Sam does eventually have to leave Logan, her stomach demanding lunch, but when Jean offers to check on him, she jumps up at the chance, wrapping her cardigan tightly around her body when she feels the chill of the lab as she enters.

She disinfects her hands before starting to inspect the man laid before her, gently lifting up one of the blood-soaked bandages on Logan's chest, finding clean, unbroken skin below it. She quickly checks another, hope bursting through her at the sure sign he was healing.

After lifting the large one across his stomach, Sam traces the area, looking for any sign of damage or scaring, her fingers brushing along the fine hairs. Logan twitches and a rough hand grasps Sam's own.

"That tickles," Logan's voice is rough and strained, but Sam smiles, keeping a gentle hold on his hand.

"Sorry," his eyes flutter open, trailing up Sam's body and to her face

"Hey,"

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Fantastic,"

Sam snorts, looking at the exhausted man below her "Mhm, I'm sure," The edges of Logan's lips twitch "That was a brave thing you did,"

"Did it work?"

"Yeah, she's fine. May have taken a few of your more charming personality traits for a while," Logan laughs, but ends up in coughs, Sam uses her left hand to brush his shoulder "But we lived through it,"

Sam enjoys the brief silence, watching Logan with careful eyes as he slowly recovers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze "She looks up to you, y'know?"

"I'm sure I'm a great role model,"

Although she knows he's joking, Sam traces his jaw with her knuckle "I think you might be actually,"

Logan gulps.

"How's the Professor?"

"He's good,"

"Good..." Logan raises Sam's hand to his face, pressing a soft kiss on it.

"Get some sleep, I'll be here,".

It takes Logan a few days to recover, but it seems that in no time, he's back to himself, strolling around the mansion in his leather jacket, a scowl on his face.

Sam had spent time with him here and there, in between her classes and training sessions. She finally had a moment of downtime, and was sat with her fellow X-Men in the TV room, watching the news whilst around two dozen students lounge around her, playing various games and chatting together.

The Special Report on the Mutant Registration Act vote is on, and the children are oblivious whilst their teachers watch with hammering hearts.

"On the heels of last week's terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty by an unidentified mutant organization, the continuing debate over Mutant rights took another surprising turn today. Senator Robert Kelly - who until today has provided the loudest voice in the cry for mutant registration - shocked opponents by announcing that he has reversed his position on the controversial bill"

The Senator appears, and Sam scoffs "I have come to the realization that the Mutant Registration Act does not reflect the spirit of freedom and tolerance that makes this country great, and I hope that my esteemed colleagues in Government will reach the same conclusion before this ill-intended bill comes before congress. I was wrong on this particular issue, and I hope that, in time, I may be forgiven. Thank you," he walks off, journalists begging him for further comment.

One reporter bumps into Kelly's side, causing him to wince in pain, his eyes flashing a familiar yellow. Storm pauses the TV at the exact right moment, showing a half-turned Mystique.

"Son of a Bitch," Scott mutters, wrapping his arms tighter around Jean who was crawled up on the same sofa as him, head on his chest.

"I can't believe that...That's horrible,"

"Yes," Storm agrees "But it worked,"

"Fuckin' Mystique,"

"Samantha," Charles scolds and she smirks, shifting in her seat as she reaches over for the TV remote

"Come on, there's got to be something good on,"

"You chose the movie last week," Scott complains

"And everyone loved it!" Sam goes to continue arguing her case, but feels a tug in her stomach, a smidge of regret breaking through to her "I'll be back," she throws Storm the remote and heads out into the foyer, finding two familiar faces.

Rogue is stepping back from a hug with Logan, she walks past Sam, a smile on her face as she holds his dog tags.

"Hey Sam,"

"Hi," she flashes her a grin, watching her re-enter the main mansion. Sam's eyes return to Logan, he looks down guiltily, one hand on his backpack strap, the other in his pocket "Planning on leaving without saying goodbye?"

"Well, uh-" he stutters slightly and Sam approaches, standing inches away, he looks down at her curious face "Didn't want to make a scene,"

"Am I the scene-making type?" Logan puffs out a sigh, blowing the stray hairs in his face out. Sam reaches up, brushing them back into place, maintaining eye contact.

"It was nice meeting you, Logan,"

"Yeah...You too Sunshine,"

"Sunshine?" her hand stays in place, gently resting on his cheek

"Suits you," his left-hand reaches out, gasping her exposed hip, her shirt having ridden up slightly.

"Okay, Wolverine," she teases and he laughs, Sam doesn't think when she feels the longing in her chest, not caring if it belonged to Logan or her, she leans up, lips colliding with the man in front of her.

Logan responds instantly, his other hand dropping to her hip as well.

Their lips seem to fit together perfectly, like the final two puzzle pieces locking together. Sam smiles into the kiss, and her hands move from Logan's cheek and side, clinging around his neck as she pulls away.

"I'll be back," he says after a moment "I owe you a date," Sam can't help the large grin that overtakes her face, she bites her lip, trying to contain it, but realising she's failed, she leans up again, nearly pushing Logan back with the force of her mouth.

"See you later Logan,"

He detaches himself from her and opens the front door to the mansion "Later Sunshine,".

Then he's gone, and Sam is left with a silly look on her face, she can hear Scott's bike rev up, but as it gets further down the driveway, Logan's pull on her psyche doesn't dwindle. It stays strong inside her as if he was right next to her.

"Huh," she tries not to think too much of it, turning and finding a smirking Rogue leaning on one of the archways "You little stalker,"

"You like him," she drawls out, Sam rolls her eyes but smiles kindly

"Come on, I wanna introduce you to someone," Rogue groans slightly, but follows Sam anyway, back into the TV room, where she finds herself standing by two teens, playing an unfamiliar card game.

"Rogue, this is Gambit," she points to one of the teenagers, he was tall, dressed in a tight purple sweater and long brown coat, his hair pointing in every which way.

Rogue puts a gloved hand out "Nice to meet ya Sugar,"

"The pleasures all mine chérie," he replies in a thick accent, taking the girl's hand and kissing it gently, sending a blush running through her.

"Don't play Poker with him," Sam warns and Gambit gasps in mock offence, Sam grins and walks back to the sofa where the rest of the team is sitting, she chooses the seat next to Scott, stretching out so that hers and Jean's legs entwine.

"What're we watching?"

"We couldn't decide," Scott grumbles, passing her the remote.

As she gets comfortable and flicks through the different channels, Sam feels calm, finally at peace. Things would be okay.

What a shame she wasn't given the gift of foresight instead of empathy.

-----&-----

a/n: And we're at the end of Act 1! Thank you everyone for the support! A gentle reminder that comments really do mean a lot, and really motivate me.