"Why couldn't you just listen to me? Just once! It's not that hard is it? It's not that hard to just do what I tell you!"

"You don't have control over me, Logan, nor anyone else!"

"Listen, lady, you're still on thin ice, and I still don't think your reasons for being here are what you say they are."

"Honestly, Logan, what do you think I'm going to do, poison the X-Men? If I wasn't sincere about joining the team, I wouldn't be here at all. It's hard enough working with you willingly. You are just too paranoid and bossy."

Logan growled. He was so sick of this woman he wanted to strangle her sometimes. "Well maybe it wouldn't be so bad if you just listened to me once in a while!"

"Chill out, Logan," said Scott coming between them. All of them were gathered in the subbasement after they'd just returned from a rescue mission where they'd had to rescue a mutant family from the MRD. Scott-as well as the others-were growing increasingly tired of Wolverine and Frost always arguing and yelling at one another. "This is ridiculous, you two. And Logan, you aren't the boss of everyone you know. Xavier may have chosen you to lead the X-Men in his absence, but we're all still a team and we all have a say in the decisions we make."

"I'm not trying to boss anyone around! I'm just trying to do what's best for this team!"

"You mean what you think is best for the team," said Emma. "Well what constitutes as "best" for you isn't always "best" for everyone else."

Logan turned to Scott. "And I suppose you agree with that too?"

Scott scowled at his teammate. "Yes, I do."

Logan growled. "Of course you'd take her side. You two have been getting awfully cozy since she's been here."

Emma glared at Logan. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

"You better watch your step, Logan," warned Scott in a dangerous tone.

Logan and Scott stared at each other, the tension building. "You're the one who'd better watch your step," said Logan. "You wouldn't want to stray from your feelings for Jean."

It was obvious that that remark stung and sparked something inside of Scott. "Logan…" he began, his tone cold and hard. Jean was a touchy subject for both of them and they all new it.

"Logan, I don't think that was necessary," said Kitty weakly.

"That was cold, Logan," said Emma. "I must say, I'm surprise you would use something like that against him-"

Logan whirled on her. "You stay out of this!"

"If I'm not mistake, this argument was between us."

"Yeah, well he had to open his mouth didn't he?"

"Logan, guys, just calm down," said Beast. "We don't need to fight."

"Yeah, I'm with Beast on this one," said Bobby nervously. They all knew that with tensions this high, there was a chance of a fight, especially when it came to Jean. "Let's just relax and-" When Logan turned his angry eyes to him, Bobby said no more.

"You know what?" said Emma. "I'm tired. It's late, we've all had a stressful day and I've had enough of this. I'm going to bed." With one last glare at Logan, She turned and headed for the elevator.

Once she was gone, Logan closed his eyes and clenched his fists at his sides. He stood not facing the others as he fumed. He knew his jab at Scott was unjustified, but he couldn't hold it back. Nor did he want to apologize. There had always been that competition between the two over Jean. It just made Logan even angrier when Scott stayed in his room until a mission sulking when Logan was having just as hard a time coping with her disappearance as he was and still managed to go about life as usual.

Without another word to the others, Logan walked in the same direction Frost had gone. As much as it pained him, he agreed with Emma; it had been a long, grueling day and what they all needed was rest. A few moments later, Scott, too, went back to his room.

When they were gone, the others breathed easier. "Man, I really thought something big was going to happen," said Bobby. "Sure glad it didn't."

"So am I," said Ororo.

"I wish we could find a way to get those two to stop arguing…" said Kitty.

"That's impossible," said Beast. Those two have been comrades and rivals for too long now. There's no way that's ever going to change."

"Not them," said Kitty. "I know that. I was talking about Logan and Emma. Ever since she joined the team, they've done nothing but nit-pick at each other."

"I agree with you," said Bobby. "I like them both, but when they're together it's always a war going on between them. I wish we could get them to stop fighting, or at least be able to get some entertainment out of it."

"Hmmm…" Beast pondered for a moment. "I think that's just what we need to do. And I think I know how…"

X-X-X

"What is it, Hank? What's the emergency?" Logan and the others ran to the subbasement when they'd received word of a disturbance.

"It's the Brotherhood. They've just taken a juvenile mutant by force. It turns out that the boy was in hiding from the MRD and Vietro and the others stumbled onto him and kidnapped him. Who knows what they're planning on doing with him."

"Yeah. Last time they took Nitro from the MRD and almost wiped out half of Genosha. I don't know what this kid can do, but we have to find them. And fast. Frost!"

"I know, I'm going," she said with a scowl.

"There's no need. They were spotted stealing another plane."

"Damn. Are they headed for Genosha?"

"No. They're headed North."

"Right. Let's go."

Within minutes, all of the X-Men were on board the X-Jet and headed North to find the Brotherhood. "We're catching up to them," said Beast.

"Good. How much further?"

"Not long. Maybe five minutes." There was a loud crash and the Jet shuttered. The X-Men looked up knowing full well what it was.

"Or less," said Logan. In the next instant, Blob crashed through the top of the Jet followed by Vietro and the others.

"Nice try, X-Men," said Vietro. "But the kid's staying with us."

Domino shot out the control panel just as the X-Men went after them. The battle was confusing with everyone fighting and Beast trying to keep the jet going. Blob was knocked into the side of the jet and a wall crumpled and fell to the sea below. Logan and the others knew they had to do something to get the Brotherhood off the jet before they destroyed it. Emergency systems were already going haywire, the red warning lights flashing. The X-Men and the Brotherhood all fought to throw the others from the aircraft, but it was useless on both sides.

Emma tried to get hold of Vietro's mind, but Domino pushed her and she stumbled backwards toward the open part of the jet. "Down you go," said Vietro as he gave her one last push. Emma's eyes grew wide as she began to fall, her feet no longer touching the floor of the jet.

"Frost!" Logan was fighting Blob along side Storm when he saw Emma's fall. He leapt away from Blob and pushed Vietro out of the way reaching for her. He stretched to grab her hand but went too far. Suddenly they were both plummeting toward the sea.

"Logan!" shouted Kitty. The other's screamed for the two but it was hopeless. The jet was unable to be controlled as it continued North slowly descending and getting farther away from the two fallen X-Men.

Logan's heart beat faster as he anticipated the landing. He wasn't worried for his own safety: he was nearly indestructible. But Emma…she was so fragile. As much as he hated her, he didn't want to see her dead. He reached for Emma and eventually caught her, clutching her to him as he turned so that wherever they landed, he would take the hit instead of her.

X-X-X

When Logan regained consciousness, he could feel heat on his face, sunlight. His whole body ached and he felt so tired…These feelings overwhelmed him, but he forced himself to roll over and get to his hands and knees. He stayed like that panting for a moment until he remembered what had happened. He glanced over and saw the blond woman in white sprawled in the sand. He got up and went over to crouched down beside her.

"Frost! Frost!" Her eyelids twitched and fluttered open and she slowly sat up holding her head. Logan held her shoulders lending support if she needed it. "Frost?"

She looked around at the coastline and the trees behind them. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." Logan stood and looked around for the first time. Emma stood and they studied the surrounding land and sea. There was a long silence as the two realized where they were. "Oh you've gotta be kidding me!" yelled Logan. "An island?"

"It would appear so," said Emma quite calmly.

Logan slapped his hand to his forehead and groaned. "Great! Just great! We're stuck on an island!"

Emma stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. "So? I'm sure you've been in worse situations. It's not like we're under attack. The others will find us soon."

Logan glared at her. "You think I'm worried about being stranded on an island?"

"Well that's what it sounds like to me. I would have thought you could survive on an island all by yourself if you had to."

"That's the problem! I'm not alone! You're here!"

Emma scowled, her eyebrows raised. "Well don't think I'm too thrilled about being stuck with you either, but I won't be reduced to whining about it."

Logan's eyes grew even more outraged. "See, there you go!"

"What are you talking about, Logan?" she said rolling her eyes, already exasperated. "I haven't even done anything."

He growled as he always did when he was angry or frustrated. He turned away to keep his rising anger from overwhelming him. Finally he spoke calmly. "First thing's first: we need to find shelter and food."

"Already on it." When Logan turned, he saw Frost already a few yards away heading for the trees. Logan sighed and followed. He sure hoped they didn't have to spend any more than a night here. He just might commit suicide.

Within a few hours, they had searched the entire island, but they couldn't find any caves or shelters. So they had to settle on making a shelter. Logan cut down enough small trees to form a circular hut, and Emma used vines to tie large leaves together to make a roof and a door. They didn't talk much except for the occasional passing of directions. Logan was actually impressed that she knew how to do these things, like making a hut. Not that he'd ever admit to this. As far as he was concerned, her annoyance outweighed her admirable traits. He wasn't about to give her any credit.

When they had finished, Logan needed time alone, so he told Emma to stay at the hut while he went to find food. When he returned, he carried a few coconuts and three bushels of bananas. Emma had built a fire since it was growing dark. Logan placed the food inside the hut and brought out a coconut and two banana's for each of them. He broke the coconut and handed her half.

Logan was afraid to say anything. He knew it would only lead to an argument. So he followed the saying that kids often learned: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Emma, however, broke the silence.

"So how long do you think it will take the others to repair the jet and find us?"

Logan took a bite of a banana. He felt really awkward being alone with Emma, sitting at a campfire, eating coconut and bananas. "I don't know. Hopefully Forge will get on the job right away. If that happens, it might not take too long."

"I suppose it all depends on the damage. It took some big hits."

"Yeah, I know." Logan's ocean blue eyes turned to the sea, the light breeze playing with his hair. As much as he wished he would have had the better fortune to be stranded on this island with anyone else, he was enjoying the quiet, the calm of the sea, the fresh air…But he never forgot about the outside world. A war between humans and mutants still raged, Senator Kelly at the head of it all. Worst of all, they had no way to communicate with the others. They didn't know where they were if they weren't back at the Institute. They didn't know if everyone was okay. And they didn't know how long they would be stuck on this island.

Logan stood and headed for the little hut. He wanted to be alone: to rest. He went inside and lay on one of the two beds of leaves. He stared up at the roof as orange light from the campfire seeped through the leaves and created shadows around him. Eventually he rolled over onto his side. He wasn't sure what was going on with him. He didn't feel like arguing with Frost, nor did he feel like doing anything he'd normally do, like walk around the island by himself or using trees for target practice. No, for some reason he felt completely worn out. All he wanted to do was sleep. And that's just what he did.

X-X-X

"Well this is boring," said Kitty.

"Yeah," said Bobby. "Only one fight and not even over anything good."

"It's only been one day," said Beast. "They'll be there for a while."

"Well, I'll be over here sleeping," said Bobby. "Wake me up when something interesting happens."

"Oh it will. Trust me," said Beast.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" said Ororo. "It…doesn't seem right."

"Aw, it'll be fine," said Forge. "When they wake up tomorrow, they're not going to know a thing."

A/N: Confused? Well it'll become clear in time. Lol There are a few clues as to what exactly is going on, but I don't think you'll figure it out right away. Yay! Bring on the torture! -Evil laugh-