Unchained Instinct ( Complete)

Chapter 3


Logan blew out a breath through clenched teeth and watched Mystique sail away out the french doors and into the night.

“Damn her,” Rogue muttered. “She ruined our party. Damn her ta hell.”

Logan said nothing, but silently agreed with Rogue’s assessment. What did Mystique think she could prove by her sudden motherly interest in Kurt? Mystique did nothing without a reason, without some gain for herself. Yet, she was also prone to holding grudges and sure not beneath seeking revenge against those who had offended her or just got in her way. Hell, she’d tried to kill more than half these kids once, blowing up the original Institute with its own defense system for no more reason than it suited her at the time. And Cyke knew too well the extent Mystique would go for revenge.

Reaching out, Logan put a hand on Kurt’s shoulder, trying to offer comfort, for Kurt looked devastated by Mystique’s threats.

The kid didn’t need this after everything he’d been put through lately...and neither did he. Mystique’s timing stunk as usual and she wasn’t likely to listen to any explanations no matter how convincing they were. She’d already made up her mind about his and Kurt’s relationship. She planned to interfere just because she could, because for some reason she was offended by it.

Kurt put his hands to his face in apparent humiliation and teleported away.

Logan let out a sigh and turned to Charles.

“This ain’t good, Doc. That bitch is gonna be trouble for the elf.”

“Not to mention you,” Charles replied with a raised eyebrow.

“And The Institute,” Logan added.

“What in the world just happened?” Cassie asked. “Is that woman Kurt’s mother? His birth mother?”

Logan turned his gaze to Cassie, but she was looking to Charles for answers.

“Yes, exactly. But this is not the place for this discussion.” Charles directed his gaze down the table. “I’m sorry our celebration has been disrupted by Mystique’s sudden and unwelcome appearance. Please, finish your desserts and enjoy each other’s good company.” Charles turned again to Logan. “If you’d please find Kurt and meet me in my study, we’ll discuss this further.”

“Sure,” Logan replied with mock agreeability. “That’ll be a real treat.” He stalked off, taking the foyer stairs two at a time. With a knock on Kurt’s open door, Logan gave it a push. Even without an answer Logan knew his lover was there. He sniffed the air and smelled Kurt’s distinct scent.

Kurt stood on the balcony, staring off into the night with his arms crossed tight against his chest. Logan crossed the room and gently wrapped his arms around Kurt, kissing temple and jaw. He ran a hand over Kurt’s blue black hair and along downy cheek, offering comfort in the only way he knew how.

“It’s gonna be okay, sweetheart,” he murmured into Kurt’s ear.

“She humiliated me in front of everyone,” Kurt said, his tone dismal. “How is that okay?”

“You? I’m the one she called a child molester.”

Kurt turned in Logan’s arms and faced him with a fierce expression. “I am not a child and you are not a molester.”

“You know that and I know that, but Mystique seems to be of another opinion.”

“Why is she doing this, Logan? She’s never cared about me...not if I lived or died. So why now?”

Logan let out a sigh. “I wish I knew, elf. She’s always been a hard one to figure. Her motives are her own and she’s not likely to share them with us. It could have somethin’ to do with me. There’s no love lost between us. Or maybe it’s somethin’ bigger than that. Maybe while she was holed up lickin’ her wounds after Apocalypse crashed and burned she got to thinkin’ about makin’ amends to you. Maybe she’s havin’ regrets about her life and how she treated you. I don’t know.”

Kurt made a sour face. “If this is Mystique’s idea of amends, we’re in big trouble. And she ruined our party.”

“Yeah,” Logan replied, and pulled back to straighten Kurt’s suit coat. “Rogue already mentioned that and the Doc wants to see us in his study, now.”

Kurt let out a sigh of his own. “All right. But I don’t know how I can face him when Mystique is making threats against the Institute.”

“The Doc’s not gonna take the fall on this one, elf. I’ll take the blame if that’s what it comes to. It might not look good, but I’ll swear in a court of law that the Professor had nothin’ to do with us. That he didn’t know about us.”

“You can’t do that, Logan,” Kurt said, eyes going wide. “That’s perjury.”

“Like I give a rat’s ass. Charles ain’t goin’ down for this even if I have to lie under oath.”

“You know he won’t let you,” Kurt countered.

Logan grabbed Kurt’s hand and headed them towards the door. “We’ll deal with that when and if the time comes. Now, let’s go get this over with.”

Logan felt the students’ eyes on them as they made their way down the stairs to the foyer. Rogue and Kitty and all the rest waited for them, each offering their sympathies and concerns and encouragements in a cacophony of sounds.

Logan put up his hands. “Okay. Okay. Thanks for yer concern. Now go entertain yerselves for awhile. Have some fun. Pretend we’re havin’ a party and it wasn’t just busted up by the wicked witch of the west.”

Nobody moved and Logan let out a growling sigh, put an arm around Kurt and headed him down the hall to Charles’ office.

The door stood open and Logan gently pushed a reluctant Kurt into the room, closing the door behind. He steered Kurt to a chair and pressed him down into it then stood behind with his hands on Kurt’s shoulders. Like that could keep Kurt here if the kid really wanted to leave.

Logan felt the scrutiny of all in the room. Besides the Doc, Scott and Jean sat on a loveseat off to the right. Hank and Ororo were sitting on another loveseat on the left. Logan suppressed a groan when he noticed Miss Cassie Martin had been invited to the impromptu meeting as well, sitting in a chair not far from Charles.

“What’s this? Another little party?” Logan growled. “It’s kinda crowded in here, don’tcha think, Doc?”

Charles offered a conciliatory sigh. “My apologies, Logan...Kurt. But this problem has exceeded the bounds of yours and Kurt’s relationship. The Institute has been threatened and I feel we need the opinions of others to deal with this matter.”

“I’m so sorry, Professor,” Kurt said, his voice haunted. “I’m sorry we’ve brought this trouble to the Institute. I never dreamed Mystique would cause trouble because of me and Logan. I never dreamed she’d care enough about me to make a fuss.”

Charles nodded. “It’s not your fault, Kurt. And it’s not Logan’s fault either. I knew there could be consequences by allowing a student/instructor relationship to go on at the Institute. I just didn’t expect it to come from Mystique.”

“Why is she doing this?” Kurt asked. Logan gave Kurt’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, trying to absorb some of Kurt’s anguish over his mother’s behavior.

“Yeah,” Logan chimed in. “What’s her problem all of a sudden? She dumps the kid in a river nineteen years ago, doesn’t even get around to acknowledging his existence till he’s sixteen and now she wants to play the caring mother? What is with her?”

Charles shook his head. “Mystique is difficult to understand. I’ve tried. Believe me, many times I’ve tried to fathom her plans and purposes. She’s very good at blocking my probes. Only on rare occasion have I managed to get through her barriers. She has a certain self-righteousness to her personality. A sense that she’s right regardless of other’s opinions or even the facts.”

Logan caught out of the corner of his eye, Cassie nodding her agreement. He decided to ignore it for the moment.

“Not much different than Trask when you get right down to it,” Logan stated. “The self-righteous part anyway.”

Kurt tensed under Logan’s hand at the mention of Trask and Logan brushed a hand over the boy’s hair, trying to sooth away the tension.

“Do you think she’ll actually do anything?” Kurt asked.

Charles was quiet for a moment. “I wish I had an answer for you, Kurt. I don’t know. I am hoping she’ll think on what you said to her and decide to allow you to live your life without her interference.”

“But I wouldn’t take bets on that happenin’,” Logan muttered.

Charles took a deep breath and let it out then turned his attention to Cassie. “Cassandra, you’re the expert on human behavior. What do you think?”

Cassie glanced around, her blue eyes finally lighting on Kurt. “I think we should be concerned about this Mystique getting to your parents before you do, Kurt. I think Charles is right. She does have a self-righteousness about her from what little I heard from her. She’ll find a way to justify her interference. Why she’s doing what she’s doing now...that I couldn’t say without much in depth conversation with her.”

“That’ll get you nowhere,” Scott offered. “She’s twisted, Ms Martin. Mystique’s got problems in the head that go back way before any of us knew her. Maybe except for the Professor.”

And me, Cyke.

Somehow Logan knew he and Mystique had a past. Not a romantic past, but they’d crossed each other’s paths on more than one occasion even if he couldn’t remember the occasions or when they had occurred.

“That may be true, Scott,” Cassie continued. “And her getting to Kurt’s parents before he can break the news to them of his and Logan’s relationship is my greatest concern...for Kurt and Logan.”

“Yes,” Ororo agreed. “She’ll want to tell them her twisted version of the relationship. We’ll do everything we can to prevent that occurrence. Kurt is the only one who has a right to speak to them on this subject.”

“Kurt, as soon as possible you need to tell them,” Charles stated. “Otherwise, Mystique will do irrevocable damage to your relationship with them.”

Kurt nodded. “I know, Professor. I was going to wait until after the graduation celebration. I didn’t want to ruin that for them.”

“Then hopefully that will be soon enough,” Charles replied.

Silence saturated the room for half a minute, everyone deep in their own thoughts.

“Ya know, Charles,” Logan said, breaking that solemn silence. “I’ll take full responsibility for what’s happened with me and Kurt. I won’t let the Institute take the fall for it, not you either.”

Charles tapped the arm of his chair. “Hopefully, that won’t be necessary. We’ll have to deal with the situation if Mystique decides to report yours and Kurt’s relationship to the authorities. But, that’s not really her style, now is it?”

Logan frowned. Charles was right about that. Mystique was one to want personal satisfaction from the grief she wrought.

“Ya gotta point, Doc. I think she’s more likely to cause us personal grief than anything else. If Mystique’s gotta problem with me and the kid gettin’ together, she’ll likely aim her ire at me.”

“Or possibly at Kurt for defying her,” Jean injected. “Who knows what Mystique might do.”

“She’d better not mess with the elf,” Logan growled. “I’ve had enough of that shit to last five lifetimes.”

“Logan.” Logan felt Kurt’s hand on his and he realized what a tight grip he had on Kurt’s shoulder. “Relax.”

Logan drew in a sharp breath and let it out, easing back his hold on Kurt. “Sorry, sweetheart.”

“It’s all right.” Kurt’s hand was warm on his and didn’t let go.

“Your parents will be arriving in two days, Kurt?” Hank asked.

“Yes. Their plane is suppose to get in around 4:30.”

“I’d go with ya,” Logan said. “But I think I’d just make ya nervous. Cyke, I’d take it as a personal favor if you’d go along with Kurt...just in case Mystique tries to meet their plane as well.”

“No problem, Logan. I was going to offer. Jean?”

“Of course,” Jean agreed with a nod. “I can drive. My SUV is big enough for all of us.”

Logan noticed Kurt staring at his lap. Humiliation radiated out like a furnace. The whole thing was really getting to the kid. This was not what the therapist ordered.

“Well,” Charles said. “Unless anyone has anything else to add, I believe we’re finished here for the moment.”

“Professor,” Kurt said, rising from his seat. “Thank you for understanding. I...I am sorry.”

Logan appreciated the smile Charles offered Kurt. “As I said before, Kurt. Mystique is not your fault. You are not personally responsible for her behavior.”

“I still feel bad.”

“I know you do,” Charles said. “We will deal with Mystique if she causes any trouble. You just concentrate on graduating and handling your parents’ arrival. Then you must tell them about your relationship with Logan.”

Logan came around the chair and put an arm around Kurt. “Don’t worry, Charles. We’ll get things straightened out.”

Charles quirked an eyebrow at him. “Let’s hope so, Logan. For all our sakes let’s indeed hope so.”