He expected to be shouted at, blamed for something. Surely he had done something Emma didn't like. That had almost become a ritual by now. The game two of them played almost instinctively. Heated arguments turned into friendly banters and Scott didn't know when he was starting having troubles distinguishing their night conversations from daily quarrels. At the moment he received another proof that perhaps he wasn't the only one feeling that way. For instead of the accusation he was expecting he got a look filled with curiosity.

-"Sometimes I really want to take your mind apart just to understand how it works."

Sometimes? That was a relief. Scott was pretty sure the thought of doing that never quite left Emma's mind. More than that, he wouldn't be surprised to know she had already pried into his mind more deeply than he ever wanted to know.

-"Is that a new way to tell me we disagree on something once again?"

One would think living under the same roof with telepaths was to make you used to the feeling of being studied intently. Still Scott would almost prefer to see Emma furious at him, not looking as if she was trying to solve some puzzle that refused to be solved.

-"Do you really think so badly of me, Scott dear? I was just intrigued by your behavior. For once you do something regardless of consequences. And then you start thinking about nobody finding it out so loudly even Charles can hear you."

So he was right after all. That was just another way to tell him off. At least it was almost civil. He really should remind Emma he was after all the leader of the X-Men. She could lecture kids if she wanted, not him. He really should.

-"You are not hinting on me being frightened, are you, Emma? "

If she was, then at least this time her accusations had been wrong. Not that they ever were. Well, a few times probably. But not usually. Scott assumed he could have projected his thoughts strongly enough for Professor to accidentally hear them. But was it so wrong to wonder if new doctor would distract Xavier enough not to flay him and Emma alive the moment he saw Cerebro? By the way, judging from the fact they were still alive, it would. Simple curiosity, that's what it had been. Quite an unusual feeling for him, Scott had to admit. Unusual but strangely not as unwelcome as he expected it to be.

-"No, just being irrational, from my point of view at least. I don't need to read minds to smell fear. But it looks I do need it to understand you."

Scott knew he had to come with some witty answer to that. Not that it was so hard after all. Still the words just didn't come. Emma seemed to have one of those rare moments she forgot her sole purpose in life was to annoy him. And he himself suddenly found himself thinking about all these times he and Jean were sitting in the empty classrooms like this one talking and occasionally stilling kisses. Strangely enough the memory didn't bring the usual anger with itself. Just nostalgia and a little surprise. Those were good times, but why did he have to remember them now? If a few weeks ago somebody told Scott Summers he wouldn't embrace a remembrance of Jean Grey, he wouldn't believe it to put it mildly. Nonetheless, right now he just had others things to take care of. Would he be able to put it this way, he probably would have felt guilty. So perhaps it was for the best he never formulated his thoughts that way.

-"That's a revelation. I'm not sure I understand myself at times."

Emma smiled at him knowingly for a moment before her usual indifferent mask slipped into place. The momentary weakness she allowed him to notice was over, still Scott couldn't feel their 'game' resuming. He was relaxing too much in Emma's presence, he knew. Probably his biggest mistake. And one he couldn't – didn't want to – do anything about.

-"To change the subject, do you believe Saint Charles really restrains from using his powers as he claims to? With no one in Washington ever trying to see how we are doing here…"

She didn't need to finish her thought. Scott nearly chuckled. Leave it to Emma Frost to change uncomfortable conversation topic for another just as uncomfortable. Still the 'we' she had used left some space for hope.

-"Don't tell me you are not informed about content of the files we handed to the President. They had no choice but to leave us alone."

He could tell Emma was not convinced. He didn't expect her to be. After all they still had half an hour until lesson started. And it were going to be interesting thirty minutes no doubt.

---

Had anyone told Scott he would be willingly looking for Emma Frost for anything other than scolding her for something, he'd have laughed in that 'anyone's face. That was as likely as him having a civilized conversation with Logan. Yet he talked full twenty minutes with Logan the other day without any of them trying to get other killed. And he was indeed looking for Emma without any reason – or even wish, for that matter – to get into another argument with her.

The medical laboratory was one of the last places he decided to check. It was five days since Henry McCoy had arrived into the mansion and Scott knew Emma had given him all the materials concerning biology class the first evening. No reason for her to come down here and yet there she was. Through the glass Scott could see her sitting at one of the chairs, laughing at something, apparently some joke Dr. McCoy had just told.

Scott really liked Henry McCoy, even if he knew him next to nothing. And he appreciated and valued the fact that doctor did not only accept Emma's company but both sides seemed to deeply enjoy the conversation. Besides that'd also give Emma less time to torture him. Exactly what he wanted, wasn't it? Why wasn't he as glad as he had to be then?

Emma Frost wanted to be seen. If Henry McCoy could give her that did that mean Scott Summers didn't fit into equation? Those were strange thoughts to be having. Especially on the basis of what was seen during a few minutes and known for five days. What Scott didn't know was the fact those were almost the exact thoughts Logan was having when he saw him and Jean together for the first time, to correct for temperament of course. Had Scott known that, he would have laughed and said there was no connection. Had he known Emma's next smile was caused by his thoughts he would have suspected mind-control and started to deny everything. Had he known Henry McCoy was having almost same thought concerning himself, Scott and Emma, he would have said he didn't care. It is always easier to say than to do.

That was the first time Scott didn't see Jean Grey's ghost walking around med lab. The fact that never registered in his mind.