"Misti, come in.  Please sit down.  There is something I want to discuss with you."

"Sure, Professor."  She made herself comfortable in one of the big overstuffed chairs in front of his desk.

"Misti, you know that there is more to my school than meets the eye."  She nodded and waited for him to continue.  "I head a team of mutants.  Some you have met, others you haven't.  We fight to protect the rights of humans and mutants from those who would endanger those rights.  I want to know if you would like to join us.  I must warn you, there is a great deal of danger involved.  Your talents, however, would be a great asset.  I would like you to think about it before you give me your answer."

"Sir, I'm in.  I don't need to mull it over.  I need a job to do."

Charles Xavier smiled.  "Welcome to the X-Men, Misti."

The next day, Misti tracked Logan down to tell him the news.  She found him in the danger room,  a battle simulator.  She had never witnessed Logan going through his own training.  It was an awesome sight.

His black t-shirt stretched tight across his broad shoulders.  The unsheathed blades between his knuckles glinted in the light.  The programmed battle was throwing attackers at Wolverine from all sides, but he seemed to handle them with ease.  Muscles bunched as he dispatched villains with lightening fast slashes.  'I'd hate to be on the wrong side of those blades,'  Misti mused.

*SNIKT*  Logan ended the fight.  "Whatcha up to, Sprite?"  He inhaled deeply.  Misti had the most tantalizing scent, so multi-layered.  First was her perfume;  it smelled like cotton candy.  He just wanted to eat her up.  Underneath was her own unique smell.  Totally female.  It made him crazy.  'Hold yourself together,' he warned himself.

Misti was wearing a huge smile.  "Logan!  I came to tell you the news!  Charles has invited me to join the X-Men!  Isn't that great?"

Logan's temper blew.  "WHAT!!??!!  He can't do that!!  You can't!!"

His reaction was not the one Misti was expecting.  "I CAN'T!?!  Just who do you think you are?  You can't tell me what I can or cannot do!"  She whirled and stormed out, slamming into Jean, who was coming down the hall.

"Misti?"

"'Scuse me, Jean.  Gotta go,"  Misti mumbled, then ran off down the hall.

'Logan, what's going on?'  Jean mentally asked.

Wolverine roared.  "Fuck off, Jean!  It's none of your business!  Get outta my head!"

A concerned look crossed Jean's face.  Logan was rough but this was a bit much, even from him.  "What's wrong?"  she inquired again.  "Please let me try to help."

He took a deep breath.  "Stupid, stubborn, arrogant little girl!  She doesn't know what she's getting herself into.  Charles asked her to join the team and she's agreed.  Yeah, that'll happen.  Over my dead body!"  Logan realized that Jean wasn't surprised.  "Wait a sec.  You knew, didn't you?"  She nodded slowly.  "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you should  hear it from Misti."  'Does she remind you of anyone?  A certain stubborn arrogant man, perhaps?'

Logan grinned.  "You talkin 'bout Scott?"

"Logan..." Jean warned.

"Ok , Jean.  You're right.  I'll go talk to Misti."  He chuckled.  "The little thing's got guts though.  She has no problem fighting with me.  Any ideas where she is?"

Jean closed her eyes briefly, searching.  "At the zoo."  When she opened
her eyes, Logan was already gone.

At the zoo, Logan discovered her sitting in the cougar exhibit.  She was stroking the big cat like it was a pet.  His heart hammered in his chest as he contemplated the danger she was putting herself in.  "Misti," he called softly.  She looked up, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes.  'Damn.  I hurt her again.'

The cougar's ears twitched and a growl rumbled in its chest.  "Sshh,"  Misti whispered.  "It's ok. He's a friend."

"Leave me alone, Logan,"she called out.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, darlin.  Now are you gonna come out or do I have to come in?"  He started climbing the fence.  Misti's eyes widened.

"I'll come out!  Logan, you'll get yourself killed!"  Misti faded then appeared at Logan's side shortly after.  "What do you want?  I don't want to fight."

"Oh, Sprite, neither do I."  He wrapped her up in his arms.  "I am so sorry.  I never meant to hurt you.  I just can't control my temper sometimes."

Misti's shoulders slumped tiredly.  "Can I go now?  I just want to go home."

"Sure darlin.  Let's go."  Misti rode back to the mansion on the back of Logan's bike.  She wanted to lean into him, soak him up.  But she held herself stiffly while she thought about the infuriating man in front of her.

'I'm tired of the mixed signals.  He makes that crazy promise then treats me like a child.  I wish he'd just make up his mind.  I'm tired of waiting.'  A sly grin lit her face.  'And I think I'll do something about it.'

When they reached the mansion, Misti jumped off the cycle.  "Bye, Logan!"
and ran to her room.  She had some planning to do.