It had been a week since the Wilderness Incident. Life at the academy had returned to a strange sense of normalcy, but there was an unspoken tension in the air. The alien attack had changed things. The students walked the halls differently—more aware, more cautious.
For Logan, things hadn't returned to normal at all.
He sat in the academy courtyard with William, Matthew, and Jessica, absentmindedly tossing scraps of his sandwich to Midnight, who had taken a liking to perching on his shoulder whenever they were outside. His teammates had been watching him carefully all week, whispering amongst themselves.
Finally, Matthew broke the silence.
"So... when are you gonna talk to her?"
Logan didn't react. "Talk to who?"
Jessica sighed, arms crossed. "Don't play dumb, Logan. We all know you're thinking about Elsa."
William nodded. "It's obvious, bro. Even Midnight probably knows."
Logan scoffed. "I don't have time for this." He stood, ready to leave.
Matthew smirked. "I'm just saying... if she didn't matter to you, you wouldn't have looked like you were about to punch a hole through a wall when you found out she went on that mission with Julian."
That made Logan stop in his tracks.
Jessica leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "We get it. You're stubborn, and you don't like talking about your feelings. But she clearly means something to you. Are you really going to let that Julian guy take your place?"
Logan exhaled sharply. "She's back now, isn't she?"
William raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. So what are you gonna do about it?"
---
That night, Logan stood outside the apartment door. He held his key, but he hesitated before unlocking it.
For a moment, he considered turning around.
Then the door opened on its own.
Elsa stood there, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. "You just gonna stand there, or are you coming in?"
Logan stepped inside. The air was familiar—the faint scent of Elsa's perfume mixed with the lingering scent of gun oil and leather. She had made herself at home in his absence, but there was something different in her posture.
He stood there for a long moment, not knowing how to start.
Elsa sighed. "If you're here to argue, Logan, I'm really not in the mood."
"I'm not here to argue." His voice was quieter than usual. "I'm here because I need to say something."
She studied him, waiting.
Logan clenched his fists at his sides, trying to force the words out—words that had been buried beneath years of control, restraint, and silence.
"I hated knowing you were with Julian."
Elsa blinked, taken aback.
"I hated not knowing if you were okay." Logan continued, his voice low. "I hated how I let you walk away that day without saying anything. And I hate that I don't know where we stand anymore."
Elsa took a small step forward. "Logan..."
He exhaled sharply. "I don't do this—whatever this is. I don't talk about how I feel, and I don't let people get close. But you... you got too close. And now I don't know how to be without you."
The silence between them stretched, heavy with unspoken emotions.
Then, Elsa closed the distance.
She reached up, gently resting a hand against his cheek. "You're an idiot, Logan Holt."
He let out a quiet, breathless laugh. "I know."
And then she kissed him.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't desperate. It was real.
When they pulled away, Elsa smirked. "Took you long enough."
Logan let out a small chuckle. "Shut up."
Elsa grabbed his jacket, pulling him closer. "Make me."
For the first time in a long time, Logan let himself smile.
---
It had been weeks since the alien encounter and the subsequent chaos, but the repercussions were far from over. Principal Mason, the head of the Super Academy, had made sure of that.
When word of the incident reached the higher-ups, it didn't take long for Mason to force Principal Graves of the Human Academy into a corner. The military intervention had been a mess, and Graves had done nothing to control the situation, allowing his students to betray the supers and shoot them in an attempt to escape. While Graves had tried to cover it up as an act of self-preservation, the public saw it for what it truly was: a callous betrayal.
Mason, using the evidence from the incident and his influence, had destroyed Graves' reputation. The Human Academy's principal had been dismissed from his position, and his career crumbled publicly. The damage was done.
Logan hadn't cared much for the politics or the game of retribution. But it didn't escape him that his father's connections had played a role in this. George Holt had a history of doing whatever it took to get results, and Mason's tactics had been ruthless, but effective.
---
The weeks following the wilderness program had given the team time to heal, physically and emotionally. Matthew had spent more time with Jessica, and what had started as a casual bond soon blossomed into something deeper.
One night, as they sat in a quiet corner of a restaurant, Matthew glanced at her and smiled. "You know, I didn't expect you to stick around after the wilderness program."
Jessica leaned back, smirking. "I told you, didn't I? You guys needed a fourth."
Matthew nodded. "Yeah, but I didn't think you'd be… well, you. You're like a beast out there."
Jessica chuckled, rolling her eyes. "I'm just doing what's necessary."
Matthew grinned. "I think you're starting to enjoy it."
Jessica didn't respond at first, her eyes glinting with something unspoken. "Maybe. But you're not bad yourself, tech guy."
The two shared a quiet, comfortable silence before Darius Cross and his team entered the restaurant. They had been the antagonists during the Wilderness Program, but now, Darius was here to apologize—sincerely, it seemed.
He made his way over to Logan's team, his team in tow. "Logan, I—" Darius started but was quickly interrupted by William.
"You've got a lot of nerve showing up here," William growled. "I might forgive you, but you better watch out. The ones who lost someone will make sure you regret everything you did."
The air grew tense, and Darius, noticing the seriousness in William's tone, nodded in understanding. "We know we messed up. We just wanted to say that we're sorry."
Logan remained silent, his arms crossed. He didn't hold grudges, but that didn't mean he had to forgive easily.
Eventually, the tension died down, and they all went their separate ways.
---
A few days later, Logan walked into the academy courtyard with Elsa by his side. The team had already gathered, and the air was electric with anticipation. Logan took a deep breath, standing tall as he addressed them.
"I'm sure you've all noticed Elsa around here. She's been with me through all the chaos. But now… now I'm introducing her as my official partner. Not just in missions, but in everything."
There was a moment of silence before William spoke, his usual stoic demeanor shifting. "It's about damn time." He clapped Logan on the back, a smile creeping onto his face.
"I told you, man, you're a good catch," Matthew added, grinning.
Jessica gave a slight nod, her eyes softer than usual. "Good for you, Logan. She's lucky."
Logan turned to Elsa, a small smile on his lips. But as Elsa reached down to pet Midnight, the eagle backed away, eyeing her warily. The creature wasn't familiar with Elsa yet, and it took several steps back before flying to a distant perch.
Elsa gave a small laugh. "Guess we have some trust-building to do."
Logan chuckled. "He'll warm up to you. Eventually."
---
Later that evening, after the team had wrapped up training, they gathered around a TV screen in the academy's lounge. The news broadcast flashed across the screen, showing a Bureau of Justice report.
"The Bureau of Justice reports increased alien activity, with ships detected entering Earth's atmosphere in areas near Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Authorities are preparing for a potential conflict on a global scale. Experts warn that this is just the beginning."
The camera zoomed in on the military commander, speaking with grim determination. "We have been monitoring extraterrestrial movement for several months. We are preparing for war, and the supers will play a vital role in the coming fight."
The report ended with images of alien ships hovering over desert terrain, making Logan's stomach churn.
"This is just the beginning," William muttered, eyes narrowed.
"We need to be ready," Matthew added, his voice low. "The supers aren't going to be the only ones fighting. If they're going to war, we should start preparing now."
Elsa glanced over at Logan, who was silent. He was looking at the screen, the weight of the future pressing down on him. He could feel the tension building, the uncertainty rising.
"We're ready," Logan said, his voice steady. "We've got to be. For all of us."