The first person Anna sought out after her shower was Scott. She found him in the lower levels, having Laura go through various combat exercises with a tight look on his face. Catching his attention through the window of the observation deck, his face remained serious when he turned to the assistant beside him to take over. She met him halfway down the stairs and he stopped a few steps away from her, a hesitant look on his face. Alarm flooded through her unpleasantly.
“Scott?”
His jaw was clenched and his body was tense. She closed the gap between them slowly, reaching out to rest a hand on his chest where his heart was pounding so hard and so fast it scared her. Suddenly, she found herself in the familiar circle of his embrace and she rested her cheek where her hand had been.
“Are you alright, Anna?” He pulled her away and looked down at her intently. “I couldn’t find you this morning.” His tone was almost accusing.
Tendrils of annoyance curled into her but she brushed them away, flashing him a bright smile. “I was getting to know Laura.” She combed his hair away from his face and rubbed her hand against his close shaven cheek. “Miss me?” she asked mischievously.
“I was worried.”
Anna watched him war with something within himself, but jealousy was definitely simmering at the top of the other emotions he was giving off. She pressed her lips against his, hating to see him so conflicted, and he didn’t respond so Anna intensified the kiss, pressing her body against his. Unbelievably, he remained like stone and she began to pull away, hurt. But before she did completely, he pushed her up against the cold cement wall and fastened his mouth onto her throat, his hands running up her sides from her hips to her waist before cupping her breasts into his large, warm hands.
She was shocked. “Scott?”
His slid a leg between hers and lifted his knee upwards, lifting her so that his lips easily made their way to where his hands pulled at her blouse, unbuttoning the green silk to reveal the black laced bra underneath.
“Scott!” Her voice became more urgent and she pulled at his hair to force him to look up at her, his breathing hard and fast. She caressed his face, concern mingled with fear showing on hers. He exhaled harshly, resting his head on her shoulder, his arms snaking around her waist and Anna ran her fingers soothingly through his hair, knowing he liked it when she did, whispering endearments and words of comfort into his ear.
“I’m sorry Anna, I’m sorry.” He let her stand again and pulled her into his arms completely, pressing her head gently against his chest as he held her tighter. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
She nodded, tears burning in her eyes, grateful that her Scott was back, strong, protective, in control Scott. Pulling away first, she kissed him tenderly, comforted. “Let’s go talk about Laura, okay?”
Anna took his hand and they walked back up to the upper level where she prepared him a green tea and she poured herself a black coffee in the staff kitchen. The room was empty except for the two of them, it being mid morning and classes being in session. Taking a sip, Scott’s face still wore the tense expression he had in the training room and when he spoke, his voice was serious and apprehensive.
“She’s an assassin, Anna. Created and bred specifically by the Weapon X program that now calls itself the Facility. She has a long list of murders under her belt, including the ruthless killing of a United States Senator and his aides. Matt Murdock and Captain America have provided me with a copy of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s file on her.”
She quietly regarded him over the rim of her coffee mug. “I see.”
A tic played along his jaw line. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with her being at Willowbend Academy.”
Before Anna could respond, Logan appeared in the doorway behind her. “If I thought Laura was a danger to anyone here One-Eye, I wouldn’t have brought her.”
Anna kept her eyes on Scott although she was very aware of Logan behind her, hearing him reach for a mug in the cupboard and pouring some coffee into it. Scott meanwhile stood to his full height and crossed his arms across his chest, in full X-Men leader mode. “Due to her sharing your genetic imprint Wolverine, your judgment is questionable at this point.”
Logan slowly gulped the hot beverage down his throat, taking his time. Placing the empty cup back onto the counter, he asked, “You wanna take this outside, bub?”
In a flash, both moved towards each other but Anna quickly stepped between them, hands outstretched, touching Scott, and almost touching Logan. It was an ugly moment and Anna forced herself to look at Logan, whose eyes remained fastened on Scott. He was wearing tight blue jeans and white t-shirt, the cotton material stretched over him like second skin and free of the cowboy hat, she saw that his face was exactly like it was when she last saw him, not a single new line on his achingly handsome face. His hair was definitely longer, still swept up in the familiar points but falling slightly forward now across his forehead and she fought the shiver that threatened to overtake her body in appreciation of the very sexually attractive male.
His amber glare turned to her suddenly and she quickly looked down, but not before he caught the look in her eyes. He took in the sight of her dressed in an immaculate white skirt and green silk blouse, noting the healthy blush that came over her flushed cheeks and once again he could smell Scott on her. Snarling, he stepped away from her.
“I have no problem taking Laura back to New York.”
Anna lowered her arms and turned to Scott. “That’s not going to happen. Laura is staying here.” Scott didn’t say a word and Anna narrowed her eyes. “Isn’t that right, Scott?”
“That decision hasn’t been made yet, Anna.”
She turned to look fully at him, head tilted as though she didn’t quite hear him properly. “That decision,” she told him evenly, “was made as soon as Laura arrived here.” The two looked at each other, eyes flashing. Logan moved into their line of vision, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth and their glare turned to him.
“We need a debriefing,” Anna instructed him, sitting back down. “What do you know about our newest student?”
Logan poured himself another cup of coffee and pulled out a chair from the table that was set in the middle of the room, turning it around to straddle it between his legs before sitting down, his forearms resting casually across its backrest. “She’s twelve years old and she was created to be a living weapon and assassin for hire. She has killed the people who created her, has killed the people who trained her, and has killed the woman who gave birth to her, to name just a few.”
Scott’s sharp intake of breath cut across the room and Anna clenched her fists in anger at Logan’s deliberately blunt comments. He easily met her heated look and toasted his mug to her.
“Anna, she’s too dangerous.”
She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down before she informed Scott, “Laura is my responsibility.”
Scott became aggravated again. “The students of this academy are our responsibility.”
Her fingers rapped against the cool granite counter, and Logan arched an eyebrow at her perfectly manicured nails. Catching this, Anna re-coiled her fingers back into her palms and placed them by her sides, annoyed with herself that she did.
“Scott, I appreciate your concern.” Her voice was firm. “However, I agree with Charles that I am best suited to help Laura, and I can do so without jeopardizing the safety of my students.” The emphasis on the possessive was not lost on either man. “Furthermore,” she continued, her voice cool, “I recall another young mutant being welcomed into a school despite her demonstrated ability to cause certain death with a single touch of her skin. I would hate to think that we wouldn’t offer the same sanctuary to other young people in similar predicaments.”
Understanding dawning in his eyes, Scott reached for her, an apology on his lips but she strode past him, her heels clicking purposefully away as she made her way out of the small kitchen and into the corridor.
“Damn,” remarked Logan, full on smirk across his face now. “You fucked up, Scooter.”
Scott ignored the soft laughter that followed him out the door.
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