Brotherhood

Summary: Set during Last Stand. Logan goes after Scott
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers for the original X-Men trilogy; AU; mentions of violence
Verse: Movie

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Logan had never considered himself a people person. He'd been fine with being a lone wolf... and then Rogue had entered his life. And through her, he'd met and bonded with the X-Men. Not just Jean... even though he missed her more than anything.

But Logan kept coming back for more than just the memory of Jean. And Scott was part of that. It was true they were rivals. It was also true that the two of them were like oil and milk. They didn't work well together; and even before Jean had sacrificed herself, they spent most of the time sniping and picking at each other.

But Jean loved... had loved him. And Logan knew she wouldn't want Scott to waste away grieving over her. Which was why Logan tried, in his own way, to draw Scott out. But he thought there was something irreparably damaged in the younger man... as if Jean's death had killed a part of him. Scott was surviving, not just living... and that was a situation Logan was all too familiar with.

Logan headed towards the kitchen, planning to grab a soda. Maybe he'd seek out Bobby and get the boy to make it cold. What he really wanted was beer... but unless he was prepared to take Scott's motorcycle and try to get drunk (it had never worked yet), he was going to have to make do with what there was.

The Professor's chair movements were too quiet for most people to make out... but Logan wasn't most people. He paused in the act of stepping into the kitchen. "Something I can do for you, Professor?"

"I'm concerned about Scott."

"He's grieving." Logan wanted to say, 'So leave him to it.' But if Xavier was concerned enough to talk to him, then maybe something needed to happen. "You want me to go talk to him?"

"He's leaving the mansion. I'd like you to make sure he doesn't do anything dangerous."

"Probably to a dive," Logan muttered. He looked at the kitchen, but then turned to face Xavier. "Any idea which direction he's headed?"

"The lake."

"That's a new one." Logan was walking towards the parking garage even as he spoke. "I'm going to guess he took his motorcycle." It was more to himself, as he could tell the Professor wasn't following him any longer.

Reaching the parking garage, Logan wasted no time in getting into the driver's side of his truck and driving. If Scott was in such a bad way that the Professor was asking him to help... Logan figured the boy was hurting far worse than any of them knew.

He'd better get to Scott fast, because who knew what kind of foolish stunt he would pull otherwise?

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As the lake came into view, Logan reflected it was a good job the Professor had told him where Scott was going... since, despite the fact that Logan hadn't left that long after him, he hadn't been able to catch up with the kid.

Maybe it was about time he got himself a motorcycle.

Logan reached the lake just in time to see Scott shoot beams from his eyes into the lake. Had the boy taken leave of all his senses? As he got out of the truck, he saw Scott replace his glasses... and then stare at the lake.

As Logan came closer, he saw the waters of the lake beginning to bubble and churn. He reached Scott's side... but the younger man didn't seem aware of his presence. And when Logan looked at the water once more, he could see why.

The water had parted. But that wasn't what drew Logan's attention (and Scott's). It was who was coming out of the water... using her telekinesis to come up onto the bank.

"Jean..." Scott seemed to give himself a mental shake and then turned to look at Logan. "You followed me?"

"Yeah, I followed you. Got a problem with that? Take it up with the Professor." Logan didn't take his eyes off Jean.

"How did you survive?" Scott pulled away from Logan, stepping closer to Jean.

Jean paused. "I... don't know." Her gaze drifted between Scott and Logan.

"Logan."

Logan frowned as he heard the Professor's voice in his head. He'd never actually been subject to mental communication before... but he'd seen the effects of it enough times to know that was how Xavier was reaching out to him. Professor?

"Keep Scott away from her!" The Professor's voice was like the crack of a whip. "It's not Jean!"

Logan started to question what the Professor meant... and then his gaze was drawn to Scott. Both of them seemed to have forgotten his presence. But he suddenly realised something was wrong.

Scott's glasses were off... but there were no beams coming from his eyes.

Logan was willing to admit that he didn't know everything about the mutations they all had, but he was pretty sure that if Jean could suppress Scott's ability like that, she would have done it before now. And Logan's sense of unease grew as Jean and Scott kissed... and not just because it aroused his jealousy, despite knowing that Jean had ultimately chosen Scott.

Scott's body stiffened and he began to turn pale. Logan didn't stop to think... or wonder what was going on. He lunged forward, grabbing Scott and pulling him away from Jean.

A slight gasp escaped Scott and he slumped against Logan's chest, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Logan felt a brief moment of pain and looked down in time to see his skin closing over. He cursed under his breath and began backing away from Jean, Scott held tightly in his arms. If her power was affecting him, what could it be doing to Scott?

Jean stepped towards them and Logan swiftly put himself between her and Scott. He felt more pain the closer Jean got to him... though he did heal quickly from whatever she was doing to him.

And then Jean stopped, as if she'd run into an invisible wall.

"I can't hold her for long," the Professor's voice sounded inside Logan's mind. "Come back to the school."

Logan noticed Scott's glasses floating close by and he reached out, plucking them from the air, even as he all but dragged Scott back to the truck, ignoring the way the kid struggled to try and get away.

Opening the door of the truck, Logan pushed Scott into the passenger side and then closed the door, before going to the driver's side. He began pulling away as he noticed that Jean's eyes flashed and she began moving forward.

"We have to go back for her," Scott said.

"We're not going anywhere near her right now." Logan began driving, putting some serious gas on. He didn't risk a glance back over his shoulder... though he wasn't sure if Jean (or whatever she was) would follow them... or go after easier prey.

"It's Jean."

"According to the Professor, it's not."

"You don't know that."

"Really? Let me ask you a question, kid. Would Jean attack you when you kissed her?"

"She was having trouble controlling her powers..."

"Not anymore. Here, put these on." Logan shoved the glasses against Scott's chest without looking at him. He hadn't heard the Professor and he was concerned about him... but since he had no idea how this telepathy thing was supposed to work, he didn't dare risk trying to reach out to the Professor himself.

"I'm going back for her."

Logan glanced sideways in time to see Scott, the glasses back on his face, grab for the door handle. As it swung open and Scott undid his seatbelt, Logan reached out and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. "Stay. In. The. Truck," he growled.

"Get your hands off me!"

"You were going to die back there! You understand that? Or do you really have a death wish?!"

"Jean wouldn't hurt me."

"That wasn't...." Logan cut himself off and took a deep breath. Checking in the mirror, he couldn't see any signs of pursuit. He stuck his head out of the window and looked up... but he couldn't see anything above them, either.

"She can't fly."

Logan grunted as he pulled his head back in. "I'm not assuming anything." He swerved and parked on the side of the road. Since they were out of danger for right now, he decided he was going to deal with this now. He still had a fistful of Scott's shirt and he used that to jerk the younger man across his lap. Without giving Scott a chance to resist... or even properly realise the position he was in... he was bringing his hand down in a hard swat right in the centre of Scott's backside.

Scott went dead still, long enough for Logan to land several more swats, before he began struggling. "Let me up!"

"You're not giving me commands, kid. You gave up that right already." Logan held Scott still, ignoring his struggles. Each slap landed with a dull thwack on the seat of Scott's pants... but Scott was obviously feeling it, if the way he writhed was any indication.

Logan kept at it until Scott's struggles had eased somewhat and he was beginning to feel the heat through the kid's pants. He still kept swatting, but without as much force now. "The Professor sent me after you, kid. But if I'd known how much you were hurting, I would have chosen to come on my own. You want her back. I get that. But you can't tell me you didn't feel what she was doing to you. I felt it... and I heal a hell of a lot faster than you do."

"I should have been able to save her..."

"Jean chose to sacrifice herself, Scott. It wasn't your fault. Or mine. Or the Professor's. But you think she'd want to see you like this? You won't even fight for the kids... and they need you. They need everyone in their corner, especially now."

"What do you mean, especially now?" Scott's voice was strained... his breathing heavy.

"They say there's a cure. They want to take away the mutations. Maybe even through force. But those kids? Some of them already think they're freaks." Logan couldn't help his thoughts turning to Rogue. "They need the people who don't think that. The people who accept them."

"I can't..."

Logan couldn't help the frustration that fuelled his spanking arm. "Yes, you can. You're still here... and we're damn well going to go back and help those kids. You're not getting inside your own head. And whatever's going on with Jean... we'll figure it out. But you've gotta stop this. You don't get to pull away from them. They're gonna need all the defenders they can get."

It wasn't clear if it was what Logan was saying, or the pain from the spanking, or a combination of both... but Logan heard Scott's breath hitch. Realising the kid was close to the point he needed to be, Logan shifted Scott forward, so that he could begin targeting the kid's sit spots. He increased the speed behind the swats, also using a bit more force behind the swats.

Scott went limp abruptly and Logan could hear his quiet tears. Wondering if maybe he'd gone too far, Logan awkwardly rubbed his back. "You're not alone, kid. I know it feels that way right now... but you have people around you." He wasn't used to being comforting... but he tried anyway.

Scott didn't move for a few moments, apparently allowing himself to calm down. He then pushed himself carefully up, looking anywhere but at Logan's face.

"We good?" Logan asked, resting a hand on Scott's shoulder.

Scott flinched, but nodded. "Is the Professor okay?"

"I'm not sure. I lost contact with him. We should head back to the mansion... check they're all safe." Logan waited for Scott to settle down (with a wince) and put his seatbelt on before he pulled back out onto the road.

Scott sat in silence for a few seconds before finally speaking up. "Thanks. For stopping me."

Logan snorted and didn't bother to respond... but he felt just a little lighter.

The End