Title: Intermission 2: Mansion Romance

Author: Bani

Email: BAnime78@aol.com 

Series: Cutting Loose: 2nd Intermission

Rating: PG-13

Genre: The gang at the Mansion

Summary: Um..the Mansion gets some new residents, Logan acts 

strangely, Storm gets a man and Hank gets the girl.

A/N: This Plot bunny was gnawing at my Butt. I don't know who 

threw it at me. Don't matter who it was though 'cause I 

successfully pried it off. (hee-hee)

Archive: You want it you got it. Leave an Addy though.

Disclaimer: Marvel and Fox own them. Not me. No money made.

Dedication: To Joanne who gave me the Logan clone who soothed 

my aching butt after I pried that damn plot bunny off. You're a 

peach. And Kelsey who suggested I do another Intermission. <G> 

Oh and Nadja Lee just because I love that chica. BIG HUGS.

****************************************************************************

    *Logan POV*

    It had been three days since Rogue and Scott had left and 

things at the Mansion were starting to calm down. Well at least as 

much as could be expected. Considering that they had just added 

two new students the previous day. And Logan had become the 

new albeit reluctant Gym Teacher. 

    Logan didn't know how he had let Chuck talk him into 

taking over Scott's Gym classes. He'd been all set to tell the man 

no when Ro had told him that Chuck was gonna ask him. But 

somewhere between his brain and his lips, the no had turned into a 

yes.

    So, now he was in the Gym pacing back and forth before a 

group of teenagers trying to figure out what he was supposed to be 

doing. The class consisted of Marie's little friends and the two new 

students. A young man and a girl of about fifteen.

    The boy reminded him eerily of Scooter. He had that same 

self-confident air about him and it was really pissing Logan off. 

The girl in turn reminded him of Marie and was standing there all 

hunched in on herself. He wondered what her story was.

    Someone cleared their throat and he realized he had been 

staring at the two newbies. Looking around he took in the general 

over all appearance of the group. They all seemed to be in good 

health he decided.

    Grinning evilly, he said. "Drop and give me twenty." There 

were groans all around and he chuckled silently.

    They all dutifully got down and started doing push-ups. He 

was pleasantly surprised to see that the girls were doing as good as 

the boys. And they weren't even doing those girly push-ups either.

    After several minutes filled with straining grunts the kids 

finished up and he was back to wondering what to do next. "What 

does Scooter have ya guy's do?" He finally asked at a total loss as 

to what to have them do.

    The Asian girl Jubi-something or other raised her hand. 

"Ya don't need to raise yer hand kid. Just tell me." She grinned at 

him and he got a niggling sensation in the back of his head. The 

one that he knew might be a memory if he could only catch it.

    He shook his head dispelling the sensation and the Asian 

kid said. "Well Wolvie we're supposed ta be working on self 

defense this month. Ya wouldn't happen ta know any moves ya 

could teach us would ya." 

    Logan winced at the damn nickname and glared at her. 

"First off kid the name is Logan not Wolvie and secondly what I 

know about self defense isn't something ya teach a bunch of little 

kids like you."

    "Well jeez dude ya don't have ta bite my head off. And if I 

can't call ya Wolvie then ya ain't allowed ta call me kid." She 

stuck her tongue out at him and he fought the urge to growl.

    "Whatever kid." He said ignoring her one fingered salute. 

"Anyone else got any bright ideas?" He looked around at the 

group.

    When he looked at ice-boy the kid looked ready to wet his 

pants. Logan snickered. What was the kids name again? He'd 

heard one of the kids yell it out when they had come into the gym. 

It was Boober or something like that.

    "What about you Boober?" The kid's mouth dropped open 

and the others snickered.

    "My names Bobby sir, and I don't know what we should 

do. I'm sure whatever you think we should do would be fine." 

Logan frowned at him, he didn't like kiss asses.

    "If I might ask sir why did the Prof. give you this class to 

teach if you don't even know what to do?" Logan looked over at 

the blond kid St.John. 

    Now there was a name you couldn't forget. He felt kinda 

sorry for the kid for getting saddled with that name. He must have 

gotten teased a lot in school when he was younger. Who would 

name their kid that? For God's sake they'd dubbed him the saint of 

toilets. 

    Logan shook his head again; it wasn't like him to think like 

this. What was wrong with him that he was mussing over some 

kids name? He glared at the kid as if it was his fault.

    "I ain't got a fucking clue why Chuck asked me ta teach ya. 

He must of slipped a cog or sometin'. Why don't ya guys just do 

whatever ya want today and then tonight I'll think of something 

that ya guys can do tomorrow." He waved them off and went to sit 

on a bench against the wall.

    The kids stood there for a couple of minutes before they 

divided into groups and started talking. The two new kids drifted 

off together to lean against the wall near him. He glanced at them 

out of the corner of his eye and saw them looking at the other kids 

gossiping.  

    He wondered if he should try and talk to them and make 

them feel welcome. Naw, he'd just end up making them feel even 

more uncomfortable probably. He laced his fingers together and 

put them behind his head. He watched as the other kids talked and 

teased each other.

    All but one of them. A little mousy girl stood off to one 

side of the group. When he'd looked the group over earlier he must 

of overlooked her because he could have sworn she hadn't been 

there before.

    He took a closer look at her and realized he recognized her. 

She was that girl who could walk through walls. He remembered 

that first day when he had stumbled into Chuck's office and she 

had jumped up with the other kids and walked toward the door 

then she had run back to get her bag before turning around again 

and running right through the door.

    He'd been amazed by that someone could have that kinda 

ability. How could he have over looked her? He wondered why she 

wasn't talking with the rest of the kids. He let his eyes drift back to 

the group of kids and realized that if you didn't focus right on the 

girl it was almost like she could make herself invisible.

    Well not invisible, but she had perfected the art of the 

wallflower. She blended in like a chameleon. He watched her 

watching the others and he could see that she wanted to be a part of 

the group badly. There was a wariness about her as if she was 

almost afraid to talk to the other kids. Afraid to be a part of their 

group. 

    He wondered what had made her afraid of others. He 

continued to watch her, brooding over life and what it had done to 

her, to all of them really. If they weren't mutants would any of 

them have ever talked to each other? Would they hang out, date, 

would they even look at each other? He was so caught up in his 

thoughts that he actually jumped when the bell rang.

    The kids started to file out and he breathed a sigh of relief. 

He wasn't used to not knowing what to do, it made him feel 

uncomfortable. He hurried to Chuck's office and told him he was 

canceling the rest of his classes for the day. Chuck said he 

understood and would let the students know.

    Logan ran into Ro outside Chuck's office and was 

extremely glad he did. "Hey Ro can I talk ta ya a minute?" He 

asked her.

    "I was actually looking to talk to you also Logan." She 

said.

    "Good. Is there somewhere we can talk in private?" He 

didn't want anyone to overhear them talking. And at the Mansion, 

someone could be listening in and you wouldn't even know it.

    "Follow me." She said and led the way to the lower levels. 

    In the elevator, she kept looking at him and he suddenly 

wondered if Ro might have a thing for him. Naw. She was too 

classy a dame to want ta hook-up with someone like him. They got 

off the elevator and made their way to the Ready Room.

    Once there she turned to him and said. "Logan I've been 

wanting to ask you something for awhile now." She paused to look 

him in the eye. He just nodded. Not knowing what kinda response 

she was looking for. "Do you think I'm attractive?"

    Logan laughed causing Ro to frown and say. "What is so 

funny? Am I not attractive to you?"

    "No, Ro that's not it. I mean yer attractive. Hell yer sexy 

even. It's just that ya took me off gaurd by asking that." He 

grinned at her.

    Ro smiled back at him. "So then I appeal to your animal 

nature?"

    "Huh? What do ya mean Ro?" He asked in bewilderment. 

Where was she going with this?

    "What I mean Logan is does your inner beast er..find me 

sexually attractive?" She actually blushed then.

    "Uhm..yeah I guess the Wolverine likes ya okay. Why ya 

want ta know? Ya ain't looking for us ta hook up are ya Ro?" He 

didn't want to hurt her feelings but he wasn't looking for a 

relationship with her. 

    Ro looked even more embarrassed. "Oh no. That is not at 

all what I want. It is just that Henry; well he is like you in a way. 

And it is him I want to 'hook-up' with as you say." She looked 

down at her hands then said. "For years now I have tried to get him 

to notice me. All my efforts have been for not. He thinks of me as 

a friend nothing more."

    "And this has to do with your question how?" He asked.

    "Well if I can not make myself attractive to Henry then 

perhaps I can for The Beast. Does that sound desperate to you?" 

Her expression was so forlorn he wanted to hug her and make it 

better. That reaction worried him. If he didn't stop that then he 

might lose his Bad Ass reputation.

    "Naw it doesn't sound desperate darlin'. But I think it may 

be a tad drastic. Have ya tried ta ask him on a date outright. Hank 

seems ta be the kinda guy who's a little dense when it comes to the 

opposite sex. Maybe he just hasn't realized that ya been sending 

him signals." Logan couldn't believe it he sounded like one of 

those freakin' radio hosts that gave love advice.

    "You mean I should just ask him on a date?" She asked.

    "Exactly. I don't think that he'll turn ya down Ro. And if 

he does then he's not worth yer time." He said.

    "Oh Logan thank-you so much." She said before heading 

out the door.

    "Hey wait up." He said as he realized he'd never gotten to 

ask her what he'd wanted to.

    She came back into the room. "Yes, was there something 

else Logan?" 

    He grinned at her. "Well yeah darlin' I think ya forgot that 

I was the one who asked ta talk ta you." He got a kick out of 

watching her blush.

    "Oh dear I had forgotten that it was you who initially 

wanted to talk. What is it you wanted to talk about?" She asked.

    "I wanted to ask ya some questions about that girl Kat." He 

said.

    Ro frowned. "Kat?" 

    "Yeah ya know that girl who can walk through walls." He 

said.

    "Oh you mean Kitty." He frowned at the juvenile name.

    "Yeah I guess that's her." He growled.

    Ro looked perplexed. "What do you want to know about 

Kitty?

    "Well for starters how'd she end up here?" He asked

    "It is a very long story." She said.

    "I got time. And I wanta know." He said.

    "Okay. Well Kitty's parents were not nice people. They 

used to abuse her. They were very young when she was born and I 

guess they blamed her for all their misfortunes. When she 

manifested at seventeen it became worse. They were repulsed that 

they had spawned a mutant." Ro's face had settled into solemn 

lines.

    "She ran away soon after she got her power. And she lived 

on the streets for some months. She pick pocketed and shop lifted 

to make money. But she got too ambitious one night and tried for a 

bigger score I guess you would put it. She tried to steal some 

jewelry from a store after hours. But after phasing so many times 

to get the jewels out of their cases without setting off the alarms 

she was to spent to get herself out of the store again."

    "They caught her the next day when they opened the store 

up. And they saw on the security cameras what she had done in 

order to steal the jewelry from its case without setting off the 

alarms. Luckily for Kitty, Charles saw the news report about her 

botched robbery attempt. She has been here for two years now. She 

seems to be adjusting well. But I do feel she has some trust issues." 

She finished.

    "Well I guess ya just answered all my questions and I only 

had ta ask one." He grinned. "Thanks darlin'." He kissed her full 

on the lips and then ran from the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    *Ro's POV*

    Ororo held her fingers to her lips in shock. Had Logan just 

kissed her? Whoa, that man sure knew how to ruffle a girls 

feathers. She exited the Ready Room and headed down the hall. 

Soon she found herself in front of the med lab door. She paused to 

adjust her clothing, opening a couple of buttons on her shirt and 

hiking her skirt up just a little.

    The door was slightly ajar so she pushed it open and went 

inside. Henry raised his head and smiled at her. It was a big toothy 

boyish grin. A smile that would frighten a normal person but Ororo 

loved to see it. "Good afternoon dear heart." Henry said.

    "Good afternoon to you also Henry." She said suddenly 

feeling as nervous as a schoolgirl.

    He was still smiling slightly at her and she could have 

sworn there was a devilish glint in his eyes when he pointed to her 

open shirt and said. "Why Ororo if I didn't know better I might 

think that you were trying to seduce me."

    Ororo's mouth dropped open in shock and embarrassment 

flooded her. She hurriedly buttoned up her shirt and sputtered. 

"I...Uhm..That is I mean.. I was doing no such thing." She tried to 

sound indignant. But doubted very much from his laughter that she 

had succeded.

    "Oh my dear you are too precious you really are. I know all 

about your plan to get me on a date." He said.

    "What but how?" She asked in confusion.

    He pointed to his large pointy ears. "You forget my 

excellent hearing my dear. The door to the Ready Room was wide 

open and the med lab door was cracked open. The hall tends to 

amplify sound. Therefore I heard your and Logan's conversation 

very clearly."

    "You mean to tell me that you were ease dropping." She 

asked.

    "As I said both of the doors were open and you and Logan 

did not try to moderate your tones. Therefore, I did over hear you. I 

do not think that qualifies as ease dropping." He said chuckling.

    "Well then I will just ask you one more question." She said 

hands on hips.

    "Yes, dear heart what is it." He asked.

    "Will you go out with me?" She kept her back straight as 

she asked to seem more confident then she felt.

    Henry rose from his chair and came toward her. "Why yes 

my fair goddess I would be happy to go on a date with you." He 

pulled her into his arms then and kissed her. No more words were 

needed. All their questions were answered by the passion ignited 

with the meeting of their lips.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    *Kitty POV*

    Kitty sat on the Mansion's roof outside her window. It 

afforded the best view of the grounds and she loved to sit out here 

and daydream. Today she was dreaming about a certain Wild Man. 

She'd seen him watching her in the gym and had been intrigued by 

him. Of course, he was not Scott. However, he would do as a 

replacement fantasy man.

    And of course, she would be safe in her fantasy because 

Logan would never want a girl like her. She sighed as she wrapped 

her arms around her knees. She laid her head on her knees and 

looked off to the side. And was almost startled into falling off the 

roof when she saw Logan walking towards her. What was he doing 

up here?

    As if in answer to her unspoken question, he asked. "Hey 

kid watch'a doing up here?" 

    "Just sitting and thinking." She said looking back out over 

the grounds.

    "Hmm..mind if I join ya?" She shrugged and he sat down 

beside her. His shoulder brushed against her arm and she shivered.

    "Ya cold?" He asked.

    "A little. I forgot to bring out a jacket." He surprised her by 

pulling off his own jacket and putting it over her shoulders.

    "That ought ta keep ya warm." She pulled the jacket more 

snuggly around her and inhaled his scent. It smelled of the woods, 

cigars and his own personal brand of manliness.

    "Thanks. What brings you up here?" She really couldn't 

think of a reason why he would want to hang out with her.

    "Just wanted ta get ta know ya a little better." He answered.

    "Why?" She asked.

    He shrugged. "I dunno. I just wanted ta. No real reason. Ya 

just seem like a nice kid and well shit I don't know. I guess this 

was a stupid idea." He got up and she grabbed his arm.

    "Wait. I didn't mean to push you away. I'm just not used to 

people I don't know taking such an interest in me. Please stay." 

She pleaded.

    He looked down at her for a minute and his expression was 

tender. "Okay kid I'll stay." He sat back down and pulled out a 

cigar. "Ya mind if I smoke?"

    "No. So what do you want to know about me?" She asked 

curiously.

    "Anything ya want ta tell me." He said.

    "Uhm..okay. Well I grew up not far from here..." She 

started and the words just flowed. He was so easy to talk to and she 

found herself unburdening all her fears and insecurities on him.

    He didn't seem to mind. He'd nod and grunt at appropriate 

moments. When she started to cry telling him about how much she 

hated her parents, he put his arm around her.

    " 'S okay kid. Yer free from them now. They can't hurt ya 

anymore." He kissed her forehead.

    "Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked.

    "I don't know I guess I just have this thing for damsels in 

distress." He grinned down at her and she noticed how close their 

mouths were. She licked her own and his eyes tracked the small 

motion. She leaned forward and he met her lips with his own. 

    Neither of them was prepared for the immediate sexual 

attraction and were caught off guard. But it didn't stop them. He 

was the first to pull away and say. "I think maybe we ought to slow 

down." She nodded and reluctantly pulled herself out of his arms.

    "Hey it don't mean that I don't want to explore this thing 

between us. I just think that we both need a little time to adjust ya 

know." 

    "Yeah okay." She said not really believing him.

    He pulled her around to face him and kissed her again. "I 

mean it kid. I want ta be with ya. I don't know why I feel this way. 

But I'd like ta find out. So what do ya say, want ta give it a go?"

    She nodded her head in mute agreement. "Good." He 

pulled her up and they both went back in through her window. 

Everything was so confusing but she just knew she was going to 

have fun. And Logan would protect her from her fears. No longer 

did she need to be alone. No more fantasies for her. She held a real 

man in her arms now.