Easy Rider/Chasing the wind., Open.

[Steve Rogers]

Rogers hour long trip seemed to take longer today then going home had last night. Nick Fury wanted to see Logan and that didn’t bode well in the Avengers mind. Now Steve had to decide how he was going to run the play. And there didn’t seem to be any right answers.

Pulling into the drive, Rogers fat boy growling like a hound from Hell, he slowly pulled up to the intercom and tapped the button. When he received an answer, he’d tell them who he was.

“Steve Rogers.”

The idea of tacking on his S.H.I.E.L.D. status left him with a bad taste in his mouth. Damn Nick Fury.

[Lorna Dane]

Lorna had try to find some if the other older students to help out since most of the staff was gone. During her search she did her best not to stray to far from the intercom so she wouldn’t miss Logan’s special guest. She couldn’t find Bobby and Rogue. She figured they were off making out somewhere and as soon as that thought came in to her head she knew it was not right. She was unsure why her thoughts went there knowing the skunk head southern powers.

The green hair girl’s thoughts about what mentally was wrong with her were interrupted by the buzz of the intercom. She hit the console button and the picture of the man at the gate appeared. She guess he fit the description given to her by Logan, though being Logan’s friend she expected him to look a bit more gruffy.

“Xavier’s School for the Gifted.” She said into the intercom doing her best to keep her powers under control not needing to cause a power surge with half the staff gone. Staying in control and trying to sound professional might seem easy to most but it was a task for Lorna.

She nodded when he said his name and pushed the buzzer for the gate and went to the door. The green haired girl open the door and waited for him. She was curious why the school was all of sudden was having so many outside visitors.

[Steve Rogers]

The woman answered and after Rogers gave his credentials she buzzed him in. Accelerating forward, Steve didn’t keep her waiting at the front door for too long. Dropping the kickstand, Rogers killed the engine and rose from the fatboy.

Looking to the green haired vixen, Rogers quickly sized her up as a student. She was either underage or her looks were very deceiving. Quite the looker, though. Only thing Rogers didn’t understand was the punk rock hair color. Women these days. With a smile and a wave, the Avenger introduced himself as he dropped beside the bike.

“Hi. I’m Steve Rogers. It’s nice to meet you, Ma’am.”

Unhooking a flat canvas bag in olive drab, Rogers put it on backpack style. Inside was his Adamantium shield. Rogers kept his red white and blue hued uniform in another saddle bag which he left on the bike. Adjusting the bags straps over his leather jacket, Rogers found a comfortable fit and waited on the woman to introduce herself.

[Lorna Dane]

Her metallic tinted eyes watch Steve carefully. Logan’s guest looked familiar to her and Lorna tired to figure out why. She eyes narrows slightly as she pick her brain trying to think of where she seen him before. She wasn’t sure where she would have seen him before for she was quite sure her and Logan didn’t travel in the same social circles at all.

Lorna arched a brow when Steve called her ‘ma’am’, being under twenty-five she had never been call ma’am much. She wasn’t something she was use to at all. “Please to meet you, Mr. Rogers.” She paused it felt weird called anyone Mr. Rogers for she instantly thought of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. “I’m Lorna Dane.”

“Mr. Logan had business in town.” She told him as she invited him in her eyes going over his oddly shaped backpack. “He said to tell you that ‘you the last to know'.” Her eyes went back to his face to see if the words cause a response out of him.

“I have seen you before.” She said slowly as she bit her bottom lip as she tilted her head back. “On TV, I think.” Her eyes went back to his bag and slowly returned to his face. While studying his face something in her mind clicked.

“You’re Captain America!” Lorna said in a bit of hush awe and hopped in place excitedly. She remembered thinking he looked good for a guy frozen for years but he was really hot in person.

The green haired teen was now curious. Why would Captain America want Logan? Avengers don’t normally visit the school but then again things as of late were far from normal. They have Scott going crazy in the front lawn. Professor and Ororo off somewhere and half of the Fantastic Four joining the teaching staff. Maybe tomorrow Hulk will stop by and take up the position as janitor.

[Steve Rogers]

Lorna introduced herself as Rogers walked over and shook her hand. Telling him Logan was elsewhere didn’t send up any red flags; Logan wasn’t expecting him after all, but the cryptic comment struck true after the conversation the two had shared last evening. Rogers found his eyes widening as he was, indeed, the last to know.

As he mused that comment over, Lorna continued. She was working on placing his identity and he let her come to the conclusion on her own. The excited out burst and bunny hop brought an easy smile to Rogers face.

“Yeah, I’m Captain America. But you can still call me Steve if you’d like. I’m not on duty.” Of course that was a bit of an untruth. Steve Rogers was always on call, and his goal here was the machination of Nick Fury. That however could wait a few minutes. He felt he could visit with the girl before he got back to work.

“So, Miss Dane; Lorna. How do you enjoy the school?”

[Lorna Dane]

Lorna was pretty sure that she was going to have a hard time calling him by his first name. The idea of calling the first superhero by his first name was a bit too much for her. It was something she was sure was enough for her to have a spaz attack over or worse yet become a bouncing squealing fan girl. Lorna closed her eyes for a moment trying to pull herself together.

She opened her eyes and stared at him when he stared at him for a moment when he said her name. She really liked how he said her name, it made it sound important and pretty all at the same time. A blush quickly burned her cheeks as she began to stare at the toes of her hiking boot.

“The school is awesome most of the time. Though as of late there things have been getting more interesting then they normally are. The problem with that is it being the bad kind of interesting.” It was hard to believe that Stryker’s attack was a recent event. So much had seem to happen since then it seemed like it was years ago instead of days since the attack happen.

Lorna was unsure how much Steve knew of the school or about Stryker’s attack on it. She was also unsure how much she should and was allowed to share with him about the subject. The green haired teen simply shrugged and looked up at him, hoping she got over her bout of staring and drooling over him.

“If you don’t mind me ask, where do you know Mr. Logan from?” She inquired finding the idea of the feral man and Captain America being friends a little hard to swallow. The teeth grinding and glaring Logan in her mind didn’t really have a lot in common with the very hot and polite sentinel of liberty, but she was know for being wrong. She put her hands behind her back and rocked a bit on her heels.

[Steve Rogers]

Lorna wasn’t too good at hiding her infatuation from the Avenger. Rogers tried his best to not make the lass any more uncomfortable then she was. He was laid back with his old time charm, though he knew he could be an imposing figure under the right circumstances. When Lorna found herself boring holes into her boots with her ‘eye lazers’, Rogers let her come back around on her own time.

“The school is awesome most of the time. Though as of late there things have been getting more interesting then they normally are. The problem with that is it being the bad kind of interesting.”

Nodding as Lorna spoke, Rogers agreed with her. “Give me a quiet weekend anytime. I’d catch the Dodgers and eat hot dogs and drink Coke’s. It was a lot of fun.” It was too bad the team had relocated to L.A. while he was frozen in time, as he didn’t really feel the same kinship with the team anymore. He hadn’t had the time to get involved with any new teams since the thaw and he doubted that was going to change.

Lorna asked him about how he knew Mr. Logan. That was the big question, then. How did mild mannered Steve Rogers know the big bad wolf known as Logan? “We fought together in the war. He saved my life a few times and vice versa.” Rogers left the answer simple and concise. No need to freak the girl out with alien body snatcher conspiracies or to tell her of the horrors that come with conflict on a global scale. Better to let her know he and Logan shared a bond that was stronger then the bones the latter now owned.

“I think the bigger questions are just how you know Mr. Noga...”

Rogers smiled at the vixen, as he added “…and just why your hair is green.”

[Lorna Dane]

Lorna smiled at his words when he described his perfect weekend. She was surprised that Steve’s idea of a good time was rather tame. She figured him being Captain America he would be all about adventure and excitement. It was kind of cool that someone as amazing as Steve had simple taste.

“Quite in mutant high is something hard to come by.” Lorna shook her head, not really remember when things were quite at the school even when things were going well. The only time she remembered the school being silent is when everyone thought Jean was dead. Grief seem to be the ultimate silencer for a school filled with super-power teenagers.

The green haired girl tilted her head to the side when he mentioned Logan and him fought together in the war. She blinked knowing from the history books and the newspaper that the only war Steve fought was World War II. Logan she knew was old but she had no idea he was ancient relic from before World War II. Maybe, that’s why he was so grouchy and growly because he was older than dirt and didn’t have being frozen in ice to slow the grouchiness that comes with the passage of time.

Thoughts about Logan’s grouchiness and oldness were interrupted when Steve asked her questions. It took her a few moments to realize Noga was Logan. Lorna shrugged a bit. “Logan came to school a while ago with Rogue, things went weird and he took off shortly after the weirdness. I didn’t really meet his first time he came around.”

“He came back recently and more weirdness happened. I really just got to know him recently when we were on a mission together for the school.” Lorna paused when she remember the FOH mission and gun fire and the sound of death ringed in her ear. As quickly the memories surface she pushed them away. She didn’t want to think about it now or ever.

I think he doesn’t like me." She paused tilting her head back as if she just realized something, weird things happen when Logan was around. Lorna was unsure that she should be telling Steve about the going on of the schools but the fact he was Captain America she figured he was trustworthy.

A slight frown, that was almost a pout, appeared on her face when he asked about her hair. Her eyes went to the toe of her boot. “My hair is part of mutation. Apparently to mutant gene for magnetism is some how linked to green hair.” She looked to Steve watching him, curious how he would respond to the fact she had the same power as the greatest know mutant terrorist. “Least, in females…”

[Steve Rogers]

The two mingled effortlessly as Lorna smiled and Rogers dropped the load of working for S.H.I.E.L.D. for five minutes. Engaging and spirited, she was probably one of the highlights to Xavier’s school.

Lorna spoke on how the place was always busy and Rogers didn’t doubt it. She segued into how Logan and a rogue type came to the school together, and hijinks ensued. Then the revolving door and more craziness including what Rogers took to mean the FOH mission.

Lorna quickly changed the subject and Rogers didn’t hash on it. The scene back there was horrific and he didn’t want to bring up bad memories, nor give her any images should he be wrong in his assumption.

“I think he doesn’t like me.” Giving him another avenue to work with, Rogers moved in. “Well I think that depends. If he talks to you and uses more then two word sentences when speaking to you, he probably likes you. If he has given you a nickname, you’re in good.”

Then the dreaded event. Lorna’s head must have suddenly weighed a ton because her face shot down to stare at her footwear when he mentioned her hair. Man, dames sure were testy these days.

Lorna however was back to herself quickly, selling him a line about how her hair was part of her mutation. Rogers found himself retorting “So it’s all natural, then? And you can do stuff with magnets. Not bad in my book. My only power is being brave enough to wear my costume.” An easy chuckle came forth and Rogers decided to let Lorna lead with the conversation.

[Lorna Dane]

“What does it mean when you speak to him and he sort of grinds his teeth like he has an extreme case of lockjaw?” Lorna asked tilting her head back for she seriously doubted Logan liked her. Maybe he would like to eat her but then again he probably would be the first to point out she wouldn’t be much of a meal. She shook her head as if to say the answer wasn’t really that important.

She smiled slight and just chuckle a bit. “Yeah, I am all natural from the top of my green head to my toes. What you see is what you get.” Then green haired girl paused when she realized that her words may be considering flirting. She closed her eyes for a moment really hoping he didn’t notice. “I may not be much but what are you going to do?” She shrugged brushing her hair away from her face.

“Though, if you spill paperclips I am the girl for the clean up job.” Lorna figure she should downplay the uses of her powers she didn’t want to Steve to think that she was another Magneto in the making just with green hair and boobs.

Mentally Lorna winced when she realized she had Captain America standing around the foyer while she chattering at him like she was a monkey. She could hear her mother tsking and see her rolling eyes over her lack of social grace. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “Forgive me, normally Dr. Grey or Ms. Munroe acts as hostess for guest but both are out.”

“I should offer you a more comfortable place to wait for Logan, especial how much traffic this area gets between class periods. It’s like a stampede during class changes and you probably don‘t want to see how bad it gets during meal time.” She bit her lip looking down the hall as if believing just speaking it would cause a stampede of mutant teens. How many time her feet been crushed during said daily stampedes made her want to invest in steel toe boots.

“Would you like to go to the day room or kitchen to wait? Or may the boat house, I believe that’s where Logan currently got himself set up.” Lorna shrugged as she looked to Steve. “I don’t know how long Logan and Dr. Grey may be and you might as well be comfortable and un-trampled.”

[Steve Rogers]

“I think that whole locking his jaw thing is him trying not to smile at his own macho man routine. Logan is a funny guy.” Rogers was pushing it a bit, playing the joke hard, because it was so obviously untrue. Logan never smiled. Ever. Clint Eastwood must have met the mutant and stole his routine for the old spaghetti westerns Steve had never watched. In all seriousness Rogers had never really thought about it. Personal quirk?

Lorna confirmed her hair was indeed, all natural before diminishing her sense of self worth. Sure she turned it into a joke at the end, self depreciating as it was. But the idea that she may not be much? Rogers had to shake his head at that. “That isn’t the way to think about it, Lorna. Did you know Franklin Delano Roosevelt led America while in a wheelchair? Moses didn’t want the job of leading the Israelites because of a speech impediment, but he moved them out of Egypt anyway.”

Rogers leaned in close and whispered like it was a secret wisdom only the two would share. “You’ll be what you make yourself to be. It isn’t about your powers or your hair or any of the stuff that doesn’t matter at the end of the day. You’re defined by the strength of your heart. I hope you remember that.”

Taking a step back Rogers once more smiled at the X-Woman as she told him the staff was out. She continued with an evil plot to get rid of him so he could wait on Logan’s return. Only thing was that if Logan knew the score, he was in the wind. He might not even be coming back. Rogers decided to make better use of his time. “Why don’t we find whoever is in charge, and speak with them. I hear Mr. and Mrs. Richards are staying here.”

[Lorna Dane]

Lorna considered Steve’s words on Logan carefully and shook her head. She figured he might have a few pearls of wisdom about Logan that may found themselves useful, after all the two of them seemed to have a much friendlier relationship. “I don’t know about that. Dr. Grey seems to have an easy time making him smile.” She shook her head. “But of course that usually gives Mr. Summers lockjaw and we get more teeth grindage, which can‘t be good for the school dentist bills.”

When she spoke about Scott she instantly began to worry about him after what happen this morning.It was still shocking that one of the people that she always thought was a mentally stable as you could get was the one to snap. She was sure that telling Steve about Scott’s nervous breakdown and Logan maybe connected to the said breakdown was out of the question. Lorna tried to smile so not let on her thoughts had drifted on to topics she couldn’t discuss.

Soon, Lorna was distracted but this time to Steve was to blame, him leaning and whispering to her was very distracting. Steve’s voice, Lorna quickly realize, got ten time sexier when he spoke in low tones. The soft whisper seemed very intimate to her and made her blush. . It was enough to make her worry about sparking and made her wonder if she should get out more and worry about her sanity. A few whispered words that were not even that remotely suggestive made her all hot and bothered. What normal sane girl would react such a way? In her defense she reminded herself it was Captain America.

“I will remember.” She said softly for she was pretty sure she would remember everything he said and every move he made in her present for a very long time. It was to bad she couldn’t get Steve to recite the periodic table for her for she could finally have them all put to memory.

Lorna try to put her giggling girl thoughts to the side and focus on the business at hand. She was told to be responsible and responsible had nothing to do with drooling all over Steve’s shoes. She nodded to him more than a bit embarrass by her pure lack of focus. “Yes, I think with all the main staff gone that would leave Dr. and Mrs. Richards in charge since I think that makes them the last responsible adults on campus.”

The green haired girl was unsure if the Richards were still settling in or had already started teaching class. With Sue’s recently being kidnapped and tortured she figure they would still be settling in. They really didn’t seem like the needed to add trying to teach scientific theories to teenagers right now. She figure the best way to get them was the intercom since she was unsure about the two Fantastic Four members location.

Lorna was a bit unsure if the intercom worked that well at all. It was rarely used inside the school for normal the Professor or Jean would relay important messages and things straight into their heads. “Be warned I don’t know how well this thing works.” She said as she walked to the wall console by the front door. She pushed what she hoped was the right button.

“Dr. and Mrs. Richards please report to the foyer.” When she heard her voice come over the speaker in the foyer she assumed she pushed the right button. She really hoped she didn’t just made it broadcast to the foyer. “We have an important guest that would like to speak to you. Dr. and Mrs. Richards please report to the foyer.”

Lorna turned quickly to Steve and tilted her head to the side. “Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?” She clasped her hand behind her back trying to be helpful and not a drooling loon hypnotized by his voice and good looks.

[Reed Richards]

Reed was sitting at the desk of Charles Xavier, actually listening to a lecture at Princeton University about molecular bonds ... There was nothing in there that a normal human being likely would have even understood, but he found it fascinating. Just as the head-set came off, the speakers sounded and his ears perked up a little bit as he heard the voice of the green-haired girl come over the intercom, and nodded to himself, and headed out of the large office for the foyer, wondering just who the person in question could be.

Sue was likely working in the garden, or possibly working with a few students elsewhere, but he trusted that she wouldn't be far behind, she seemed to be handling a lot of the day to day stuff around here as well, so together they were hopefully looking as good as Xavier, or at least patching things together well enough for it not to be a total travesty.

He entered the room with a bright smile on his face, and a slight nod towards the woman, the man before him seemed familiar, but the name wasn't quite there. It was actually right on the tip of his tongue, "Hello, and welcome to Xavier's Institute, what can I do for you today?" It was going to bug him, but he was rather certain that answers would come before too much longer as he extended his hand towards the man in question, "I trust you had quite the reason for making this long drive."

[Sue Storm]

Sue had frowned up at the speakers and finished taking notes on the pad before hanging up. With a sigh she pulled her hair back and grabbed the paper shoving into a pocket and heading to the front entrance. Seemed Reed beat her to it and she offered a small smile. "Mr. Rogers. So glad to see you. Actually, if you wouldn't mind, if we could meet in the office? Reed, we have, something to work on." she relaxed her smile at Lorna. "Thanks for calling us in, and entertaining." she added with a gesture.

[Steve Rogers]

Lorna and Steve spoke a few moments more, the X-gal telling him that the Richards were the “last responsible adults on campus.” Wow. That must be some feat. Lorna proceeded to call the couple over the intercom as Rogers watched. “Important guest? Ah, I appreciate it, but you don’t need to make a fuss over me.” Rogers blue eyes twinkled as he tried to make the girl more at ease. If she saw him as Steve Rogers and not Captain America, then things would flow better. She wouldn’t be so flustered.

When Lorna asked if she could get him anything else he shook his head. “No thank you, Lorna. I’m good to go.”

Reed Richards appeared and greeted him, but he looked a bit fuzzy as to just who he was addressing. Probably watching too much science channel and not enough of the political talk shows that were still chewing Rogers up over his press conference last night.

Ignoring Reed’s question of what he could do for the Avenger, Rogers greeted the man in turn. “Hello, Dr. Richards, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Congrats on that biblical armegeddon thing you took care of.” It hadn’t been too long ago when the FF had defeated Victor von Doom and the world eater, Galactus with the help of a silver spaceman. Rogers felt a pang of anger over General Hager’s end. Such a wasteful death for a good soldier. If von Doom ever turned up again…

“I’m sorry…” Steve said suddenly “…My name is…”

“Mr. Rogers. So glad to see you.” Mrs. Richards stepped into the room and asked that the conversation be continued in the office. After a shaking of hands with the newcomers and a bit of praise for Lorna’s hosting skills Rogers said “Lead the way.”