reacquainted itself with his back knocking the wind out of him. The day had made a mess of Logan, as had the night before and the months of hiding had been slowly fraying his nerves around the edges, but the insinuation that he was a fool was too much after the little albino's outburst and Scott taking the reins of the mission.

A quick grab of Scott's uniform and a hip toss and Logan slammed him to the deck with as much force as five lifetimes of Judo training could muster. "I'm a fool HUH!?!" He slid his left forearm up across Cyclops' throat and raised his right hand above the man's face. With a *Snikt* three razor sharp adamantium claws sliced their way out of his flesh to glint in the early morning sun. "Yea, I'm the fool- you got any other smart remarks you wanna make? WELL, do ya BUB!?!"

[Cyclops]

He heard Logan's words, just barely over the ringing in his ears and the light glinting off of the claws that hovered above his face was nothing compared to the flash of white light that had dazed him when the back of his head hit the ground. He didn't have time for this little dance and he knew he shouldn't do it, but there was hardly a better time to remind the hairy little fellow why he was respected.

Knowing there were children all around them and more on the way he picked an angle and depressed the micro control button in the thumb of his glove. With a -

KaZZAAKKkkk

- he launched Logan chin first into the sky with an optic blast.

Rolling over onto his side Cyclops gasped at the air like a fish out of water, then with Herculean effort he climbed up onto his hands and knees to try to catch his breath as he rubbed his throat. "UUugghh, that was worth it." he muttered under his breath as he took his time to stand up and take his first full breath of air.

Scott realized that what he'd done would only serve to make Wolverine all the madder, and that he would be back soon enough, but in the interim he gloated inwardly as he looked around to make further adjustments to the squad. "O.K. then.." he rasped out, clearing his throat to find his voice "as I was saying, Emma will be coming along and-" he heard the footfalls, silent as a ninja, but Scott was expecting it and Logan wasn't really trying all that hard to keep quiet.

"NO LOGAN! Stop-" he saw the movement behind the bodies of those that stood looking on and when Wolverine burst through to the center area Scott quickly measured his steps. He loosed a rapid fire shot at the ground before his feet, chunking a clod of earth out, hoping to make him stumble. It was no good as Logan must have anticipated the tact and launched himself, claws crossed before him, to deflect Cyclops next blast. Scott was going to have to take him hand to hand, firing again might hurt some of the children, he did not like his odds.

[Shadowkat]

"STOP!" Kitty yelled, launching herself at Cyclops and making the both of them phase. She had heard the commotion from the kitchen and didn't think she ever remembered running so fast. Logan and Scott's fights were well known throughout the school, they had one about every six months, but now wasn't the time for them. Her arms were wrapped around Scott's waist, and she still flinched when a snarling Logan went right through the both of them.

"Enough of this! NO! Logan, Scott, you're not doing this, not now!" The fierce and determined glare on her face was set as she held out her hand to grab Logan and phase him too in case Scott decided to try something. "This is NOT the time to have a battle of egos, in case you forgot, we have two kids and one of our teammates missing!" Kitty knew she should have had more tact about mentioning the delicate situation around the kids, but the only important thing on her mind was to get the two men in a right head.

"Don't you dare give me that look Logan, it doesn't work on me. Quit thinking about how everyone is messing up your plans and start thinking how everyone can help you best help you get your girlfriend out of having her entire life taken away from her!" Kitty matched the glare on her old friend's face at a practically identical imitation that could only have been obtained by someone he mentored. "Come on guys, this goes for all of you! The more time we waste standing here the less time we have to get back our kids. We're X-Men damnit! It's about time we started acting like it."

"This-" She looked right at Logan and Scott at that moment. "Is a huge time waster, and it's gonna stop now. I am not going to deal with this playground bullshit anymore, and I don't think anyone else is either. Both of you need to get over your issues with each other and focus on what's more important." Now fairly sure that they wouldn't attack each other, she let go of Cyclops and went back to her solid form, though she was ready to grab either of them.

"Look, we want them back, and we WILL get them back, but in order for that to happen, we need to all cut the crap now. Any issue we have with each other can be put aside until we got our kids back next to us, and our teammate on our side again." Then her light brown eyes focused on Logan, narrowing slightly as she caught his gaze. Her voice lowered considerably, as these words were meant only for him. "You've lost so much, don't let your pride be the reason that you lost another chance not just at love, but at finding humanity again." She stared at him for a moment longer and then looked back at the others. "Now who's going on this, and make your decision fast, cause I'm not letting you guys waste anymore time."

[StormHawk]

"Uh..." Gavin was at a loss for words, landing just a bit further from the whole scene at the Blackbird while he tried to piece together what he heard going on and why Wolverine and Cyclops were fighting with each other. He knew from when Ian woke him up hurriedly that there was something wrong that day, but he had no idea what. When the big giant jet unexpectedly landed on the yard, he flew away from class only to see if there was anything he could do to help, but instead he stumbled onto something that made him stand there and scratch his head.

Dumbfounded, Gavin stared at the scene with his mouth open, looking between Kitty, Wolverine, Cyclops, and Niki as he tried to piece together whatever was going on. Both Niki and Ian looked extremely upset, and Wolverine was out for blood and him and Cyclops, damn they both looked ready to rip the other in half. Gavin blinked a couple of times and looked around at all the teachers, Rogue included, his eyes settling on Bobby who had always promised them that he would be straight up with them.

"Uh, who's missing?" Gavin asked the question that was probably on everyone's mind as the crowd around the jet got increasingly larger and most of them looking just as confused and bewildered as he did. He looked around at all the teachers, clearly expecting someone to give them an answer.

[D'mnchyld]

Jenny's curiosity knew no limits, or so it would seem, and k'8 could hardly blame her since she wanted to know what was happening with the X-Men the moment they'd all seen the Blackbird lift off. It was an amazingly impressive thing to witness from the paddock by the stables, but when it started to go out of control she could only look on in horror until the littlest one of them there took off running back to the mansion.. and the place where it looked like the jet would crash!

k'8 couldn't let Jenny get hurt. Her promise to Karma to watch out for her was fresh in her mind and her own curiosity kicking in unfroze her knees allowing her to bolt off after the bouncing pigtails. Catching up with the girl they had rushed to join the gathering throng of gawkers hand in hand and giggled together when their friends landed safely, thinking it all a joke, until reality and insanity set in. Katie had held onto Jenny tightly when things turned savage and her eyes didn't miss a trick.. nor did her ears. Though she had not the benefit of enhanced senses there was a reason Riker trusted her to be the forward observer of the team, k'8 had an uncanny ability to 'connect the dots' so to speak. Deductive reasoning and leaps of logic were the ace up her sleeve, and she didn't miss a trick.

"Holy cow- Wolverine and Ember? Dating?...and she's missing?" She said it out loud in astonishment without checking her facts. It was a gut reaction of an outburst, and she didn't mean to say it out loud. Who else would Haven advise? What other X-Men aside from Karma and Beast weren't there and neither one of them would date Logan.. while also taking advice from Niki. She knew she was right on that one, but who else was missing and what had Cyclops said to get Wolverine so fired up? Those mysteries were yet to be answered but looking around she quickly saw who was there amongst them and scratched the names off of her mental list.

"Who are the other two? -and what can we do to help?" She added quickly, not wanting anyone.. especially Kitty.. to think she was there just for the spectacle of it all. Her voice held a tone of sincerity, she truly wanted to help.

[Fleet]

"Hey what did she just say?" Kyle looked down at reMOVE, who had become his surrogate shadow as he tucked his basketball up under his arm. He was off shooting hoops and keeping his hand eye coordination and his jump shot tight, but the launch of the Blackbird had screwed up his early morning plans. It was a good thing too because for some reason the new Paragon kid was just as good a shot as him and going shot for shot was something he did not expect.

"YO!" he threw an arm out toward k'8 asking "Did you just say our GYM TEACHER is bangin a student? THE Miss Prim'n'Proper herself?" He nodded his head in some approval of it, since he had his opinion of Ember and it was not what it once was. It was also proving to be a little more realistic an opinion than everyone who felt she was the best thing since sliced bread and the thought of sliced bread started to make him hungry again.

Since laying off actively using his powers he had felt a resurgence of energy and he'd been pushing himself. His injuries were healing fast thanks to him taking the medication the Doc had him on, but because his metabolism was so fast still he felt like he was burning through food and medicine faster and faster. He might need to talk with Beast about upping his meds to keep up with his body's ability to metabolize them.

Though if he was honest with himself the truth was he was more interested about his former team mate, the girl who had taken his rightful place as the acting team leader when Nightcrawler had gone missing, and how much of an undercover slut she was. He did have seniority over her on their team, he was there first, and he was a guy so admittedly he felt some sorta way about Ember and this little wrinkle in her public persona was just the vindication he was looking for.

Somehow, the whole 'missing persons' thing slipped right past him as he focused on Ember and her *ahem* loose grasp on her morals.

[Haven]

Niki's jaw dropped open at enema-boy's comment, and she looked back and forth between him and her man. "Oh no he di'in't.. I'M gonna KILL him!" She took a step in Fleet's direction, blood boiling and hands balling up but with great self control she stopped herself.

Her problems with Kyle and his attitude for Aideen could take a back seat to the bigger picture. Kitty had said it right when she said they were wasting time fighting amongst themselves and no playground bullshit was going to help right then and there. On top of it all she didn't want to feed into anything that would give jumpdick any pleasure.

Sensing that Ian might grab her she shook her hands out with a ferocity and stepped back. "You're on borrowed time joker, there's bigger issues here than you and your petty bullshit!" Niki yelled over at Fleet. "What are we waiting for? Is that thing broken or what?" she pointed at the Blackbird.

[Riff~Raff]

"Nay bloody way," Riker said from his spot next to K'8. He had ran after his Gamma and the wee little pup running toward the jet as it landed, fearing for their safety. Even if he, Maddy, and Romon were in the middle of a mean game of cards, his team came first. Instead of playing the protective Alpha, he stood there with his mouth wide open in disbelief.

Riker's eyes moved from Wolverine to K'8 and just stared at Wolverine with pure disbelief on his face. "Yer pullin' me leg aren' ya? There be no bloody way. Ember? Him? F@%k Me." He raked a hand through his hair, tugging it back. It didn't compute in his mind, it was like... not fathomable. I mean, look at 'er. She be bloody gorgeous. How tha bloody hell would a bloke like him ever be able t'land a lass like tha'? He blinked at the guy and smack his forehead as he tried to keep his mind straight.

He knew none of his own were missing, as Riker was very careful in tracking his team and making sure they stayed out of trouble. Right now he couldn't get past how a guy like Wolverine, cool as he was the man didn't exactly have movie star looks, get a girl like Ember. "This be bloody... Hell I dun believe it."

[Onyx]

For a moment it felt like someone had dosed his organs in antifreeze, his mind stopping and it felt like his heart had stopped too. Jasper couldn't believe it. His ears burned from K'8's words that player over and over in his head like a broken record. The feeling that coursed through him was painful, sickening, almost as if he could feel his heart being torn into shreds. <It can't be true. It just can't. No, I cannot believe it.>

His icy blue eyes that were almost silver right then turned to look at him. The great Wolverine, the ruthless gym teacher that made them go through countless of exercises because he thought of it as character building, or perhaps was sadistic enough to just like to watch young people suffer. It didn't feel right thinking that this disgusting old man, grotesque in everything from his short stature, unnatural amount of body hair, weather snarling face, and gorilla like behavior would touch his beautiful love.

Aideen was too beautiful, too intelligent, too perfect for that man. It made him shake with a rage that was fueled by anger and hurt, the passion and emotion almost made him go into a blind rage. "LIAR!" He yelled, snarling at the gym teacher who before then he never gave a second thought to, but all he could think of at the moment was the image of that man touching that beautiful Goddess with his abnormally sized hands. It was sickening, it was disgusting.

His emotions were so out of control, that he couldn't even think of the darkness that swirled out of him in black waves, licking up his tall lean frame. Jasper's narrowed eyes were fixed in a look of pure hate at Wolverine, ignoring everything and everyone around him. "She vould never touch jou. Never. I know eet isn't true, not even saying anyzhing on her intelligence und wit alone, just look at her! Beauties like her are rare, everyzhing about her is perfect, und we supposed to believe she vould touch jou? Jou?! Impossible," He snarled, never having felt such hatred in his life.

"Jou should have stayed avawy when jou vere sent off. She vas pure, jou destroyed her!" Nothing mattered anymore, his broken heart not allowing his mind to work rationally, everything he had been feeling the past months were stripped and he felt what he thought was an even larger swell of loathing and hatred than the night he killed his father's murderer. "She vould never touch a disgusting animal." His voice was venomous, the black swirls of his power enveloping his lower body and shoulder, but his icy silver blue eyes stayed clear to glare at the monster that stood before him, never wishing so much harm on another being in his life.

[Apogee]

“And the award for most awkward moment goes to...” Donna mimed opening up an envelope, coming up beside Gavin and propping her elbow up on his shoulder. “What's tha' say there, mate? I can never read this handwriting. Ovaltine? That can't be right...” The green-haired lunatic thrust the invisible 'results' in front of Gavin's face and tsked, squinting at a piece of paper that didn't actually exist. “Ooooooh, Wolverine...duh.”

Donna wasn't stupid. Despite her oblivious and often bizarre reactions to most situations she was still a military brat that knew perfectly well that when situations were this heated, nothing got accomplished. Tension made for sloppy mistakes and bad blood and if there was a brand spanking new X-Man out there, hardly older than she was herself, plus two students that were in trouble... best people get back to their right heads. If that meant she played the idiot... why not? It was a role she was comfortable and familiar with and now... it was useful, too. Things were too volatile, what with Jasper cussing off their gym teacher and wrapped in sparking shadow like he'd licked a spark plug, the teachers snarling at each other like rabid puppies with laser vision, and Niki barely containing her anger at Fleet, the situation was deteriorating and doing no one any good.

With crisp steps the cuddly little bonkers left Gavin's side to stand next to Jasper, standing at parade rest, one crystalline eye on Wolverine, the other on her irate teammate.“Don't loose it, blue eyes. Yeh can't help her or anyone else if Fuzzywuzzy puts a claw up yer bum. Rein it in before he does tha' feral thing and more time gets wasted, aye?” Hands still clasped resolutely behind her back, Donna gave Niki a wink. That daffy speedster wasn't worth her worry or concern. His own team didn't give a shit about his opinion, so why should anyone else? Her seeking gaze did not stop until they lit on Kitty. The Shadowkat was looking as tense and displeased as everyone else, but at least she was speaking sense. “Tell us what needs doin, Ma'am.”