Brief note on time- this story takes place about a month after "Waking Nightmares".

~telepathic speech~

The bald man made his way through the hallway toward the Med-lab door. The hoverchair made soft mechanical noises as it glided over the Persian rug. The chair, like so many other things hidden in and under his mansion, was a gift from the Shia'ar Empire. Or rather, from his soulmate, the Empress Lilandra.

The Asian-American teenager looked up from her sentry post. "Professor! Beast took Wolvie in there like years ago an' I haven't heard anything from him an' I'm really startin' to worry 'cause he looked really bad an'-"

"Jubilee, take a breath. Calm down," Charles Xavier said reassuringly. "I am going in to see them now, all right?"

"...Okay. I just wish somebody would tell me what's goin' on."

"Do not worry, Jubilation. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Xavier left her standing there and went in to make sure that everything was fine. Hank McCoy met him at the door.

"Physically he's fit as a fiddle as far as I can surmise," the Beast rushed. "But as to his mental condition...let's just say I'm glad you're here."

Alarmed by Hank's vocabulary as well as at his disheveled state Charles entered the room with trepidation. Over the years, he'd gotten used to Beast's love of words and could read him very well without the use of his "talent". Such subdued tones usually meant that he was under an undue amount of stress.

The Professor's "talent" stemmed directly from an extra set of genes. These genes, besides making him one of the greatest psi-talents in the world, labeled him as a mutant, and thereby shunned and ridiculed by the world. Xavier chose to rise above the hatred and created a group that crusaded for equal rights. A group that of late had been turned to a more militaristic approach.

Despite humanities overall outlook towards mutants, Xavier chose not to use his gift other than in the most dire circumstances. He perceived it as morally wrong, worse in some cases than rape or murder. However, there are some things a sensitive mind just can't shut out.

The emotions in the room were so palpable that Xavier felt nauseous. A wave of anger hit him first, rolling across his brain. The Professor could sense the underlying tones of fear and pain and knew that the anger was just a mask. A wall of rage to cage the hurt.

Logan had awoken in the lab five minutes ago. Judging by the debris on the floor and tables, he hadn't been happy about it. Wolverine himself paced the littered area like a trapped animal.

Radiating waves of calm, Xavier slowly approached him.

~ It is all right Wolverine. Whatever happened is over now- ~

Charles recoiled from what was roaming around Logan's skull. It was as if he'd stepped into a pit of horrifying nightmares blistered with a fire of hate. His brain went numb with the brief contact.

"Logan...what-what happened to you?"

The Wolverine had stopped pacing and was staring at the strange creature him. At first the wheeled thing was confused him and the temptation to run or attack was very strong. Slowly his mind came back into focus. At least, he remembered how to speak, and why he should do so.

"I don't know Chuck...This one was definitely worse than the last, though."

" 'The last'? This kind of attack has happened before and you didn't tell any of us?"

Logan straightened and looked directly into Xavier's eyes. His voice was quiet but firm as he said "When a man's brain falls apart piece by piece he doesn't really care for his friends ta witness it. I'm sure you can understand that."

Xavier told himself he shouldn't have been surprised that he would keep this to himself. Wolverine was known for being a loner. Charles also ignored how much it hurt to know his friend kept him in the dark about something like this.

"How long?" was all he said.

" 'Bout three weeks ago was the first. Nightmares came every night since."

"What sort of nightmares? Are they like the one a few weeks ago?"

Wolverine looked away. "Just nightmares."

"Logan, I think we'd better talk about this. Let Hank examine you thoroughly and then we will-"

The wall of anger was back. "I've 'bout had my fill o' examinations. And bein' here, Charlie!" Wolverine growled as he headed for the door.

"Logan, wait! It is important that we-"

"Wolvie!!!" Jubilee squealed grandly as the door slid open. "You're okay! You had me scared silly, you hairy little fire plug-*Oof!"

Logan stalked past the girl without a backwards glance, almost knocking her to the floor. For once, a stunned Jubilee had nothing to say. The Professor hovered into the hallway to sit next to her. As they watched Wolverine's back descend down the staircase.

"What crawled up his butt?" Jubilee muttered to herself.

Xavier had to give pause to wonder the same.