"JAMES LOGAN HOWLETT, where are you ?!" she screamed as she stormed through the mansion halls with determination and single minded purpose. From the looks of things a tempest that was not soon to be calmed.

Some of the resident boys already privy to the knowledge of her outburst, were behind doors in groups either flopped on beds or rolling on floors holding their sides in painful laughter, just imagining what was to come.

The object of her inquiry possessing enhanced hearing, not that it was needed as loudly as she was calling, was currently in the institute kitchen with two young ladies he held dear to his heart. Of course that was without saying, seeing as how it had never been spoken but the feeling was there. Kitty and Jubilee were idly drinking juice and talking over shopping tactics to traverse the mall for its best sales this Saturday morning when a large and very fast blur on four legs raced into the room with a mouthful of something very delicate, lacy and colorful. Never stopping once, it bounded straight through the kitchen, almost sliding into the large center island, but at the last minute correcting its path turning into the mud room to the left and sprinting down the hall to the open garage, as if hell was on its heels.

Logan aware that he was being paged, none to kindly, upon seeing the retreating animal and glimpsing its cargo quickly threw down his newspaper, left his second cup of coffee and followed the same path as the canine, muttering somewhat incoherently in his flight, "Oh shit! See ya girls." and was gone.

Less than a minute later a very irate Ororo Munroe came around the corner into the kitchen and found the girls standing there looking at each other with their mouths hanging open thinking to themselves, 'forget shopping, this was going to be much better than a trip to the mall and its piddling sales any day.'

Without the grace of her usual preamble of good morning salutations, Ororo faced the girls with her hands on her curvaceous hips and asked through clenched teeth, "Have you girls seen Wolverine and his four legged, foul breath, mange shedding, drooling, sneaky, thieving bitch this morning?" finishing it all up with a boom of thunder that made them jump and juice to slosh out of the glasses they held. Both pointed to the direction Logan and the so called bitch had traveled. Both of the girls feeling like traitors without so much as a word spoken.

"Humph, thank you." she muttered, as she continued pursuit.

Logan had caught up to Mofo, his ill mannered dog, sitting under a tree in back of the house near the outdoor pool. Logan was hoping against hope that he would be able to make it into the woods and its cover before Storm could find him. Presently however, Mofo was wagging (his) tail and panting happily as if he was presenting his owner with the crown jewels.

"Boy what kinda shit have ya got me inta this time?" Logan said as he picked up Mofos offering at his feet. The whole drool covered mess seemed to be a colorful tangled spider web of confusion, that is till Logan spotted several triangle patches attached to the strings.

"What the f--k!? Ya trying to get a lightening bolt shoved up my adamantium laced ass fella!"

"WOLVERINE!!!"

Damn! Too late to make it into the woods. He had been so surprised by what Mofo had given him, he never sensed her approach. Turning slowly to face her, he quickly snatched his hands behind his back trying to conceal the dogs undoubtedly stolen loot. Seeing her was truly a sight to behold. Still his eyes scanned the perimeter for the slightest escape route.

Ororo stood several yards away from him, eyes white, hair billowing above her head and lightening playing at her fingertips, shaking her head as if to a naughty child left, then right repeating the motion over and over again.
"Oh no, umm uhnn, do not try it Logan!"

"Hold on a minute there darlin."

"What for, for you to explain that you are in possession of some items of mine by way of your pilfering doppelganger!"

"Now Ro, there's no reason for name calling darlin..."

"No reason, no reason," she fumed, "I would say there is plenty of reason dripping to the ground behind your back and sitting with the same expression upon its face as yours at your side. Neither of you know the boundaries of common decency or propriety, but you do however, have the propensity to stick yourselves in the midst of things where you do not belong, in this case being what I would prefer to leave unmentioned!!! And DO NOT CALL ME DARLIN!"

"Come on dar...Storm," he quickly changed his word, "how am I to blame for Mofo getting in ya unmentionables," and with his trademark lopsided grin he had the nerve to add, "and very skimpy, err hmm, unmentionables I might say," daring a glance over his shoulder. "How would he or I know what he did?"

"Cause he is your dog and trained or should I say untrained by you. And the condition or lack thereof of my unmentionables shall henceforth never be mentioned or touched by him or you again!!!"

Thwackka Boom! A dead branch behind Logan fell to the ground aided by a bolt of lightening.

Mofo bounded off into the woods in a sprint faster than the one through the house. Apparently he had enough sense for self preservation.

Seeing her state of being, hearing her voice and knowing what had happened to the tree branch Logan unwisely stepped away from the tree and closer toward the pool. A very wicked smile slowly spread across Ororos face as the wind immediately picked up pushing his heavy body. Watching his hulking frame being propelled across the lawn, being blown backwards, bent forward, feet sliding as if to ward off her intended destination was comical to any fortunate enough to view such a sight.

Unfortunately for Logan almost the entire student body was in attendance. Their faces were plastered to most of the windows overlooking the back of the estate. None of them brave enough to venture outside. Nope the view was just fine from where they were. Mofo wasn't the only one with common sense.

For someone who was trained with impeccable timing due to his superior fighting skills, that didn't mean the same thing applied to his mouth. Even as she was calming down and having second thoughts about dunking him, he let his own anger over the situation of his losing control due to her winds and knowing they had an audience, get the better of him.

"Ro this is bullshit! I didn't do anything at fault here DARLIN. It aint my fault a piece of string up ya ass aint enough to keep that stick out ya got shoved up there. So if ya don't knock off the temper tantrum cause Mofo got ya ice cold ass embarrassed by draggin ya liability coverage drawers around the house, next time buy some that will at least be a hindrance to that self same stick that keeps finding its way in and maybe without it ya could actually smile about the whole thing!"

SPLASH!!! The shallow end of the pool was no longer an option. The deep end served him almost as well as a lightening bolt being shoved up his adamantium ass.

How dare she drop his ass in the deep end of the pool with all this adamantium lacing his bones! During all the ruckus he hadn't failed to notice the audience of practically the entire school observing his defeat at her hands. Just because his dog got a hold of her sexy panties didn't give her the right to try and murder him! And what did she need them for anyway, wasn't she constantly dateless! So what if Mofo had dragged her drawers all over the mansion and some of the boys had seen them and he had dropped a pair or two running around the professors suite (one pair right on his foot), there was no reason for her anger towards him. This was not over with by a long shot.

Ororo had just made it to her loft and plopped down on her bed sighing heavily when banging sounded so loudly upon her door she feared the wood would crack.

"Alright, alright I am coming." she called, but before she could sit up the door was thrust open indenting the wall behind it and before her stood a dripping wet and furious Wolverine.

After jumping to her feet at the intrusion into her personal sanctuary she stood glaring back at the angry man and did the worst thing that she could have possibly done at the moment. She burst out laughing! Not just snickers hidden politely behind her hand, but full force side busting guffaws. To add insult to Logans injury, the few clouds that had placed her room in shadow immediately gave way to allow bright sunlight to stream through both skylights, illuminating his irate visage as if on center stage.

"Do ya' really enjoy playin' and ice cold bitch, or is this the way ya' hide yer fear? Cause believe me when I say yer ass is mine darlin."

Calming her laughter as best she could and taking a deep breath she bravely faced the sopping Wolverine, "Oh please Logan, you do not frighten me, you never have and you only got what you deserved seeing as how I could not take my retribution out on a dumb dog!"

Logan turned as if to leave but instead reached out and closed the door clicking the lock and pulled his soaking wet wife beater from his body. when he faced Ororo there was a glint in his eyes she had never seen before. Slowly he started stalking toward the offending weather goddess.

Though she had not been afraid, after seeing the look in his eyes, Ororo had an immediate change of heart and tried to make a mad dash across her king size bed to escape whatever he had in mind. She proved to slow for his amazing agility, for despite his muscular bulk, he caught her about the waist and brought her down to the mattress with an easy surety, landing his body weight upon her to insure her capture.

"Mmmhph...Logan...do you mind I can not breathe," she forced out as best she could.

"Why darlin finding yerself in an uncomfortable predicament, like being tossed inta a pool with a skeleton full of metal?" Even so he raised up on to his elbows allowing her lungs to rapidly inhale the much needed air.

Logan looked down as she breathed heavily and caught sight of her breasts heaving with each rapid breath. Damn, she really was hot and for the first time ever he had her in a positon he had longed for for quite some time.

Ororo had not missed his eyes path to her chest and if she was honest with herself she was breathing hard not just from his weight upon her, but also the closeness to this feral man she had dreamed of so many nights right where they were now.

"Logan...Logan..., I am up here."

Reluctantly he raised his eyes to hers and was once again entranced. He found himself lost in the most beautiful pools of blue he could ever see. Before he could think clearly he acted. His lips found hers and he found a new way of drowning.

At first she was shocked, but then her body took over to full betrayal of her mind and she was kissing him back with everything in her.

They dueled back and forth in their passion till both were starved for air, forced to break their powerful connection.

Logan was the first to find his voice, "Ro, I won't say I'm sorry...cause I aint darlin,...so if yer gonna do something to me cause yer pissed then go ahead cause I wanna do it again.

"Did I ask you to apologize Logan? I did not do anything that I did not want to," and with a small gleam in her eyes she added, "now or earlier."

That did it, he could not resist the idea of finally having his hands on her so he took this chance to tickle her everywhere he could grasp with all the insane laughing and thrashing about she was doing.

"Uncle...uncle...uncle," she cried in between giggles and laughter.

"Are ya sure darlin, I still aint dry and ya did insult my dog."

"Well Logan thanks to you bringing your ill mannered mutt to the mansion I have been embarrassed more than I have ever been in my entire life. And why do you call that creature Mofo anyway?"

"Since ya asked me darlin, when I was leavin' Harry's one night I caught the little motherfucker relieving himself against my bike. I said it out loud and he walked right over to me and extended his paw as if in introductions askin' 'and ya are.' So I figure if he pissed on my bike, answered to it, it might as well be his name. But I couldn't see Chuck takin' too kindly to me yellin' fer Motherfucker around the place so I gave him a suitable acronym and that's that.

Storm seemed to ponder his answer for a minute then smirking rather cutely, tilted her head and said, "Logan you know what an acronym is?" And once again laughter took hold of her.

After tasting her lips, Logan found he was a lost man as he leaned in to capture them with his own again only to stop abruptly and jump to his feet shoving his hands into his wet pockets.

"Ro, are you okay, I was picking up this weird feeling that something was going on with you..." Jean announced through the door, trying the knob.

Ororo was crushed. Same old Logan, acting as if he had done something wrong with her when Jean showed up. Doing her best to hide her emotions behind the mask she had perfected over the years, she sat up straightening her hair and clothes and called out to Jean, "Everything's fine, no need to worry, absolutely nothing is going on." she said, refusing to meet Logans glare.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, just doing a little cleaning about to get rid of something..., I will see you in a bit." and with that said, Ororo dismissed Jean without further interruption.

"Ro, look..."

"Save it Logan, just go."

"Ever the ice queen never letting go."

"I did earlier when I dropped your ass in the pool." she said as she stubbornly tilted her chin forward.

'Logan, Ororo, would the two of you mind meeting me in my office please.' the professors telepathic call came to them both. It was obvious that it was not a request, but a command. Neither one missed the tone and inflection the professor used in their minds.

"I'll be right there Charles." Ororo sighed, as she stood up brushing past Logan, leaving her room without giving him a second look.

Logan hung his head and inwardly cursed himself.

Professor Charles Xavier sat in his large first floor office behind an eighteenth century antique Edwardian desk, very much the picture of calm and serenity.



Scott Summers stood to the left of him with his arms folded across his chest. His face held the usual 'I smell shit' tight expression.



Both men nodded their heads in acknowledgement of Ororo as she entered and took a seat directly in front of Charles. Logan however, chose to stand while leaning against the ornate gold veined marble fireplace, he also had his arms crossed over his broad chest as he stared at Scott unconcerned.



After what seemed like an eternity Charles finally spoke, "I know I need not mention this mornings actions that have brought the two of you here."



Ororo had the decency to shift a little in her seat. Logan simply reached in his freshly changed dry shirt pocket and pulled out a half smoked Cuban and lighter.



"Logan if you please, let me remind you again there is no smoking within these walls." Charles said, arching a brow at him.



"Healing factor Chuck, thanks fer the concern." Logan couldn't help but grin.



"For you surely, but not for the rest of us, so if you please." the professor countered, as he watched Logan unwillingly put his items back in his pocket with a scowl and grumble.



Ororo let a loud puff of air escape her lips, even as she heard his grumble grow louder.



Knowing the penchant the two of them had for arguing, Charles continued on to the matter at hand, before an ugly detour could be taken. "My dear Ororo, I know it is not an easy thing for you to lose your temper in such a way as to display a misrepresentation of your abilities against a colleague and team member. Be that as it may the severity of the situation has been exacerbated due to it being witnessed by those we are responsible for molding. As you are well aware we are not only teaching young minds but also training them to grasp and control their mutant powers. Therefore how can we reasonably expect it of them when it is shown we ourselves fail to practice what we teach. We cannot afford to lose the respect to our teachers or the X-Men. What could mistakenly be deemed a trivial thing can have unforeseen consequences against much of what we are trying to accomplish. Any damage that has been done is the responsibility of the perpetrators alone to rectify." He paused to let his words take effect.



"Humph." Logan cleared his throat loudly as if throwing in his two cents worth in approval of what the professor had said to Ororo. He couldn't help but feel smug.



Ororos eyes shot daggers at him peripherally, as she silently mouthed 'ASSHOLE', which caused him to laugh soundlessly, his chest vibrations showing the action.



"Logan as for your part in this situation..."



"Hunh!" Logans laughter quickly ceased. "Do ya mind explaining how this is any of my fault!?" he asked incredulously.



The professor was more than prepared to state his case for the prosecution. "Mofo is your dog?."



"Yeah and?"



"Is he not in the habit of taking, destroying, hiding and burying others belongings amongst other things, in particular Ororos?"



Scott leaned forward to slide a manila envelope across the desk to Ororo.



All Logan could do was breath a barely audible, "Ah hell!"



"Precisely Logan. It is obvious that Ororo was acting out due to a continually frustrating and...ahem...embarrassing situation."



Everyone present could have sworn Charles had laughed.



Continuing on Charles stated, "It is one that has to be amended lest it threaten our faculty and teams cohesiveness."



"Look Chuck if yer askin' me to get rid of Mofo..."



Raising his hands to suspend, Charles said, "No one is suggesting that Logan, at least not at the present time, but I do believe Scott and I have come up with an ideal solution for everyone." For the first time a smile crossed Scotts lips. "You two seem to be the ones with the least favorable rapport amongst us and for the good of us all that has to be corrected."



Ororo felt as if the room was suddenly filled with static electricity. It was not so much a painful feeling as a telling one that something was about to happen that would cause her immense displeasure.



Logan would never let on that the emotions he was currently experiencing were those of a dead man walking. If he wasn't so attached to Mofo he'd drop his ass off at the nearest pound!



"As you are aware there are a few outbuildings on the grounds. One in particular, the boathouse, has from lack of use fallen to disrepair. The two of you possess the innate ability to bring order where there has been chaos and to fix whatever has been broken or seems to have no purpose. Because of this you both have gained a great deal of respect from all us associated with you, until it was threatened today. Therefore, at the start of summer break in two weeks, you will both be moving into the boathouse with the express purpose of bringing it up to comfortable living conditions. You will be restricted from the use of this building and its amenities, so I suggest you pack everything you will need to abide there till the tasks completion. Any supplies needed to sustain you or complete the job will be provided once related to Scott, who will make once a week check-ins with you for that exact purpose. If at any time either should feel you cannot finish what has been stipulated, all you need do is say so. I will leave a link open to you twenty four hours a day. This is all with my express wishes that you will learn what an important part we all are to each other and more affectively portray that to those we are accountable to. We cannot and will not tolerate renegade mutant powers that prove a detriment to us all, or a continued disrespect to others rights to exist without harm being perpetrated in any form. You can decline this offer and be subject to a three month suspension from the X-Men if you prefer, but I would like to believe you both are much more conscientious than that, knowing what your contributions to the team means."



Damn, Charles had said more than a mouthful, yet he had to add the last part on to make them feel like jackasses to possibly turn their backs on the team if they declined. He had given them a choice that was no choice!.



"I have no intention of letting the team suffer because of my actions Charles, I am willing to do whatever I have to in order to make things right. I am sorry for any harm that I have caused." Ororo spoke up.



Scott nodded his head to the envelope she had taken from the desk and now held, yet unopened.



Logan never one to be outdone in a challenge, and make no mistake about it, that's just what it was, could not and would not be found lacking. "I'm in Chuck, just know I aint a kid bein' put in time out, but I can handle whatever ya' dish out. I've faced worse."



Ororo chose to open her envelope and instanly her mocha complexion turned three shades of red. Inside were two delicate items that had been dropped at Charles' feet earlier.



Scott and Charles fought their laughter, neither of them was too sucessful.

The institute had all too quickly taken on the empty nest feeling it always did when the children left for summer break. Those who were live in residents with no homes to return to were too few in number to fill the spaces all those who had homes left behind.

There were hollow echo's now where there had been children laughing or talking.

Though her classroom, with its atrium style windows, still allowed the bright sunlight entrance as if in welcome to her students, Ororo now sat in solemn contemplation, dreading what the end of this school year meant.

She wasn't looking forward to her impending isolation, for goddess knows how long, with that infuriating man. How in the world was she going to get through it? During the meeting with the professor, in which she had been called on the carpet, she had held her tongue realizing the error of her hasty actions. Even in the midst of the most violent confrontaions as a member of the X-Men, she never let her emotions over-rule her head in the use of her powers. Just when she thought she had found level footing with living her life as a mutant with powers she never asked for, but truly did not want to live without, along came Logan, making her heart and head betray her.

"Uughh, get it together Ororo, you can do this!" she said thinking out loud.

"What can you do?" Jean asked, as she entered Ororos classroom.

"Jean...you startled me."

"Not too difficult to do, seeing as how you were lost in your own world just now."

"Don't mind me, I just have a lot on my mind...you know since I'm going up the river in less that two days." Ororo tilted her head to the side and rolled her eyes.

"Ha, ha, ha." Jean laughed. "Scott seems quite pleased with himself for helping the professor come up with an adequate punishment to fit your crime."

"Oh yeah, remind me to thank him later."

"Will that be the kind of thank you that got you in your present predicament, and has turned you into a rambling idiot?"

"Do shut up Jean, let me have that moment of happiness before my life gets tossed upon the sea of despair."

Jean shook her head and laughed again. "You know this might not be as bad as you think it will be."

Ororo looked at Jean as if she had farted and fanned it in her direction.

"O...kay, strike that last comment."

"Seriously, what am I going to do Jean?"

Without hesitation, Jean went around the desk to where Ororo sat and bent down embracing her in a warm hug, "What we always do as X-Men, we get in, do the job and get out."


Logan had ridden nearly seventy-miles before turning around and heading back to the institute. The usual peace a long ride on his bike normally brought him, never came. Now he sat on the ground, his back against the garage door frame a beer dangling from one hand. Mofo his ever present companion rested his head on Logans thigh as his tail swished back and forth, every once in a while peeking at his master glad he was home.

Logan knew he had fucked up. It was inevitable. The equation never changed, Logan plus females equals fuck up. But now with Ro of all females! He had to go and kiss her and damn she had tasted good! Her lips were like velvet and he was left feeling intoxicated. He hadn't lied when he said he wanted to do it again. Then the resident busy body had shown up and to keep her from running and telling tales that weren't accurate, he had backed off. No one knew all the desire he had felt for Jean had long ago been doused, when he finally took his head out of his ass and saw her for what she was. Not that she wasn't a good person, but she was insecure when it came to Ororo. Ro was the real beauty in the mansion, who chose to let the runner-up shine. Jean was always noticed because she was the one who sought the limelight, her ego needing the attention and applause. Thus the longevity of his and her cat and mouse game, even though she claimed love for Scott.

If he could kick his own ass he would.

Maybe if he tried looking at things from another angle there might be a glimmer of hope. Let's see...his dog tortures Ro,...she tries to murder him...he kisses her...she responds...Jean shows up, he backs off...Ro's left probably feeling used...yep, same equation...fuck up!

Mofo whimpered and his tail stopped, "Whatta ya want popsicle, and it better be good?"

Bobby Drake the resident Iceman, casually approached Logan, well aware there was no sneaking up on the Wolverine. "Hey Logan, I was told to let you know the cookout is starting up in an hour and Scott wants to know if you're signing up for any of the duties?"

"What's left needing doin'?"

"Nothing much really except no one wants to man the grill as usual." Bobby smiled, "You know me, can't afford to melt out here." he said smiling.

"Yeah right...don't worry bout it, I guess I can do that."

Bobby gave Logan a sideways glance remembering to ask, "Oh yeah, the guys are choosing sides for a b-ball game...should we put your name in?" he asked hopeful he'd get a positive response from his secret idol.

Logan cocked his head to the side and spared a look at Bobby. "Hell naw, now beat it kid."

"Ah okay, I'll just tell Cyclops you have the grill covered."

"Yeah , ya do that freeze pop."

Spotting movement in the bushes, Mofo stood, looked at Logan briefly and took off towards them.

Logan thought to himself, 'I wouldn't want to be with me either fella.'


The end of school year barbecue was a great success. Perfect weather, good food and games with the overall feeling of family did wonders to boost everyone's spirits. It was never easy saying goodbye to friends and students, not knowing for sure if they would return.

The younger residents of the house, Peter, Bobby, Warren, Jubilee, Kitty and Tabitha, not wanting to hang with the oldsters, opted to relax by the pool with each other (the cool crowd), as things had begun to wound down.

After helping with much of the clean up, Ororo now lay back on a patio chaise next to the man, who was in every way a father to her except by blood, Charles Xavier. Jean occupied another chaise, while Scott, Hank and Logan sat at a patio table, both Scott and Hank playing cards.

At that moment all was right with the world, there was no mutant bias and everyone could breathe a calming breath at just being alive.

"You know my dear, it has been far too long since you have granted this old man the pleasure of one of your most amazing gifts." Charles had spoken, looking to Ororo, who didn't even want to think about what he was requesting.

All heads turned to her as she tried to become one with the chaise.

"It's been a while sis, but I am always your willing partner." Scott beamed, even as he jumped to his feet and ran inside the mansion, not missing the glare Ororo threw his way before he could disappear.

"Have I mentioned to anyone that Scott and I have been considering..." Jean started saying, as she was interrupted by Hank. The frown that crossed her face not going unseen by Logans steel eyes.

"Pardon me Jean but what are we missing here that our compatriots' are privy to and we are not?" Hank asked, his curiosity piqued as well as Logans even more so.

"Oh...goddess." Ororo sighed, with unfeigned modesty.

Logan a silent party to the conversation, was anxious to know what Chuck and one-eye knew about the snow haired goddess that he didn't , but wasn't about to ask.

With fatherly authority, Charles shushed Ororo, "Few are aware of the fact that our Ororo has a hidden talent. She has kept it to herself not wanting attention or praise, but when we are fortunate enough to coax it out of her it is something that you will never forget."

Scott came back out to the gathering holding a guitar, still smiling uncharacteristicly broad. "Ready when you are sis." he said, using the title he called her when they were in relaxed company. "What'll it be?'

Resigned to there being no way out, she rose and whispered into Scotts ear. She then leaned against the deck railing as Scott took a seat on the steps and began to strum his guitar with a Spanish melody. As if in silent dedication she looked to Charles with a warm smile, then said, "This is for my family."

All of my life
I've been searching
For someone to find me
I have been looking
Waiting for your arms
To pull me

You took me
In from the cold
And out of the dark
You have taken me
Into your heart

Chorus
You are my home
You are the one that I come to
You are the shelter I run to
To keep me safe from the cold
You are my home
You are the love
That completes me
You are the touch
That has freed me
I look in your eyes
And I know
You are my home

Ororo sang out each word with such emotion and beauty the kids had gathered on the steps near Scott and didn't make a sound. Charles' eyes were filled with so much pride, one would think he was ready to burst from it. Jean and Hank sat with their eyes closed, basking in the beauty of her voice and music.

Logan leaned forward in his chair and felt once again lost in the enigma that was this amazing woman. His exceptional hearing picking up the perfection in the tone of her magnificent voice. He wanted more than anything for the song to be dedicated to him alone, and for everyone else to fade into the shadows for a time, allowing him sole ownership of the moment.

You were the light in the window
When I couldn't find my way
You led my heart to
Want them to place me
Here beside you

You are where I always will be
You are where I belong
I've been looking for you
For so long

The song continued on to chorus then she sang a few lines in Spanish flooring everyone even further. Scott played, showing his musical prowess on the strings till he faded out easily.

For a moment, when the duo finished, you could hear a pin drop, it was so silent. The girls had tears streaming down their faces, Bobby and Hank included. Peter and Warren were the first to break out in loud applause and whistles, as the others followed.

Feeling suddenly self-conscious, Ororo leaned down to kiss Scotts cheek before doing the same to Charles, who she also returned a tight bear hug to. Bidding goodnight wishes, she made a hasty exit citing to all she had packing to complete.

Logan had to talk to her. He felt the pressing need to make things right. Heading toward the same door she had entered, he found himself blocked by a very much unwanted interference...Jean was holding his forearm to halt his progress after Ro.

Desiring to shake her off, but proving himself a surprising gentleman, he just lifted her offending hand and gruffed out, "Not now Jeanie." and he continued after Ororo.

Jean stood on the deck watching as he hurried through the deck door as if the mansion was on fire.

Once Logan reached the back stairs, where he was sure Ororo would have traveled, as his nose gave him hint, he knew he was too late to catch her before she had reached her room. Not being brave enough to knock on her door, he headed for the garage and his bike. Another ride was calling to him. This time he knew in advance, peace would not be coming.

From somewhere on the grounds he heard Mofo howling.

Four long days. That is how long she'd had to endure their own little confinement of rehabilitation and it wasn't getting any easier

With every minute that passed she wanted to kick, throw or completely demolish something. She had come to the conclusion that Charles and Scott were playing a cruel joke on her and she didn't find it funny in the least!

The Monday folowing the cookout she and Logan had been ushered to the boathouse by Scott. The house was located at the lake but not on the waters edge, thus it wasn't a boathouse in the literal sense. Actually it was a quaint two story home that boasted an inviting porch and bay windows and was situated about fifty yards from the lake. At first glance it was obvious that the house was older than the mansion. The outer condition of wear seemed to be minimal. Maybe a fresh coat of paint with some shutters mended along with quite a few porch rails replaced was all the initial repairs that were required. With a relief Ororo exhaled, possibly Jean was right and this wouldn't be so bad after all.

However her relief was short lived. As soon as she stepped onto the porch and almost fell through, with Logan catching her and releasing her rather abruptly to Scotts arms, it was all down hill from there. Stepping inside had nearly caused her to hyperventilate. She was positive she was being punked and started looking around for the cameras. What lay before her eyes was beyond anything she had imagined. It looked as if she had turned a tornado loose and let it rampage till it fizzled out. There was nothing endearing about the stained and ravaged hardwood floors or the walls rife with holes. The place smelled like more than a few animals had found refuge within it on a frequent basis. If she wanted Logan to throw his head back and laugh at her she would have cried on the spot. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction.

As things now stood she and Logan had puttered around the house avoiding each other like the plague, doing whatever odds and ends they could till the plumbing and electrical contractors could complete their work, which they had been informed, would be in a couple of days. Both teams had been working on the dwelling prior to the two X-mens arrival. Their soon departure was fine with Logan, seeing as how he could barely stand their constant ogling of Ro instead of keeping their focus on their work.

To stay out of the way Ororo had taken to tending to the yard and its landscaping, enjoying the comfort of being outside and the feel of the earth in her hands.

Logan had started the repairs to the outside of the structure telling himself it was the most logical place to begin with the men occupying the inside. Never would he admit that it was to be in her proximity.

One of the electrical apprentices had taken steps beyond ogling and was constantly in conversation with Ororo, often making her laugh. The pretty boy, who Logan found out was named Nathan, sought Ro out every break. Just now as she sat in the midst of a flower bed the ballsy fucker was crouching beside her, way too close, in amiable chatter. He had shared a thermos of what Logan smelled to be lemonade with Ro and now seemed to think he could monopolize her. The jackass better step back, Logan thought from his position on the porch fixing the rails, but secretly with his full attention on the pair in the yard. His stomach had been in knots since seeing her sitting amongst the flowers, none of which outshone her beauty. Damn, he had it bad for someone who apparently couldn't stomach him. Shit!

A deep voice bellowed for Nathan from inside the house and the young man seemed reluctant to part ways with Ororo. Not before he reached out and plucked a miniature pink tea rose and placed it in her hair. Logan barely caught himself before he launched off the porch at the asshole, who inadvertently was too stupid to realize he had put his life in jeaopardy. Remember the equation, remember the equation. Logan shook his head to clear his thoughts before sadly walking from the porch into the calming shelter of the woods. He never noticed the frown that marred her face as she looked at the flower she took from her hair, thinking it should have had a chance to live longer, or the same beautiful brilliant blue eyes that watched his departure.


"Hey Ororo." came Scott's familiar voice as he got out of the jeep.

Ororo stopped the tiny rain shower she had created over one of the flower beds to turn and embrace her adoptive brother in a welcoming hug. Once she released him she promptly hauled off and slugged him in his arm pretty damn hard. "Hello to you too Scott."

"Ow. What was that for!?" Scott said rubbing his now sore bicep.

"A debt I owe you."

Never one to be slow as to his sister's quirky sense of humor he knew the punch had everything to do with his part in her rehabilitation. "Okay Storm I get it, you were always one to pay your debts, now can we call it paid in full or do I need to start ducking lightning bolts?" his smile showed the hilarity he felt about the situation.

"I don't know dear brother the jury is still out on that one. Besides who knows what the weather will bring about to sway my conclusion on the matter."

"Ha, ha very funny. Just so you know I don't think Jean will be too happy if any harm came to her fine specimen of man flesh." he grinned as he started flexing his muscles.

Ororo couldn't help the smile that lit up her face as she rolled her eyes skyward.

"So how are things coming?"

"Now that we have working plumbing and electricity okay I guess."

The camping equipment they were given had taken some getting used to, but Ororo had opted for discreet very early morning showers only she could manage.

Logan walked outside making his presence known after the conversatio had turned to work issues and not the playful frivolity of siblings.

"Bout damn time ya showed up one-eye." was gruffed out of his mouth around a cigar hanging from his lips.

Ororo looked at him with disgust getting the feeling he only smoked the stinky things in the house to irritate her.

Logan didn't try to hide his subtle smile at the pleasure of knowing he had pricked both of them with his nickname for Scott and his smoking in the house to irritate her. Nevertheless he snuffed the cigar out in his palm staring straight at Scott without flinching and put it in his shirt pocket.

Not letting Logan get his goat Scott shrugged his shoulder. "Same time as agreed upon Wolverine, not a minute earlier or later."

Logan knew he was right, it just felt good to be contrary.

"Um hum, whatever...arrogant s.o.b.

"Logan must you..." Ororo started.

"It's fine Ro we both know Wolverine isn't too keen on the delicate matters of life such as manners."

"Got yer manners right here bub!" he went to reach for his manhood, but Ororo grabbed his hand before he could.

"Must everything be a pissing contest with you Logan!"

He jolted at her touch and was sorry for the lack of contact once she immeadiately withdrew her hand.

Both men looked at Ororo astounded that she could say something so out of the ordinary for her.

"Oh for goddess sakes both of you get a clue and let's get to the reason for Scott's visit."

"Uh...yeah right. Well the appliances you picked out will be here this afternoon Ro, so I guess there's no more cooking on the camping stovetop."


"It wasn't so bad really, we certainly didn't starve." she said, trying to make things a little better for Scott, knowing how abrasive Logan could be.

Logan tilted his head at her in open mouthed shock. Hadn't he heard her threatening to trash the cooking equipment just last night.

Ororo watched him from the corner of her eyes realizing he had heard her tirade last night. Oh well damn!

Looking at Logan directly behind his visor Scott asked, "Would you like to give me a tour or just a word of mouth progress report?"

"We're not at the tour stage yet, but things ar comin' along fine bub."

"Good, the other supplies including groceries will be delivered today as well." Scott reached back into the jeep and pulled out their mail. "Is there anything I can give you a hand with now or later today?

"Nope, as said it's our project, we got it covered." Logan was surprised at the honesty and non-hostility he meant with the statement.

"Well everyone sends you guys their hello's and miss you's. This is from Jean Storm." and he reached out to hug her, wondering as he did if he was hearing right, a growl...coming from Logan.

"Please return it to her with a kiss as well for me Scott."

"With pleasure sis."

Scott moved to climb back into the jeep and leave.

"Wait a minute bub. Tell Tin Man to be sure and take good care of my dog and ta make sure my package is delivered with the other sh...stuff today." on a last minute whim he amended his word.

Scott eyed Logan suspiciously. "Yeah right, I'll be sure to get right to that delivery." Scott didn't even try to hide his smirk as he left or give Logan the news that Mofo had been seen with a stray bitch running near the property and hadn't shown much interest in food or anything else, but his chase of her. So like his master.

As Scott drove away Ororo decided to not let Logan get away with his cocksure attitude. Walking along side of him as he made his way to go back inside Logan could feel the anger rolling off of her in waves. He stopped in his tracks raising a brow at his indignant and unasked for sidekick. His abrupt halt caused her to stumble in her stride.

Logan couldn't help but grin thinking that someone who had always had a patent on grace had become clumsy so often lately.

Knowing he had the audacity to find her klutziness amusing, she tried to hide her embarrassment behind her anger.

"Is your ego so fragile Logan that you have this constant need to let everyone know that you are the alpha male? Can't you at least be civil without all the unwarranted animosity you so freely toss around?"

"First thanks fer the compliment darlin and second I don't give a rats ass as to whatever feelings anyone thinks I'm throwing out there."

"Oh don't assume I have paid you any such compliment Logan and it is painfully obvious that you don't care in the slightest where Scott is concerned." Her anger taking her someplace she had no idea she was going, her next words cutting him to the quick. "He is a decent man who does not deserve your loathing or personal attacks Wolverine! The only affront he has ever caused you is to be well respected and the one that Jean loves, something that even your constant pursuit of her couldn't put a stop to..."

The growl that emanated from his throat made her realize the boundary she had foolishly crossed. He leaned forward almost snarling in her face as her traitorous feet took a step back.

His own anger now at a fever pitch almost loosed his tongue to the mutual flirtation he and Jean had shared, with her giving as good as she got, but that was nobody's damn business as far as he was concerned. Hell, not once had Scott ever called him out on it like a man and no one else had the right. "What are ya 'fraid of Ro, that I'll kick ol' Scotty boys ass and make off with his gal or..." he sniffed around her head, "is it that yer jealous!"

Finding her footing and her nerve again Ororo lashed back, "Don't flatter yourself Logan," she looked him up and down, "you prove yourself more and more not to be my type. Scott is as close as a dear brother to me,...so back off!" she poked him in his chest.

"Whoa, hold up a fuckin' minute darlin, last I saw Cyclops drove away from here none the worse for wear and pardon me but I thought he was a grown man, old enough and big enough to fight his own battles. Ya and Jeannie need ta take ya tits out of his mouth and stop pussy whipping him so that he can grow a pair!"

He had finally done it, cracked her shell again making her see red. Logan knew what was coming but he'd be damned if he'd back down.

"Why you pigheaded, insufferable, ill-mannered, egotistical cad! How dare you mmmpphh...."

She was cutoff as Logan claimed her lips in a bruising kiss as he wrapped his arms around her and felt her melt deliciously in to his muscled frame. All the emotion the two of them had pent up was set free in the passion of the kiss they were sharing that flared to set their very souls on fire. There was nothing gentle about the way both wrestled in an all consuming battle of pleasure that neither one gave a damn as to who emerged the victor. Ororo wrapped her arms around his neck dragging him closer into her curves and heated embrace. Logan found his hands on the glorious globes of her ass and pulled her to the center of his aching. Damn she felt good. The overwhelming need for her was making it hard to distinguish pleasure from the painful throb of his hardened cock, that was surprisingly overruling all of his reason so quickly. They both lost all sense of anything but the pressure that was reaching the boiling point between them. Breathing was an overrated necessity that they could easily do without if left to their present state, but unfortunately they fell victim to it. Their lips broke apart from the others in great gasping pants for air that left them shaking. Logan dropped his chin to the top of her silken mane and just held on trying to regain himself. Ororo didn't know what to do, but she knew letting go of this man wasn't an option just yet. After what felt like an eternity she gained enough confidence in her voice to speak.

"What...are we doing Logan?" so softly spoken only his ears could hear her.

Logan released her at last and stepped back far enough to get a steady grip on what he knew was the reality with him and Ro. In a voice She hardly recognized as his Ororo felt the ground drop away from her feet at his words.

"Everything ya said is true darlin... and then some. I'm the worst kinda asshole and the best...thing ya can do is stay the hell away from me. Let's just get this job done and go back ta whatever kinda teammates we can be, doing our best not ta let anyone down or kill each other. The least contact between us the better."

"Logan I...I am so...sorry..."

"Don't! Just let it go Ro,...let it go."

He stomped back inside slamming the sreen door behind him.

Ororo walked back over to the flower bed she had been watering and tried to disguise her tears with the small shower she created. The bright sunshine was suddenly covered in shadow by an overcast sky. That was enough sunlight for the day.

The house was fast becoming something resembling a home. The professor wanted it restored to a habitable dwelling, with Ororo and Logan given carte blanche to renovate and decorate it in any way they so desired. "I have faith in you both." he'd said.

They had started with the two bathrooms and kitchen and moved on to the bedrooms.

True to what Scott had said two weeks ago, the appliances Ororo had ordered were delivered and promptly set up for use. She had wanted to keep the integrity of the old New England style of home it was, so she had ordered a modern equipped antique design range, refrigerator and microwave. The only concession being they weren't cast iron or porcelain enamel, but shining stainless steel.

For some reason that Logan just couldn't fathom, he chose to completely change the tiny bathrooms to fully fitted modern luxury.

The downstairs bath, he doubled in size by knocking out the outside wall to use part of the porch for a large deep tub space and more window area. He and Ororo both loved the outdoors, something neither acknowledged. They liked the feeling of nature encroaching on the inside.

The upstairs master bath, he'd also doubled to accomodate a twin vanity and a large semi-sunken Jacuzzi tub, with a separate double size shower stall with multiple heads. The plumbers had been delighted to acquiesce to his plans for both baths amenities, as it meant more money in their pockets.

Secretly he was getting a kick out of hitting Chuck in the wallet for thinking he could impose a petty punishment on him. Yeah right, he wasn't the best at what he did for nothing.

Logan had went so far as to add a small ladies vanity area, within an open arch opposite the now modern master bathroom. He gave it access through both the bedroom and bathroom. Where the hell that came from, once again he had no flaming idea.

Ororo was occupying the master bedroom, using a roll away bed the same as Logan was in the other bedroom. The only thing they needed to do upstairs was give it a fresh coat of paint and furnishings, none of which Ororo had decided on yet.

So far they were proud of the work they had gotten done in a matter of three weeks time. Doing each task with as little communication between them as possible.

After their initial spat, or whatever you would call what had happened the first week following Scott's departure, they were called on a three day mission with the team.

An alert of a mutant hate group calling themselves the FOH (Friends of Humanity), was threatening mutant owned businesses, in Chicago and Boston. The team split with Ororo heading the team of Logan, Peter and Kitty in Chicago and Scott leading Jean, Beast and Bobby in Boston. Their presence was vital to bring the hate mongers actions to the forefront of the authorities. The police in both cities were sympathetic resulting in a small cell disbanding in Chicago and arrests being made in Boston. None the less the round the clock surveillance of the businesses and following the activities of the FOH, took a heavy toll on them affording little time for sleep. Late the third evening they returned home dragging their collective behinds, hoping for a long rest.

Ororo just made it up the stairs to her bedroom in the boathouse, peeled off her uniform and collapsed on her bed.


...'TIL SHE HEARS THE SCREEN DOOR SLAMMING
RUBBER SQUEALIN', GEARS A JAMMING
LOCAL COUNTRY STATION A BLARING ON THE RADIO...

"What the...what!" Ororo quickly sat up in the bed looking from side to side.

The sound was permeating the boathouse.

Rubbing her eyes and brushing her hair from her face, with blinking eyes she looked at her watch.

"I'm going to KILL him!" she yelled, even though there was no way she could be heard over the din. Completely engulfed in anger, she threw the covers from her aching body and stomped down the stairs.

In the livingroom Logan was running a circular saw, building new window seats for the bay windows, while he had what looked like the old recreation room stereo complete with home theatre surround sound from the mansion, turned up full blast on the popular country station.

He'd just made Ororo develope a strong dislike for Garth Brooks and his song (Ain't Going Down Till The Sun Comes Up)! As if that was not enough he was shaking his ass no less!

"LOGAN...LOGAN...LOGAN!" she screamed, with no response, as his back was to her.

"...AIN'T GOING DOWN TIL THE SUN COMES UP
AIN'T GIVING IN TIL THEY GET ENOUGH..."

"Uugghh! Damn it WOLVERINE!?" she shouted as she crossed the short space to him and pushed him on his shoulder.

With his back to her, Logan let his wicked smile fade before turning around to face the pissed off woman he had heard all along, but ignored.

Trying to look surprised as he turned, he hollered, "Hey, what's the prob......" the words died on his lips as he took in the woman before him, with his eyes bulging and his mouth agape.

"You jackassed oaf! What's the prob...lem, ummm let's see...maybe that it's THREE-THIRTY IN THE MORNING!!!!" she emphasized, with stretching her arms out at her sides before they came to rest on the soft smooth flesh of her hips. She stood staring daggers at the inconsiderate asshole in front of her. "Well! Don't you have anything to say...speak up I can't hear you over the PARTY you have going on!" she said as sarcastically as she could.

Still nothing seemed to register with the dumbstruck man drooling at her.

"Uuhhh Ro...ya may want ta rethink what yer doin darlin. And I'm pretty sure jackassed ain't a word. I'm working cause I'm done sleeping." he found his voice, crossing his arms over his chest as he sat on the sawhorse, extending his legs as he crossed one ankle over the other, letting that too damn sexy for words smile grace his lips. And what was he doing gesturing with his hand up and down towards her? Right before he burst into laughter, no longer able to control himself.

"You've finally gone and done it haven't you Logan, you've lost your mind!" she swatted behind her back as she felt something cold and wet lick her ass. "What..." she jumped spinning and grabbing her butt to see a nightmare come to life. Mofo! Then everything went to hell. She looked down and did a full body blush. She had been ranting at the jerk, while clad only in a barely there lace bra and thong. And it took Logan's mutt licking her naked ass for it to dawn on her!

"Uugghh!" the dance she started doing trying to cover her too ample breasts, while simultaneously covering her bikini waxed vagina and string hidden ass, made the high and mighty goddess fly out the window, and the thoroughly embarrassed woman to take center stage.

"Oooohh! Ooooohh! Ooooohh!" was the song she sang as she bounced around in circles trying to cover everything getting exposed to his view, only to succeed in nothing being left to his imagination.

"Ooh, ooh ooh darlin", he cried between gulping breaths as he was laughing so hard tears ran down to his mutton chops. Slapping his thigh as her left boob came out of it's hiding place in opposition to her efforts. Logan fell off the sawhorse to the floor in stitches.

"OH YOU ASS!"

Mofo nudged her butt with his nose as she fumed at Logan, before storming off up the stairs, not caring anymore what view he got, pulling the plug to the stereo on her way.

Logan yelled, "It sure is darlin,...it sure is."

She heard his laughter even after he heard her slam her bedroom door.


Logan knew he was wrong in getting Ororo riled up for his own pleasure, but she was just too hot for words when she was royally pissed. He hadn't expected her to flounce downstairs in the state she had, but it was an added bonus.

He had tossed and turned, but sleep had eluded him. He needed to see her and look into those impossibly blue eyes. Try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Now he stood outside her door, with a peace offering of dinner. She had been holed up in her room all day, undoubtedly too embarrassed to show her face.

"Ro, it's me,...open up darlin."

No response.

He held the tray in one hand, while he knocked on the door with the other. "Come on darlin, ya gotta eat something."

Nothing.

"I ain't gonna keep asking ya Storm, ... Don't make me break down the damn door. I know yer in there."

Still nothing.

"Okay darlin, I admit I shouldn't have..." With nothing else working he finally spoke from what he was feeling in a near whisper, "Please..."

For a long time nothing, then the door opened a crack.

Ororo was sitting on the end of the bed watching him as he made his way into her self imposed prison. A glance at her showed him that she was dressed in a cropped tee with shorts and socks. She had left her glorious hair loose, thankfully.

"I figured ya were hungry, so I brought ya something." he said placing the tray on the bed beside her, backing away.

She never looked at it, just him and every move he made.

"Look Ro, I ah told ya, ya were right, I'm an asshole...,but I don't want ya ta hate me...but I don't know how ta apologize and make ya believe me cause that ain't something that I do...that ain't me," damn this was hard. Nervously he rubbed the back of his neck.

Her blue eyes still held him.

"Say something darlin. ... Yer not gonna make this easy for me are ya?"

Silence.

Steel gray eyes searched blue for anything to say all was alright.

She turned her head and looked out the window. The first sign to him that she was at least there. She was hurt and he had to make it right. But he was too far away. With steps heavy as lead, Logan walked over and sat on the other side of the tray on the bed. Needing to make contact with her, he reached out and held her hand.

She didn't snatch it away. Whew.

For a minute he just felt her soft hand in his.

"I remember the first time I saw ya darlin. Ya had this don't get too close look on ya face and don't try breaking through my defenses. But it didn't make me blind to the fact that ya were gorgeous... beyond belief. The most beautiful thing I had ever seen,...I wanted ta reach out and touch ya hair, I wanted to find out if it felt the same as it looked," he raised his free hand, but lowered it. "I've known ya were a woman ya had ta earn. A lady ya had to fight ta deserve. More than I could ever hope ta have...so far removed from someone like me," he felt brave enough now to look from her hand to her face, that he only saw in profile, as she still looked out the window. "That didn't stop me from wanting ya...just never thought ya'd want an ol' canuck like me, so I stuck ta adoring ya from a distance."

She turned her head searching his eyes. His hand softly touched her face, stroking her cheek.

He took a breath and continued, "Jeannie and I...well, she looked at me and I smelled desire on her, even though she wouldn't admit it, and I thought I stood a chance with her knowing that. I'm not proud of me and Jeannie's game, but it felt good ta feel wanted...in a loving way after the life I've lived. It never went beyond the game." he said flatly, "I could only play the fool for so long, realizing I'd never get the girl...feelings just kinda died in me. What I thought was love was just false comfort that never lived up to the real thing. All the time I saw ya and..." he choked up and swallowed back emotion, camouflaging it he hoped with clearing his throat, "I saw ya, I always did, and I knew I had made a mistake in trying ta have Jeannie, cause I sure couldn't have ya after that. I fucked up Ro, going after what I thought I could get, cause I couldn't have what I really wanted. I didn't really love Jeannie, I just had hope for something better than I'd known."

He stood up and walked to the open door.

"I'm sorry for making ya miserable ta be a part of ya life,...ya don't know how sorry," he said over his shoulder, starting to leave.

"Logan."

He stopped but didn't turn around.

"What was I wearing the first time you saw me?"

"What...why?"

"Please..."

"Yer X-man uniform."

She hung her head and wanted to cry, "Thank you Logan, but you are wrong."

"No darlin...I'm not. Chuck's office wasn't the first place I saw ya. It was after my fight with Sabertooth."

"But you were unconscious!"

"Not every closed eye is asleep or can't see Ro. After my fight I smelled what I thought had ta be heaven, so I peeked with the last bit of strength I had and I thought I was there cause an angel with white hair was leaning over me. Just never thought I'd make it ta heaven ya know. And for the record in Chuck's office ya had on a white blouse, black leather pants and boots.

Ororo walked over to Logan and took his hand to turn and face her. Once they were face to face she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear, "Thank you." softly she kissed his cheek.

Logan returned the hug with as much strength as he dared, without causing her harm,...never wanting to let go.

"So sis, you know the professor is anxious to know how things are faring between you and Logan. Not that he would ever say so of course." Scott leaned over to gently nudge Ororo in the side with his elbow, as they sat on the now repaired front steps of the boathouse. Years of knowing the woman to his left, told him that something was different with her since his last visit, so he chose a round about way to dig for information.

Ororo kept her eyes straight ahead, watching the bunnies playing near the bushes in the yard. She was well aware as to who was curious about her and it wasn't Charles. "I'm an open book, what is it you would like to know dear brother?"

Damn. Busted!

Scott let out a short laugh, as he reached over to take her hand in his intertwining their fingers. "Am I really that transparent?"

"Always. You would never make a good liar. And that is something I will always admire about you," she said, lifting their joined hands and kissed the back of his hand, "so do not be concerned about me I am fine."

Scott took time to study her, noting her soft still graceful bearing, yet with a stubborn set to her chin. Forever the obstinate, self contained, completely lovable goddess. She was without a doubt the strongest person he had ever known. Not to mention the most beautiful. He had come to accept long ago that Jean was the woman who would forever hold his heart, but the woman beside him would forever be a part of his soul. Her unassuming persona combined with her huge capacity to love and indomitable spirit steeped in loyalty and kindness, made her his sister, a part of his family he would forever love.

"I will never not be concerned about you Ro. If there's ever anything you need and I mean anything, all you have to do is say so and...'I'll be there...I'll be there...just call my name girl..." Scott had stood up pulling Ororo with him as he sang the old Jackson Five hit in comical falsetto. Both of them dancing and laughing. Scott in very un-Cyclops like behavior, to anyone who didn't know him, but not to Ororo. This was the fun loving man she had grown to love as much as her adopted father himself. For this life and the one beyond her 'brother'.

"Don't quit yer day job bub." Logan came out the front door wiping his hands on a plaster covered rag. Scowling at Scott as he held a laughing Ororo out at arms length, while they took a bow. Ororo's an exaggerated curtsy.

"Not to worry Logan, Ororo got all the artsy talent in the family. I got all the brains and good looks." he smiled.

He dodged what would have been a well place punch, as Ororo rolled her eyes at him and puckered her lips in an air kiss right before she nonchalantly patted her ass.

Scott huffed not missing her obvious meaning.

"Riiigghht,...well if ya two kiddies are done playing," Logan looked from one to the other, his eyes lingering on Ororo, "when are the new cabinets coming? The counter tops have been ready for a week."

"The company called yesterday. They said if you want them expressed they can be here in two days, if not in about a week."

"How much are they trying to ream ya for express, no matter a week is good enough."

"Good, with all the furniture coming for the upstairs today the professor is sending the guys over to help with the setup. Far be it for Ororo to harm herself with those puny muscles of hers."

"Those puny muscles have done just fine doing the work on this place so far." Logan spoke up surprising Scott and Ororo with such a glowing appraisal.

"It was called a joke Logan, you know, funny ha, ha." It was Scott's turn to look at Logan then Ororo. Who suddenly found the sky very interesting, while she softly whistled.

Nah they couldn't be, Scott thought as his mind started to take him somewhere he real...ly didn't want to go.

"Like I said, don't ever quit yer day job. There is one thing ya can get Tin Man to do for me though. Have him put my baby on the back of the truck...gently. I don't want Popsicle eyeing her while I'm gone or getting any ideas in the head to make me light a fire under his ass."

Ororo folded her arms across her chest and shook her head in quiet mirth.

Scott knew no one was going to touch that bike, but he nodded his head to Logan to grant his rare request.

"Scott please check with Jean on the fabric order. Other than that the list we gave you should suffice for everything we need. Will you be coming back with the boys?"

"I don't know yet, if the professor doesn't need me I'm here sis."

Logan knew Ororo was sorely missing everyone at the mansion and that he hadn't been the best company, but things were looking up since two nights ago. He wasn't so foolish as to delude himself that they had become the best of friends, after his assholic behavior and humiliating confession, but they were more civil to one another. That is after he had shooed Mofo back to the mansion...she thought. Actually, Mofo was hanging around the lake during the day and sleeping in Logan's room at night, once Ororo was asleep of course. What could he say the dumb mutt was family.

"I will be sure to let professor Xavier know the great job you two have done on the place." said Scott, after he had hugged Ororo and gotten into the jeep. His departure was far different than the last time. Maybe they were making more progress than just on the house, he thought with a shudder as he left.


Ororo hummed as she went about making a late lunch in the new not quite finished kitchen. Having spent years containing her emotions, she could not hide that she was extremely excited that the boys were coming to the boathouse. Even if it was to move furniture, she was going to be with part of her family again and that meant everything to her.

Logan was working putting up new sheetrock in the living room, repairing the multitude of holes that plagued the structure.

Ororo had easily handled the insulation part of the renovation using her winds to effectively place the itchy fiberglass material into the wall spaces. Something Logan especially appreciated, as the damned irritating stuff was hell on his sinuses and abundant body hair.

Flinging a dish towel over her shoulder Ororo walked into the livingroom with an ice cold bottle of Canadian beer in one hand and a glass of tea in the other. As he did two nights ago Logan was listening to music on the stereo, only this time no where near the deafening volume. She halted her steps to consider the man before her.

Logan was definitely a man you could not help admiring. Upon first glance it was easy to see the man was physically appealing, with beyond handsomely chiseled features sculptors would love to capture. His hair was longer than was considered conventional. There were always errant locks caressing his brow, falling into his eyes that never seemed to bother him. He had muscles on top of muscles, that played under his clothing with every move he made. The most arduous of tasks were mere childs play to him. No doubt about it the man oozed raw strength. In her bare feet they stood almost eye to eye. Every fiber of his being screamed dangerous and untamed. Yet, there was a gentleness about him despite his gruff posturing. The same as she had too mask her emotions, Ororo knew he used everything about himself as a defensive mannerism.

She heard him the other night when he had said the one word outside her door, 'Please'. So quietly spoken she should have missed it, but she didn't and it had been the deciding factor in her letting him in.

Hearing all that he had said to her had been totally unexpected. What was she to do with such an astonishing revelation? She didn't know. Honestly; she was more than a little afraid to find out. And what had it taken for such a guarded man to open himself up to her like that. Ororo Munroe was truly scared for the first time in a long time.

Scott had told her years ago that he knew he was meant to love her forever when he first saw her and kept the vision of her in his heart right down to the minutest detail of what she was wearing. That plain idea epitomized to her how love got a hold of you from the start and was meant to last.

Logan's surprising answer to her simple question moved her, giving her heart flutters of unexpected desires she had thought squashed. Still there was Jean. Unknown to anyone, Jean confessed to her shortly after Logan's arrival to the institute, that her heart was torn between him and Scott. Jean was positive Scott would forever be number one in her heart, but she would probably never stop wanting to feel the need to 'bang' Logan's brains out. She wanted Scott, but she would never stop desiring Logan.

"Are ya gonna give me my beer Ro, or just stand there looking at my ass?"

The insufferable smart aleck hadn't bothered to turn around or stop working.

"I figured you'd come get it when you were ready."

Did she just use a double entendre on him? Damn he hoped so.

Logan put down the nail gun he was using and walked over to stand in front of her.

Looking into each others eyes as if discovering the secrets of the universe, they were rendered speechless.

Logan had to find his voice again before he did something stupid.

"Err...hmmm, he cleared his throat, but never broke eye contact, "I'm ready darlin."

Her hands shook indiscernibly while handing him the still cold brew. Their hands touched and held there.

'Come on Ororo, get a hold of yourself she thought as words rushed forth from her mouth, "So what do you think of your progress in here?" she asked, happy the words didn't trip over each other. Too badly.

"Our progress Ro," he took a drink, realizing their hands were still in contact with each other, "we've accomplished a lot. We make one helluva team."

'Damn was that too much. Way to scare her bub!'

"I meant what I said earlier darlin, ya more than carry yer weight."

"Thank you Logan, that means more to me than I can say to know you feel that way."

He tilted his head and gave her his signature lopsided grin.

"So...we good Ro?"

She held her glass out as he held out his bottle. "We're good bub." Ororo smiled as they tipped their drinks together.


Happy. Tired. Serene. All the things she was feeling this evening after the much needed company of the boys that afternoon.

"I see that beast refuses to leave your side. You do know he is the reason we are here in the first place." said Ororo, as she alit gracefully in the yard of the boathouse.

Logan sat with his back against the porch pillar at the steps, enjoying the night and his cigar. As in the past Mofo rested at his masters side, as much a fixture to Logan as the foundation was to the house. "Been for a little windriding Ro?" he asked pointedly ignoring the fact that he was caught harboring the enemy.

"The perfect ending to a perfect day. Guess I was just too keyed up with all the excitement of entertaining our first guests this afternoon and seeing the upstairs coming into shape." she said, as she joined him on his step.

Logan chuckled inwardly thinking of how she had thought having a late lunch with the guys and Scott, was somehow synonymous with them christening 'their' house. He could only wish it were so. Just the idea of it made his stomach tighten with longing for something he knew would never be. Maybe he was reading more into her innocent comment.

Sensing his introspective mood and not wanting to intrude, Ororo decided to call it a day. "Well good-night Logan, rest well," speaking as she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

She was doing that an awful lot lately, four times in two days, and he wasn't about to start complaining.

"Ro, wait...," he stood meeting her as she did the same. Looking into eyes of steel and sky, both were propelled forward as if magnetized, till their lips met in the most tender union either had ever experienced. Mere moments later backing away, wrought up with emotions neither wanted to name, Logan braved the moment, "Oh hell Ro," before claiming her lips once again with much more vigor.

Realizing passions insanity could overtake her again, Ororo pushed apart from him. Finding breathing hard and words harder, to tell him of the fear and anxiety she was besieged with. Could she just ignore her conscience concerning Jean and her ever present confession from long ago.

"Logan, I...I..."

"Ro, don't darlin, don't keep side stepping this...us, it's not just going to go away." he said gathering her in his massive arms.

She stepped back from his embrace, unable to meet his piercing gaze. "Logan...it would be so easy for me to lose myself in you. But...were just too complicated..."

He looked at her with eyes full of hurt and pain as he too stepped back. He didn't want to think anymore. He had tried again and was refused. He saw it now. Friendship was fine, anything else was a fools dream. "It's okay Ro, I get it,...I do."

She took the uncertainty about their relationship and slowly entered the house, closing the door behind her, not once looking back.

It was settled he thought. Team members, no more. He'd have to live with that.

Mofo stood barking at the closed door.

The downy soft kingsized bed was impossibly uncomfortable. She had tossed and turned for an hour and a half trying to get to sleep. The sheet tangled around her shapely toned bare legs, as part of it draped over her nude body. The single long thick braid of her long hair lay across two pillows.

She wasn't too hot or too cold. Temperatures never bothered her as her body automatically adjusted to any environment. She was more than aware that her restlessness was not due to any external stimuli, but her hearts aching. Logan had told her frankly what he wanted,...her. She couldn't bring herself to be so brave. She felt the coward in every sense of the word.

Logically, she knew that Jean was with Scott and therefore held no legitimate claim to Logan, but for two years she had witnessed their amorous flirtation. Not to mention that Jean was practically in heat for him despite her feelings for Scott. Logan may be letting go of his attraction for Jean, but hers for him was still alive and well. No one could miss the way Jean primped when she was anywhere near him.

In her loft weeks ago after dumping him in the pool, Ororo was finally ready to give into her long held feelings for the resident feral. Reasoning that the too easily enflamed passion between them was a good sign that maybe he could be over Jean and ready to move on. That really didn't matter, she loved Jean like a sister and didn't want to do anything to harm that. Then again there was Scott who was stuck in the proverbial middle. He didn't deserve the callous treatment of having a relationship weighted heavily on one side. His commitment to Jean was complete, hers to him, not so much. Yet Ororo could not judge nor condemn. What she could do was keep her distance and let them all sort out the mess they were in and be there for all of them once it was done.

If that meant living with a broken heart and loneliness, then she would be the fool who lost, for the sake of those she loved.

"Uuuggghhh!" she couldn't take it anymore! It was as though she was caged and had to be released. She reached for the short satin robe at the end of her bed, donning it as she left her room on quiet feet heading downstairs for a drink of water.

Unlike the mansion the boathouse had a secluded kind of quiet. Being near the lake all types of wildlife could be heard at night as well as the abundant frogs and crickets.

Ororo had come to lean against the frame of the open back door, at last letting the peaceful sounds of the lake and its population lull her back into an acceptable calm.

"Thank you goddess." she breathed, as she turned to head back to her temporary bedroom and hopefully a little sleep.

Entering the upstairs hallway she spotted something dart into Logan's bedroom, as he had gotten into the habit of leaving his door half open. Ororo had no idea as to whether or not one of the woods creatures had made its way back into the house as they had before her and Logan's arrival.

Cautiously she made her way to the open door, not wanting to alarm Logan or his claws. Nor whatever had scurried in.

With the bedroom now furnished, the bed was no longer just haphazardly thrust into the middle of the floor, but further in near the western walls windows.

"Logan?" she whispered coming to stand at the foot of the bed, but seeing no sign of anything live in the room but him. Her eyes scanned the room briefly, till she heard him moan in his sleep.

An empty liquor bottle sat on the table next to his queen sized bed. She thought it a little ironic that he had the queen sized bed as though he waited for a woman to come join him and she had the king sized bed as if waiting on a man to join her. She could tell it was late she was thinking such nonsense things as that.

It must have been her imagination working overtime, as she could find nothing in his room.

Knowing she should leave, her feet moved her to the side of the bed he lay closest to.

He lay on his back with a sheet pulled up to his waist. From what she could see he slept the same as her, in the buff. If the moonlights glow upon him indicated correctly.

She shouldn't be there, she really needed to go.

Of its own accord her hand reached out to smooth the locks of hair over his eyes from his brow. He moaned louder.

Ororo jerked away startled and turned to run. She stopped.

Why was her body turning back around?! Was she insane, as she leaned perilously close to him and whispered, "I'm sorry Logan...I really am."

Like a mother tucking in a child, she kissed his forehead, finally resigned to return to her lonesome cell.

Logan's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist as she turned to go.

Surprised eyes looked down into molten silver. She felt paralyzed. She had been caught.

Neither one said anything. Their eyes left once again to do the communicating for them.

Ororo's heart was beating out of her chest, her breath was gone. Laying there in the moonlight he was beautiful. All of her calm was gone. In its place was the ache again.

Logan was afraid to let her wrist go. He had heard her fitful tossing, her going downstairs and her return. He knew the instant she entered his room and prayed he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't frighten her away by letting her know that he was awake. When she caressed his brow and said she was sorry, he had almost cried out, but only a moan had escaped. Knowing she had decided to leave, he had to try one more time. Reaching out to grasp her to stay was his last hope. He would not ruin it with more words.

*Please don't leave!*

*Please don't let go!*

A slight pull and she fell upon the bed. His eyes begged hers for the answer that all uncertainty was gone. He was afraid to wait for the answer. Strong arms enfolded her as she sat beside him.

Her breath fanned his neck, as her hand reached up to stroke his plentiful head of hair. It was soft as down.

He was lost. His lips started a trail from her ear to the sweet spot at the juncture of her shoulder.

She didn't stand a chance. In surrender, one hand happily swept over his back, while the other explored the six pack she had secretly longed to touch since first seeing him minus his shirt.

Somewhere during their discovery of one another their hungry mouths met as they had in the past. Logan would never get enough of her lips on his. Ororo had the softest, sweetest lips he had ever tasted. Sipping the finest wine could not compare to one taste from her delightful mouth. Parting their lips to delve inside, seeking the most intimate sample from one another.

They savored each other, relishing the pleasure their entwining tongues produced.

Logan needed more of her. He stood from the bed, unashamedly letting the sheet fall exposing all there was of himself. Ororo trembled a little as he pulled her up to stand before him.

With an admiring gasp, she unabashedly took her time in letting her eyes survey Logan's truly masculine form. She was right in thinking he was powerful. Her eyes held fast to his manhood, the likes of which she had never seen. No wonder he was so self confident and ahem...cocky. He was flawless.

Logan watched her observe him. Never taking his eyes from her. She had her turn now it was his. He unfastened the tie at her waist till it fell free. With deliberate slowness he place his hands on her shoulders under the fabric, running them down her arms until the robe lay waste at her feet.

There wasn't a word in any language to express what he saw in the person of Ororo Munroe.

More than generous perfectly rounded breasts sat high above her ribs. A flat toned abdomen was defined by a tiny waist that led to the most curvaceous hips he had ever seen. Her pubic area was smooth as she kept just a landing strip of it natural soft white curls. Logan arched one brow with his patent lopsided smirk. He was enthralled. He knew he didn't deserve her, this earthbound goddess, but he'd be damned if he would was stupid enough to walk away.

Logan took her hand and led her back to the bed, lowering her down as though she were made of the finest china.

He sat on the side of the bed this time, as his heated gaze perused her from head to toe. Logan lifted her heavy braid, removed the band at the end and loosened her glorious hair.

Ororo inhaled sharp as he trailed the back of his hand from the hollow of her chin to underneath, down her throat and between the valley of her breasts. He continued past her taut stomach, circling her belly button to sway side to side just above her white strip of curls.

The last bit of his restraint crumbled as he heard her moan and saw her her back arch up from the bed.

Logan kissed, sucked and nipped her lips as he positioned himself over her.

Ororo returned his mouths worship with equal fervor.

All thought save feeling left them. Logan's large hand slid up her side to cup her breast, he rolled its nipple between two fingers as he kneaded the silky skin in his palm.

"Mmmmmmmhhmmmmm...Logan." she sighed.

He reacted as a starving baby. A low rumbling growl emanated from him as his mouth worked magic on her from her lips to her throat, before latching on to a generous tit sucking her nipple to stand hard at attention.

"Ooooohhh...god...dess, it feels..." she panted, unable to finish the words.

Going to the other breast licking and nipping his way, Logan tilted his face upward to her with a voice thick with passion he said, "No darlin, it's me, but pray to me all ya want cause I ain't done worshippin' ya."

He went lower on her body licking and nipping as much of her flesh as he could on his journey south. Still his hands played at her tits. When he reached the center of her pleasure he tightly wrapped both arms under and around her thighs, knowing his intent.

"Loooogggaaaaannn." she screamed, with a moan, as his fantastic mouth attached to her clit. If not for the strength he used to hold her, her backs bowed arching would have separated him from his feast. He wasn't letting go, he had just sat down to this table and he was nowhere near satisfied.

Logan used both hands still wrapped around her thighs, to separate her vaginal lips to lick deeper into her pussy with his tongue, while he manipulated her clit with his thumb.

Ororo was coming apart. Her moans and mewls at a fever pitch. Damn, the man knew what he was doing!

No matter how deep he licked or how eagerly his mouth lapped her wetness, it was not enough. Her sweetness was quickly addicting. Logan felt her legs start to quiver and her stomach tighten. Not much longer and she would be in bliss. He licked and suckled harder as she exploded, clutching his hair, as she soared higher, calling his name over and over again.

Coming down from her shattering climax, Ororo needed to share with him what he had given her. With as much grace as her shakey body could afford,
she prompted Logan to lay back across the bed.

Her enjoyment of his body was just as painstaking as his was of her. Kissing him she immediately tasted the aftermath of her mind blowing release. Though she could drink from his lips forever, there was still so much more of him she hadn't come to know. Ororo lavished kisses on muscle after muscle, while her hands became familiar with every inch of him she could reach.

She could physically feel his temperature rise and heartbeat increase, as she liberally discovered the perfection that was Logan.

Unlike her, his sounds of pleasure were more guttural and deep. At times even sounding like purrs and growls. It spurred her on in her quest to please him.

Ororo let her hand play at his happy trail and felt his stomach quake, while he sucked in air on a hiss between clenched teeth. Not wanting to tease him, but give him the same as he had given her, she slid her hand along the length of his enormous penis. She ran her thumb over the head and watched when his breathing became shallow, when she circled it with its own wetness. With hungry eyes she lowered her head, parting her lips to lick him, following the same motion as her thumb. She took him into her mouth opening widely to accomodate its amazing girth.

"Damn...fuck...Ro..." he growled, as his hips rose up to meet her incredible oral manipulation on his cock. She had taken him in to where he felt what he was sure was the back of her throat until she slowly released him, using her tongue swirling around him on the way out of her mouth. No dream he ever had of her could compare to the reality of having her as he did now.

Logan's heightened response drove Ororo to eagerly move her marvelous mouth on him more energetically. He wrapped his hands in her hair, riding the waves of ecstasy she was giving him. No one had ever given him what she so freely was. As much as he would have liked to climax with her wondrous lips around him, he needed to be joined with her the way he had desired for so long.

"Ro...darlin..." finding it hard to speak, "I need ya...aaahhhhh...I want...ya...to much." he growled holding her head back, grasping her hair.

Sky blue eyes met his with a wicked lust filled grin.

Taking her by the shoulders, he easily flipped her onto her back, positioning himself between her legs. Both looked into the others clouded eyes, as his cock felt her warmth as if by radar, unassisted.

"I don't want ta hurt ya darlin...,but I gotta have ya."

"I'm not afraid Logan." that said she raised her hips to meet the head of his engorged cock.

Damn the man was huge. Maybe she had spoken too soon. No matter it was too late. Logan took both of her hips in his hands as he pushed himself into her tight pussy with prolonged ecstatic slowness. As he met her vaginal lips to his hilt, he almost came undone. Fuck! Being inside her he was once again at a loss for words. He found himself sheathed in the most amazing hot liquid silk, he had ever felt. And damn, she was almost unbearably tight.

"Fuck...baby...ya feel so god...damn good!" he growled.

No words passed her lips, just the steady rise and fall of her tits in deep breaths.

"Damn darlin..." he barely vocalized, fear of his hurting her taking over, "are ya okay baby...Ro...talk ta me darlin?!" he was near panic.

Slowly opening her eyes, Ororo moved her hips upward, sliding her wet walls on his sensitive dick, as a lustful smile gave way to a deep inhaled hiss from her lips.

"Make love to me Logan," she said as she undulated beneath him, "I need you to...uuummmhhmmm...make me know this is real...aaahhhh."

Overcome with emotion that jarred Logan to his core, he leaned in to capture her tasty mouth in a scorching kiss they both felt to the depths of their joined centers. They were lost. Loud grunts, growls and groans spurred them on in their mating dance that grew only more wild and untamed with each thrust of their hips.

The wind howled outside the boathouse, as trees swayed with the rhythmic dance of the weather goddesses throes of passion.

"Fuck...Ro...can't get...enough..."

"Lo...gan...take me...don't hold...aaahhhhh...feels so right...back." she cried, letting her hands grab onto his forward plunging ass.

He had to have all of her, she had to feel all of him. Greedily, more of the other became their goal.

Logan sat back on his haunches, pulling Ororo up to straddle his muscled thighs. Her legs spread wide to the side, he leaned in to suckle each nipple ravenously, as she held his head to her breasts, lost in their building fire.

Wind no longer alone blew against the house, but pelting rain soaked the earth, trees and house.

"Logan...Logan...Logan." she moaned over and over, as her center started the undeniable clenching of her oncoming orgasm.

Feeling his manhood being milked in Ororo's velvet vise, Logan threw his head back and roared, "Ro...!" as he ground her hips down onto himself, as they both rocketed over the edge of lucid thought, falling headlong into the most earth shattering climax either had ever experienced.

Logan positioned them on their sides facing one another, not relinquishing his hold on her. They stared into each others eyes trying to calm their breathing. Even after touching one another so intimately, their hands refused to be idle, still seeking contact from the other

Logan noticed the water welling in her eyes before it spilled over. Stroking snow colored hair, while she gently trembled, he softly whispered to her, "I know darlin...I know...me too."

Stealthily, the four legged intruder crept out from under the bed, crawling with its belly low to the floor, headed for the door, making a mad dash for the stairs.

Mofo skidded to a halt at the large living room fireplace, peeking at the stairs more than a few times, before settling down for the second time that night.

'Maybe if I squeeze my eyes shut real tight I won't wake up. This dream is too good to let go. Please goddess let me go back to sleep.' Ororo kept thinking, as she knew a new day had dawned bringing with it the harsh reality of facing another day of loneliness and chasing off the best dream she had ever had.

The new bed, in which she slept contributing nothing of welcome familiarity, couldn't stave off her desire to bury herself under the covers and never come out. Damn, life sucked sometimes! Really not wanting to leave her dreamlands sanctuary of bliss, Ororo arched her back, extending her languid limbs, before opening her eyes, as a fantasy fulfilled sexy sigh elicited her lips.

"Perfect."

"Huhn...what..." she exclaimed, looking to the sound of the one spoken word.

"Logan!"

"Yeah, darlin." he drawled. "There damn sure isn't anybody else putting the smile on yer face and causing the satisfied moans to come from your lips." He really couldn't help the smile upon his own face or the lustful once or twice or three times over he was giving her partially covered body.

"What...Logan this was real," she stammered, "how long have you been awake?" she asked, as she tried to pull the sheet up to her shoulders.

"Uh uh." Logan's hand stopped her progress in trying to cover what he had been enjoying viewing. "Ya know I don't sleep much Ro. Been awake nearly an hour and as for this being real...all ya have ta do is try ta stand up and walk across the floor."

Deciding to call him on his cocky game, as memory of last night started to come back, in body blushing clarity, Ororo reached out to touch his downy soft hair, her voice turning more sultry than normal, "And who says I want to get out of bed just yet?", she said, looking him straight in the eyes.

Logan was hard in an instant. "Darlin, I don't know if ya know what yer playing with. This healing factor can be hell on a woman, especially after four times, the last time being in the shower. He'd be damned if he couldn't be around her and not want her, as he did now already.

"Logan that would mean we...all night...we couldn't have...I mean I feel like I slept for at least five hours...I feel fine...er ah...ooooooh, will you please stop that infernal smirking?"

"Why?"

"Because it's really disconcerting...and arrogant...and petty...and sexy as Hellll!"

Logan was beaming.

Enflamed as they had been just a few hours prior, they both leaned in to take the others mouth with their own in an all encompassing kiss that could not end just there.

With a swift yank, Logan pulled the sheet from her and tossed it onto the floor. His hand sought out and found the now familiar breasts that had become his new fascination. Soon his hot mouth captured one nipple, licking round and round till pulling it into his hungry mouth, releasing it only to lave and gently nip the entire globe.

Ororo slid her hands up her torso to the underside of her heaving breasts in offering to Logan's erotic ministrations. Uninhibited sexuality, was just one of the new things he had learned about this fascinating goddess. She gave as good as she got and wasn't shy about being a vocal participant or allowing him free exploration of her luscious body. Simply put, Ororo Munroe was the sexiest woman he had ever met.

Logan let out a rumbling growl. "Damn Ro, do ya have any idea how sexy ya are? I can't get enough of ya darlin. Yer so fucking...hot." His hand traveled down her body seeking her velvety warmth, where he found her wet and ready for him. He couldn't stop himself if he tried. He inserted two large fingers into her tight pussy, stroking in and out, letting his thumb circle her hard clit as he did. "Say ya want me, tell me darlin...I need ta hear ya say ya want me Ro."

Ororo was lost in an inferno of heat. Damn, the man was turning her into a sex starved maniac. She was writhing with his hands manipulations so much she could hardly find her voice. Pants and groans about the best she could manage.

"Talk ta me baby, let me hear ya voice darlin."

"Logan...you're mak...ing me feel...ummmm...so good...I can't..."

"Do ya want me ta stop darlin?" he said, with his lopsided smirk, as he started to remove his hand.

"Nooo!" she yelled. "I want you to...touch me Logan. Ummmm, oh god...I want you inside me." she spoke with a shakey voice deep with longing, barely recognizable to her own ears. She was practically begging him, damn it.

She'd show him, reaching her hand out to slide down his rock hard abs, she went lower still till she felt his steel hard cock. Unable to stop the desire to feel such power in her hands, she tightened her hand on him and stroked his entire shaft, while her other hand found and fondled his scrotum.

That did it! With a growl torn from the depths of his being, Logan gripped her waist and turned her onto her back, quickly snatching her legs apart, he plunged deep into her slickness.

"Rrrrrrrrr, fuuuucccckkkkk!" he screamed.

Buried inside her he held himself there, savoring the feel of her on his hard throbbing dick. After seemingly and eternity, he began to rock back and forth, with excruitiating, tortuous pleasure. No woman had a right to feel this right or good to a man. He gave no thought to anything save being inside this incredible woman and the sensation she was making him experience.

"Not...enough," he panted, "never...get enough." He was pumping rapidly into her and still couldn't find purchase to have her as he needed. "So tight...darlin..."

Ororo was coming apart as she could feel the unbelievable heat building. Almost unable to breathe she cried out, "Ooh goddess...you're so big, Logan...god help me, hard...er!" She shattered.

Their lovemaking and his desire for her drawing out the other side of himself.

He was no longer just flesh and blood, but the embodiment of all senses. The smell of their frenzied coupling and the intense feeling of his cock sliding in and out of her convulsing heat, along with the erotic moans from her throat called forth the Wolverine. Demanding his part in this carnal act, quickly he flipped Ororo to her side, straddling her leg on the mattress, while on his knees and pulled the other to his shoulder, pumping into her pussy in a double scissor position. With one hand he kneaded both of her tits, grasping harder than he had before, but not causing her any pain. His other hand squeezed and rubbed her marvelous ass.

The thunderstorm raging outside never gained their concern. Nothing mattered except the flames they were stoking.

"Oooohh god...yesss," Ororo chanted, her hands seeking all of him at once, "don't stop...please...don't stop..."

He wasn't. At a fever pitch for mindless minutes, his penis unerringly with commanding stamina, stroked in and out of it's new home.

The limbs of the trees slapped the house in the gusting wind and pouring rain. Still they mated uncaring of the weather. They were insatiable in their passion.

"So fucking good...aaaahhhh...I...want more...tell me..."

"Take me...Wolverine...take me...I'm want you...god yes...I want you." She rotated her hips against his thrusts and impossibly he thrust faster and harder.

Downstairs Mofo howled.

In his mind one word kept coming to the forefront, Mine. It was a mantra he felt from deep within his soul. Yet, he couldn't give it voice. Still it didn't diminish it from being so.

Pleasure had become more than either could bear. Their moans and labored breathing filled the room and threatened to overshadow the storm.

With the last of their combined strength, both of them screamed out the others name, as simultaneously they erupted. Logan falling to his arms over her shoulder, his canine teeth seeking her sweet spot once again and biting deep.

The two of them collapsing in an entangled heap.

Minutes passed before logan felt sure enough to use his voice, "Too long Ro. I have waited for ya, for too long. Perfect." he said, his breath fanning her ear.

All she could do was caress his neck. Her response time being much slower than his healing factor. Regardless of that, he was amazing. 'The best there was at what he did.' Suddenly she found herself jealous of all those who had come before her and ironically a little thankful.

Even after being a lump of nothing but erotic emotions a tickling sensation started in the front of Ororo's mind. Knowing the familiar psychic nudge from Jean, she quickly threw up her blocks. Not now, she couldn't be a part of this intimate time with Logan.

Ororo disentangled herself from Logan.

He could smell the change in her.

"Tell me Ro, talk ta me baby."

After what they had shared, she wasn't about to clamp down on the communication between them. Without hesitation she spoke, "Jean." Lightly she touched her temple.

"I felt her too, off and on throughout the night." he replied honestly. Taking her hand and placing it over his heart he said, "She has no place here, or here." he finished placing their joined hands on the bed. "Believe me Ro."

Looking into his sincere steel eyes, still too uncertain for speech she shook her head slowly in the affirmative.

"Good now we could use another shower." he wiggled his brows at her.

All too swiftly she placed her feet on the floor and tried to take a step, only to find her legs were useless.

He was by her side in an instant, holding her up before she could hit the floor. "Heh heh, sorry darlin." he said, with a shy grin. Truthfully he was pretty pleased with himself.

Shooing his hands away Ororo stood upright, taking baby steps as though learning to walk. "You take a shower. I'm taking a nice long bath...alone!"

He watched her bowlegged, slow progress out of his room, opening his mouth to speak.

"And don't you dare say one word!" she said, without looking back.

He opened his mouth again, "..."

"I mean it Logan, shut up!" also never a glance back.

Once she was inside her room with the door shut, Logan's head tilted back as uncontrolable laughter burst from his gut.

Immediately, thunder shook the house.

He laughed harder, heading downstairs to take a shower.


Ororo started downstairs feeling completely sated, something she couldn't quite remember ever being. Her bath had been an hour long, needing to reheat the tepid water twice. Not that she was affected by the temperature, but the hot water had probably helped her legs regain most of their strength. Blast the man, he had left her walking funny! Blissfully so. Due to the most infuriating man on the planet, she was happy.

She knew she had taken an unusually long time with her toilette, but it was Saturday and rightfully they were off duty from their labors. They had been working weekends only to get the job done to get away from each other that much faster. After a night and morning of being thoroughly ravished, some time off didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Entering the kitchen Ororo's heart sank. Standing breast to Logan's bare arm with her hand on his shoulder was Jean.

He was barefoot and shirtless, wearing only his jeans, that hung low on his hips as he wore no belt and the snap he had left undone. His abundant hair was still wet from his shower.

Sensing her presence, Jean looked up with wide eyes before taking a step back.

She felt like she had walked in on something private.

"Ah...good morning Ro." Jean stuttered. "I was just...waiting on you, the ah...fabric you ordered came in and I couldn't wait to get it to you..."

Ororo cut her off curtly, "Good morning Jean. I wasn't aware that anyone besides Scott was acting as Liaison between us." she said, gesturing to Logan and herself.

"Oh, I'm sure the professor won't mind my stopping in to see you this once." Timidly she stepped forward to embrace Ororo in a weak hug.

For the first time Logan turned to face her, a scowl disappearing from his handsome face. "I told Jean she needn't bothered with that," he pointed to a box next to the door, "we knew Cyclops was bringing it."

Jean was practically staring daggers at him, albeit she was trying to do it subtly, it wasn't working.

Ororo was in no mood to play games. "Is that why I felt you nudge me this morning Jean?"

Jean turned splotchy red, she hung her head to hide the heat she felt. Feeling once again composed she said, "Oh, I ahh...thought you would be as excited as I was to finally have this order in." she lied, badly.

"Thank you Jean, you're so considerate, but really I could have waited for Scott to bring it out and you did try to reach me very early this morning, you shouldn't have really. But you are very thoughtful. Not many would be willing to break Charles' express wishes that we not be disturbed by anyone."

"I guess I should be going before I'm missed, but I just couldn't stay away."

Realizing there would be no response from Ro, Logan spoke up, "Yeah, would hate for ya ta be the next exile. I'll see ya out." He led her to the backdoor and held it open for her.

Jean nervously looked over her shoulder making it apparent she wasn't ready to leave.

Ororo waved goodbye to her as she left.

Logan came to stand in front of her, unsure as to what she was thinking, yet knowing she was upset. "Ro."

Ororo put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. Pulling apart she said, "I don't want to confuse what happened with us Logan, so if it was nothing more than two people reaching out to one another, please tell me. I will survive and I will know where we stand. Just know my heart would not have allowed me to be with you if I did not trust you." As my mind will not allow me to be so foolish with Jean, knowing what I do, she thought, leaving it unsaid.

With a gentle hand he reached out to touch the mark his bite had left upon her, softly stroking it with his thumb. His mind still reeling with the knowledge of what he had done. He couldn't tell her just yet all that he felt for her, but he could relieve any doubts she may have as to what he clearly wanted. "Ya weren't a piece of ass ta me Ro. I told ya already I want ya, no confusion about that darlin and if yer willing I'd like ta get the chance ta know if ya could want me too. Ya have no idea who and what ya are ta me."

She cradled his strong jaw in her hand. "I think you are aware that I am willing," she said, with a wicked twinkle in her eyes, "now is that your usual put hair on your chest coffee, or is it fit for human consumption.?" nodding her head in the direction of the coffeemaker, walking over to it.

Logan stood amazed. He'd be damned if he would let his usual equation be true with her. He couldn't let her go, he couldn't lose her.

"Ro did ya see where my left shoe landed?" Logan asked, as he went about the kitchen straightening overturned chairs and setting the table back in place, while fastening his pants, tucking in his t-shirt and running a hand through his already disheveled hair.

After a week of barely being able to look at one another without it ending in a furious sex crazed romp, Ororo had learned not to wear so much clothing, especially nothing she really wanted to keep in one piece, and had decided that going barefoot was the best way to alleviate bothersome hindrances to their varied and many conjoined activities. Thus the extremely short booty shorts and her cropped two sizes too small tee, which were responsible for their latest romp. "Logan if I remember correctly we were both a little too occupied to care about our clothing," she answered him as she tried to make sense of the tangled mess of hair on her own head. "Besides I'm all dressed, it's not my fault you take more time dressing than Jubilee and Kitty." she tossed over her should at him, flashing him a copy of his infamous smirk, with a wink.

Logan stopped all of his current actions in trying to correct the damage they had done to the kitchen and pulled a chair out from the table and sat down, stretching his legs out, crossing his ankles and lacing his fingers behind his head. "Okay darlin," a dark gleam shown in his eyes that she had become all too familiar with its meaning over the last week as he drank in the sight of her from head to toe, "let's just let Scooter walk in here in a few minutes and see what he comes up with."

Seeing the hungry look in his eyes and knowing where it would lead if she didn't act fast and looking at the condition of the room she threw her hands up. "Fine, I think it landed somewhere near the back door." she said, as she headed to the door to look, but not faster than he could reach out and grab her around the waist pulling her onto his lap. Without thought his lips found hers in an already heated slide, while his hands found and molded the chocolate kissed mounds under her way too tiny shirt.

Someone had to be sensible and something told her it wasn't going to be Logan...he could care less and if he kept kissing her the way he was she wouldn't either. Reluctantly she broke the mind numbing caress. "Logan..." oh shit, come on Ororo think... "we really don't have time for this again,...healing factor or not Scott is on his way, possibly already outside." She finally managed to say, around his nibbling on her kiss swollen lips and down her neck.

"Then I suggest ya give me my shoe woman and I won't tell Scooter how ya just finished havin' yer way with me."

"You wouldn't dare."

Answer, one dark raised brow.

"You really are insufferable, you know that," she said, wiggling from his lap and once again starting for the door and his haphazardly tossed Doc Marten.

"Yep, I sure do," he said, as he laced his fingers behind his head again and smiled. All the while willing 'little Big Logan' down after that heated lip lock and her unintentional salacious wiggle from his lap.

The sound of tires on gravel met their ears.

"Damn it."

Logan grinned at the rare profanity from her.

Unbearably beautiful blue eyes shot him a pleading look just as a car door shut and Scott was heard calling out for her.

A heavy exhale and quick up jerk of his head was his response to her silent plea.

Not willing to wait around for him to change his mind and not having enough time before Scott possibly entered into the sceneof their deeds, Ororo's bare feet swiftly carried her to the front door and out onto the porch.

Scott was just making his way to the bottom step when Storm came rushing out to meet him. "Hey, is there a fire inside, what's got you in such a rush?" he asked playfully.

"Nope no fire, Wolverine hasn't been cooking, I'm just glad for an excuse to come out into the fresh air." she thought of the quick lame reply.

"Yeah, god save us all from meat intestinal blockage diets and beer induced flatulence polluting the atmosphere." Scott joked. "I brought someone along with me today who has been dying to see you. Figured I'd eliminate the middle man messaging and let you two hear it from the horses mouth, so to speak."

Looking out into the drive, sitting in the passenger seat was Jean.

Ororo painted a thin smile on her face. Jean waved to her before stepping out of the car onto the walkway.

Jeans eyes took in Ro's attire and tussled hair, squinting tight when she noticed her unusually puffy lips. The embrace they shared was barely different than their last nearly a week ago.

"Really is that all you two have to show each other after weeks of living apart and a week of non-stop ranting about how much you soooo missed Storm." Scott teased Jean, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders.

Years of familitarity found the two women simultaneously crossing their arms under their breasts and leveling him with similar glares. Scott was getting the feeling that something was way off and he hadn't gotten the memo.

"It's a girl thing honey, one set of ears too many for us to go all girly right now." Jean supplied.

Ro remained conspicuously quiet.

"I can take a hint," said Scott and as much as it pained him he asked, "where's Logan?"

"Right here," came Logan's deep rumble, as he appeared at the screen door making Ororo and Jean audibly gasp. Now clad in only his jeans, which hung low and partially undone on his hips, his naked broad sculptured chest easily filled the door frame. The man was incredibly sexy, as their reactions had born witness. A cold beer dangled from one of his hands. It was nine in the morning after all.

Not having missed the girls response to his presence, Scotts face immediately became sour.

"You're kidding me right Logan, it isn't quite decent to parade around like that in front of ladies," Scott huffed, more bothered by the gasps of appreciation from the women than the beer in his hand.

Logan stepped out onto the porch and much to Ororo's subtly hidden chagrin he was still barefoot.

"And would it hurt you to fasten your pants and wear shoes like any civilized human being." Scott continued.

"Ro aint wearing any, and as fer civilized, in case ya aint looked around bub, we're in the middle of the damn woods. Besides I was pretty occupied before ya showed up." Logan leered Storms way, totally not looking at Jean, who hadn't missed the leer and was silently fuming, as he said, "mornin' Red."

Ororo was ready to kill him, but chose to outwardly ignore his comment as she couldn't help but breathe deeper to control her desire to fry his ass.

Green eyes honed in on both Ororo's and Logan's appearance and noticed the hidden, though Ro tried to keep it that way, sensual tension between the two of them.

Jean quickly spoke up quelling what she knew was Scotts quick temper in defense of his family, particularly her and Ororo, "It's alright Scott, I find both Logan's and Ororo's loose common comfort to be rather quaint and back to nature, given their long confinement away from the mansion with its standards and luxuries after all. It's to be expected that they would both revert to their known perceptions of decency."

'Loose,...common'...Ororo seethed as she bit the inside of her cheeks to keep from verbally and physically bitch slapping Jean for her undisguised uppity, highhanded, putdown. She ached to show Jean just how totally natural she could be. Her anger winning out over the hurt that Jeans words had caused.

"Wouldn't call it common, but relaxed," Logan spoke up, "there's nothing like being surrounded by nature ta bring about one's true inner peace and help shed the weight and stench of society and its unnatural demands. The existential benefits of this adapted life has a very pronounced effect upon ones life expectancy, thus rendering the rigidity of said common norms ta therefore be unacceptable and Ro's and my time away from said norms ta not be penal, but freedom in one of its basest forms. And Red, there never has, is, or will be anything loose or common about Ro,...that's my department."

Three heads swiveled on their necks, with their mouths agape and brows raised.

Ro's with a slight twinkle in her eyes and upward turn to one corner of her mouth in pride at Logan's intellectual defense of her, that worked to render Scott and Jean speechless.

"What...never said I was dumb just cause I choose ta talk a little different, pull yer heads out of yer asses and stop subjecting yerselves ta societal ignorance and arrogance." Logan further floored the pair.

For the first time Scott seemed to take notice of Ororo's skimpily, sexy attire as well as Logan's lack thereof. Jean's unusual cutting comment not escaping his attention either.

"Oooookay," Scott intoned, "about the time frame you guys have set for the completion of the renovations, you have set the bar fairly high for yourselves and the professor couldn't be more pleased with the way things are working out. Care to give me a tour with an update of your further plans, while the ladies have a time to visit:" he asked Logan.

Logan saw Ororo flinch, knowing she was thinking of what the kitchen possibly looked like, "Sure bub, let's start with the kitchen." Logan grinned positively wickedly.

Scott leaned forward to kiss Jean on the cheek, whispering in her ear, "We're never telling anyone what we heard him say here today."

With the men inside, the tension between the ladies was palpable. All pretense gone to the wealth of animosity they were both feeling, one towards the other.

"Look..." they both spoke up at the same time, saying the same thing.

"You first," said Jean, trying her best to calm the wellspring of emotions somersaulting inside her. This was Ororo after all despite her insecurities someone she loved. That being so she immediately regretted letting her jealousy get the better of her.

"I know you aren't pleased with me right now, but that doesn't change the fact that I love you and would never set out to do anything to intentionally hurt you. Logan and I have..."

"Have what?" Jean interjected, almost screeching, unable to reign in the anger she was feeling towards the change in status to Ororo's and Logan's relationship. "You are admitting that there is a Logan and you now!?"

"Jean please, you're acting as though I have gone behind your back and stolen your boyfriend, whom last I checked was Scott, my brother, who I thought we both love dearly."

"Don't go there Storm, yes I love Scott with all my heart, but he has not placed a ring on my finger so I don't have to be completely oblivious when it comes to attention from another man."

"It would seem that someone is in need of a heart transplant if their own is so jaded. Is that how you would feel if the shoe were on the other foot and another woman was showing interest in Scott?"

"Don't be absurd, Scott would never..."

"Exactly, but you would." Ororo said crossing her arms over her chest tighter, making it seem even larger to Jean, as she stared her directly in the eye.

"It has been no secret that Logan has feelings for me. I just don't want you to get hurt because you are the closest woman around for him to give his attention to due to your...confinement. Of course it's only natural that a man and woman left alone would eventually turn to one another out of...need.

"You're absolutely right Jean, it was no secret what was going on between you and Logan and you need not concern yourself over my getting hurt, I'm a big girl, who by the way handles her feelings extremely well," Ororo couldn't help but think she was doing a good job right then, considering she wanted to slap the hell out of Jean. "Whatever circumstance has brought Logan and I together has nothing to do with you and in all fairness, instead of concentrating on the two of us, you should be considerate enough to be respectful to your own relationship with my brother, who by the way happens to love you very much."

"I don't need you to tell me who loves me, I have fended off Logan's advances long enough to know that anything you may be trying to build with him will only end in disaster, as you can't help but realize that you are not his first choice, but a temporary option."

Ororo smiled at Jean's chosen words, remembering the ones Logan had said to her weeks ago. Anger with Jean melted away in light of the understanding Jeans need to be acknowledged by the men around her, Ororo just wasn't sure what the catalyst of her insecurity was. Suddenly she wanted to reach out and hug Jean till all their pain was gone.

"Jean this is ridiculous..."

"What is ridiculous?" asked Scott, as he and Logan once again stepped out onto the porch, joining a flustered Jean and a saddened Ororo.

Once again it was Jean who quickly spoke up, "Storm and I can't decide on the shade of carpet for the living room since Logan has chosen to leave it up to her and she knows that anything he throws at her is because if he had to give it a 'second' thought he'll just pick any old thing. Just like a guy to settle instead of making the best choice, isn't it Logan?" Jean tried to stare him in the eyes, with her meaning, but flinched away under the weight of his glare.

"I think me and Ro have done a good job deciding what is best so far...in all things Red. Tell Chuck I'll see him tomorrow Cyke," and with that he turned and went back inside.

"Sorry to cut your visit Jean, but we need to head back, the professor called and needs to meet with me and Hank pronto." Scott was no idiot and could feel the emotion flowing between the two powerful women and knew it was time to go. And knowing them as well as he did, he had spotted the lie from Jean as well as her jealousy and Storms hurt and simmering anger.

"We'll finish this later Storm," Jean crooned, leaning to her in the same weak hug as before.

"Hmmm," was Ororo's only reply.

Ororo stayed on the porch watching as Scott and Jean drove away, a feeling of melancholy starting to overtake her. Never in her life had she fought over a man, but never had she had what she was discovering with Logan either. The last week he had proven himself to be a constant surprise to her. More loving, gentle, kind and affectionate that she had ever presumed him to be. And damn the man was an awesome lover. Yes he was proving himself definitely worth fighting for and as long as he wanted her the war was officially on.


Mofo ran ahead of them as they came to the clearing at the lakes north shore.

They walked along with his arm over her shoulder, hers around his waist, quietly enjoying the evening beauty as the sun had set and the stars began to shine. The moon overhead now cast their path in luminous light that showed the activities of the lakes nocturnal creatures.

Logan had spoken truthfully earlier when he said this place made one relaxed and peaceful. The strong arm about her definitely helped make it so also.

The mornings conversation and confrontation with Jean had only spurred them to turn their upset to energy, in focusing on a great deal of work being accomplished to the boathouse. Once unwanted emotions had burned away their world was right again.

Logan halted their leisurely progress, turning Ororo in his arms to look at her as if suddenly he had an epiphany. Slowly his eyes caressed her hair to her brow, trailing down to cerulean eyes that held the moon in their depth, pausing there lost in their beautiful spell till able to travel on to her wonderful mouth that was slightly parted in question to his actions. Before she could move or utter a sound his mouth claimed hers in a possessive kiss, driving all reason from her already baffled mind. His tongue slid past her lips to taste what he now knew to be the most delicious feast in the world. Together their mouths wreaked havoc on each others senses, as hands began a rapid onslaught on their scant clothing to feel the others flesh hidden beneath. In mere seconds nothing barred the others touch.

His hands found her wet as he cupped her womanhood to rub her sensitive pearl.

Her hands found him rigidly hard as her satin hands stroked his hardened steel.

Wordlessly he lowered her to the ground, his hands continuing their languid exploration of her exquisite form. Never had he seen anything as beautiful, never had he dreamed that having her this way could be true.

"Ro," whispered as if it was a prayer, no other words adequate to follow. Positioning himself inside her silken thighs he entered her deliberately, slowly relishing every second of feeling himself enveloped in her hot sheath.

Trees began to sway, as a warm wind bent their branches.

Ororo could barely stand the unbelievable torture of his filling her so slowly. Her desire spurring her to clench her inner muscles to pull him in faster, as she circled and ground her hips to the hilt of his cock, eliciting the most erotic moan from her as the contact stimulated her clit as well.

"Fuuucckk...damn...Ro," overwhelming emotion and feeling causing him to nearly explode within her already.

"Shhhh,...don't move," she breathed. Grabbing hold of his buttocks, she continued to clench her walls, while circling herself on his cock buried deep within her. She locked her ankles behind his muscular thighs to gain the purchase she needed to fit his enormous penis inside her, working hard to find the ability to squeeze his amazing length and girth.

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

Logan was no longer earthbound. Suddenly she had given him the ability to fly. "God.....damn, darlin, so fuckin'....good." he hardly got out between clenched teeth. Ororo Munroe was beyond anything, heaven or earth had ever made. Here he was unmoving within this phenomenal woman, yet his heart made him focus on the entirety of what he felt for her, centering on his manhood. He needed more of her, even to her very soul.

Lightening streaked across the once clear sky, dancing in a brilliantly beautiful display.

Ororo thought she would shatter at any moment. Still wanting him to know what she felt for him, she continued stroking his penis, while sighing his name over and over again. Goddess the feeling was nearly killing her with its pleasure.

"No one...no one else...ever Ro, mine, mine Mine," he roared, never having moved and never having such a powerful climax, born in his heart, exploding from his loins.

She kept moving on him milking him till the last, she stilled her motions, as she too reached her peak, crying out what she could no longer hold in, "I love you...I love you!" on stolen breath.

The sky opened up drenching them both in it's downpour.

One tear slid down his face, hidden in the rain.

Slowly he made his way to the boathouse, each step feeling as though he was trying to walk through quicksand. His heart was still beating within his chest beyond it having a reason to. Air filled his lungs and escaped through his nostrils, even though he was suffocating.

--6 days earlier--

"Logan I know this is not an easy decision for you, but it is imperative that you are there. This could be the turning point in our fight for mutant rights. Trust me when I say, I know this is an extremely agonizing task that I am asking of you, and I do hate to have to do so my friend, but I must. The lives of mutants everywhere lay in the balance of your decision." Charles sat in his office, across from Logan doing his best to keep eye contact with the torn man.

Logan had heard every word Charles had spoken imploring him to journey to the nations capital to speak before the house on the atrocities he had suffered, which meant reliving all the hurt, humiliation and nightmares he tried so hard to forget. There was a time when all he had was hellish nightmares, now he had his full memory and most of it he wished he had never gotten back. Yet all he could think was that the professor was asking him to leave the one thing he now had that made his life worth living...Ororo. The world be damned it was just too soon to delve back into his past, in an open forum no less, when he had just found his future.

"Look Chuck, I know ya think those government assholes are ready to be objective when it comes ta us, but yer just foolin' yerself. This is nothing but the fuckers grandstanding that they have power ta do with us as they will. And I fer one aint ta keen on the idea of being a side show freak in their plaster circus, jumping through hoops fer governmental bullshit."

Charles breathed deep before exhaling on a long sigh. "Your testimony before congress can be the nail in the coffin for bigotry towards mutants, along with Jeans medical testimony concerning the inhumane treatment many have suffered as well as giving medical corroborating evidence to your statements. I myself will be the final word, after fighting long and hard to gain the respect of many of them, I can not help but be optimistic."

On and on Charles had made his argument for Logan's participation in offering his testimony, while Logan had balked at the true motives behind the open agenda for fair treatment for mutants being just a crock of shit hidden behind an olive branch.

Charles had argued the need for Wolverines presence with himself and Jean so convincingly, that finally with still much trepidation, Logan relented agreeing to leave that very evening. The blackbird departed the mansion with Charles and Jean and a very reluctant Wolverine aboard, just as the skies opened up to torrential rain, unaided by the saddened weather witch, who watched it go. Eerily the elements shadowed what the new couple felt at being parted so soon in their relationship.

--6 days later--

Mofo ran circles around his master, wagging his tail and panting, happy to have him home again.

Unlike his canine friend, Logan could not display the same happiness upon his return to the woman he had left behind. Their time apart had been fraught with everything he had been afraid of. It felt strange to think of the fearless Wolverine as being scared of something, but facing the house committee, all strangers, and confessing the past injustices to his person, was truly not something he had on the top of his to do list. The questions posed to him had been hard to answer, but the voluntary opening of his wounds was beyond traumatic. Outwardly no one had the slightest inkling of the distress he was enduring. Inwardly each word from his mouth was hard fought for. If ever he had wished for the shelter of Ororo's arms it was then.

Now all he could do was stand and watch her in the garden she had cultivated, as he entered the neat yard of the boathouse. Damn she was gorgeous. The most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His traitorous lungs still dared to take breath finally halted their intake at the sight of her kneeling in the dirt. What woman could look so beautiful with her hands in dirt and her clothing lightly soiled, with smudges of it on her arms and face. Ororo.

Running around his masters legs to his new mistress, Mofo trotted over to Storm, stamping upon the Sweet William, she so carefully tended.

"Mofo! What...by the goddess, what in the world boy...go. Go on, scoot. What has gotten into you to trample..." she stopped scolding the excited animal and turned her eyes to follow the path he now ran to his master.

"Logan!" She was on her feet in a flash, rushing to him.

He caught her as she leapt into his arms, circling her own around his neck as he held her legs around his waist. Her lips melded to his in what more than felt like a one sided kiss.

Damn!

Pulling away from her lovers mouth she leaned back to study his eyes, as the only word that had transpired between them escaped her lips again, "Logan?"

Her eyes sought his in question, at the lack of response to her happiness at his return home and the aloofness his entire being was screaming at her. Something was terribly wrong. Before he left he couldn't keep his hands off of her, or her him. Now it appeared he would rather be anywhere else but here with her.

Slowly he let her slide down his body to stand on her own feet. His eyes refused to meet hers, as he toed the gravel of the drive.

Unable to stand the obvious pain he must be feeling and wanting to take it away, she gently took his face between her hands and lifted his eyes to hers. "Logan my love, I am here. No matter what you are going through. I'm here for you and I'm not going anywhere."

Pain that she had never seen before was reflected in his eyes, as they looked upon her searching, beseeching, regretfully.

Words refused to utter from his mouth. His hand reached out to stroke her cheek. His arms encircled her in a vise like hug, threatening to weld his body to hers. A strangle choked sound emitted from his tortured soul, "Ro.", no more, no less.

Releasing his arms from what had become his life he sidled past her to walk up the front steps and into the house.

Ororo stood looking at the closed screen door taking shallow breaths.

Mofo sat whining at her side.

Whatever was wrong she would give him time. They had known what he had gone to do would not be easy and she could not press him.

----

Over a week had passed and still things between them were strained. The only communication they shared was concerning the work being done to the boathouse. Logan set to work with a new determination to see it completed, barely sleeping or eating.

Ororo was beyond perplexed. Three times she had almost went to Charles to find out if he knew what had caused Logan's introverted behavior, but she had to remain optimistic that he would come to her when he was ready.

At night her dreams were filled with visions of being wrapped in his brawny arms crying out in blissful release.

His dreams were once again constant nightmares, only not the type that haunted his night season as before.

'His arms were straining to reach the white haired goddess, who ran from his side. Green eyes, red hair and pale skin loomed over his shoulder, fingernails dripping blood from the streaks on his back. A tongue darted out to lick him from throat to ear. Hatred and bitterness covered its face as the figure mentally seized the retreating goddess, starting to scatter her molecules with a wave of her hand."

Logan abruptly sat up in bed calling aloud, "Ro..."

She was at his side before he could sense himself fully awake. "I'm here Logan." she cradle him, rocking with him trying to soothe his hurt.

He couldn't stand it any longer. His dam finally broke with the weight of it all.

As so many times before, his arms wrapped around her holding her for dear life. "I'm...sorry Ro. So goddamned sorry darlin...fer everything." His face was wet with his tears for the first time since he could remember.

"You don't need to feel sorry Logan...you are not to blame for what has been done to you." Her hands busily wiped his tear streaked face. "Never.."

His voice was a whisper as he interrupted her, "Please...darlin...don't"

"Logan I will not let you carry this pain you have shouldered so long by your..."

"Please darlin."

She opened her mouth to speak again, but squinted eyes began to study his face.

"I said don't Ro...

...I slept with jeannie."

If pain was to become a living breathing entity its name would be Ororo Munroe.

Four words, not the three she had longed to hear, had been her demise into the dark chasm of unrelenting torture. Without warrant they replayed over and over again in her mind, 'I slept with Jeannie'.

After hearing those debilitating words four nights ago, her days had been spent going through the motions of living. Who was she kidding, she was literally a zombie; the walking dead, with one major difference, she had the unwanted ability to acutely feel unbearable pain.

Somewhere she had no idea of how to escape from, her very soul had become imprisoned. But with all things in her life she managed to hide behind a facade of tolerable indifference. 'Just make it through another breath, another step, another robotic action to the end of another extended day to an even longer sleepless night was all she could accomplish.

Four days had now passed and if his adamantium covered heart would allow him to slice it into, he would. He had hurt her. Hurt her more than he ever dreamed he could. Dumb ass. He had forgotten the equation. He had let himself accept her into his fucked up life knowing it wouldn't last because of him.

He worked in the boathouse like a madman each day and roamed the surrounding woods at night, sleeping wherever his exhausted body would fall outside under the blanket of stars. He couldn't be near her. He couldn't bear the sound of her tearless strangled sobs coming from her bed. Still he couldn't run. That had been his m.o. for too long. At some point he had to face up to the damage his actions caused. He had just picked a helluva time to do so.

Ororo wouldn't even look at him. She spoke to him only when necessary and the sound of her voice was so detached he didn't even recognize it as her usual warm soul touching caress.

Damn!

What could he say, what could he do to make everythng right. Damn that trip to Washington and damn him for succumbing to Jean's challenge.

---Washington D.C.---

Logan stood staring out at the brilliant lights of the nations capital. For all the beauty of the evening his spirit was heavy with all of the weeks grueling testimony. Wounds he thought healed were opened fresh and raw. He needed Ororo. The professors request that contact with home be suspended to fully concentrate on their task at hand was just another tool tearing him apart. He needed to hear her sultry voice that was a balm to his soul. Yet he didn't want her subjected to the ugliness of his past abuses so even a phone call to her was too much to ask for, so he complied with Charles' wishes.

A light rapping sounded at his door.

Mechanically he made his legs carry him the distance across the room, knowing the subject on the other side before he opened it.

"Yeah."

"Logan do you mind if I come in? I'm having a...a really difficult time tonight...after," Jean stood stammering out the words she seemed to be grasping for.

The trip had proven hard on all three of them, so Logan could more than understand her plight at the moment. Just this afternoon the judicial medical board had all but crucified Jean during her testimony claiming it was fabricated and unfounded. Without his irrefutable proof of mutant experimentation and abuse the case could have been tossed out as a pack of lies.

"It's late Red, and I aint in a sociable mood..."

"I...I, understand it's just," her chin quivered and the tears started to flow.

Oh hell! Logan backed up and allowed her to enter his room.

Jean paused at the small sofa near the window, lightly wringing her hands together. Despite the appearance of tears on her cheeks, Logan got no smell of sadness or despondency from her, but there was an underlying hint of heightened pheromones. Great just what he didn't need, an unwanted, crocodile tear shedding, redhead in heat. His eyes took in her attire of just the hotel robe and slippers. She did smell as if she had doused herself in her favorite perfume, which he hated, causing his nose to crinkle from the effect. His normally keen instincts were dulled due to the events from the week and now he found himself drained and weakened mentally, emotionally and even physically.

The distance separating them proving too much for her intent, Jean seductively closed the space between them, all pretense of tears now gone, as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Logan, I don't think either of us need to be alone tonight. I know this isn't Vegas..., but what goes on here can stay here." she lulled.

"Not interested Jeannie." he said, trying to shoulder past her, but too late, she snagged his wrist and brought his hand to her breast.

He snatched it away.

"I remember a time when you would have given anything to hear me say words such as these. What's wrong Logan, has the mighty fallen or just been tamed,...Wolverine." she purred, purposely using his code name to help emasculate and dehumanize him.

Logan had been shamed and defeated with all the verbal prodding and probing from the committee, now here stood Jean challenging him with the last bit of his self worth. He had no doubt the heated bitch knew just what she was doing. But she had no idea of the danger whe was loosing with the buttons she was pushing.

"Ya need ta go Jeannie. Ya don't want ta fuck with me right now."

"Oh, but I do...want to fuck with you...right now, or are you too afraid you might enjoy it too much to ever go back to a lesser woman." She stepped back and let the robe fall to her feet, exposing her naked body to him. Slowly she slid her hands up and down herself, caressing places she longed for him to touch.

He growled and turned away from her, the desire to gut her for insulting Ororo as a lesser woman was overwhelming. But he didn't think Ro or the others would take too kindly to him doing so. He heard her footsteps and hoped against hope she had thought better of her decision to seduce him. Instead of her heading to the door she had moved to the bed.

"Get out Red. I don't need this shit on top of everything we've gone through."

"This is exactly what you need," she said, crawling backwards on the bed and slowly spreading her legs, while one hand cupped her pointed breast the middle finger of the other hand found it's way into her mouth.

"Fuck ya Jean!"

"I would love for you to...or have you been turned into too much of a coward to take what you want...when it is offered. One time, and maybe you can get me out of your system," her hand at her mouth slid down to cup her vagina, "show me Wolverine, prove to me that Scott isn't much more of a man than you are or will ever be...or are you all bark and no bite.

"Bitch!" he spat and was on her before she could blink.

"This what ya want Red," he panted, not able to see beyond his pain and embarrassment. Roughly he pullled her to a seated position on the edge of the bed, while he rubbed her face against his crotch.

"Yes," she cried, her hands reaching out to hold his backside in an embrace.

Anger mixed with the gamut of emotions he was experiencing, spurred him on. Releasing one side of her head he pulled the drawstring of his sweat pants loose, shoving them just below his cock.

He didn't have to work too hard, Jean snatched them down to his knees and greedily drew him into her mouth, slurping like someone eating an ice cream cone in the desert.

He wasn't making love to her, he didn't love her. There was no love involved, nor would he show her any mercy or thought to her own pleasure. She was just a bitch in heat at the moment, who dared him to be a man and show her he was worthy. Not just another filthy mutant, who didn't deserve to live.

None to gently he pulled her head back and forth on his swelling member, hearing her gag more and more as he hardened.

"This is gonna stay here hunh Red," he was bordering feral, "want ta know what it's like ta have me tween yer legs doing what one-eye can't. Then Fuck Ya Jeannie."

He threw her back on the bed, gathering her legs over his forearms and plunged himself into her balls deep.

"Oh god...yes!" Jean screamed, "fuck me...please Logan...now!"

"Names Wolverine, Red and I'll fuck ya and that's all ya'll get, but ya won't be fergetting it!"

Words were done. He pumped furiously into her, turning her every which way but loose. Hearing her screaming his name and code name over and over again as she reached climax at least three times and him not once.

Yes she was beautiful, but not more so than her. Her skin didn't feel or look like smooth butter, but was freckled, blotchy and in many places rose up in goose flesh. Her breasts were nice, but they were smaller and bottom heavy, nipples not centered but pointing high to her chin. Her waist was small, but not tiny flaring out to curvaceous hips. Nor was she so toned and defined. Her vagina was not tortuously tight, calling him home with each plunge, despite his amazing size.

Everything was off. Sight, smell, feeling and sound. Her moans, screams and dirty words were getting on his nerves.

Not once had he kissed her or touched her with affection.

This was just about meeting her dare and proving he was a man.

He was numb.

She was well pleased and euphoric. Never had she been fucked so long, good and hard. Already she had decided through her pleasure hazed mind, that she wasn't so sure this could be a one time thing for her.

The more he copulated with Jean the more he died inside himself, even more so than standing before the committee. With each stroke he realized too late that he had destroyed the one thing in his life that meant everything to him, his relationship with Ororo.

Angrily he pulled away from the sweating, panting x-woman face down on the mattress before him and stomped across the room to the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Like a caged animal he paced back and forth in the small room, agonizing growls of pain and frustration ripping from his throat. Finally stopping long enough to reach into the bath and turn on the shower. Nothing could wash away the guilt he now felt. Nothing could make the world right.

Jean hearing the growls of anguish coming from the bathroom, reluctantly gathered her discarded robe, ran her hands through her tangled hair and wiped actual tears from her face. He didn't want her. He like all the other men in her life, was hopelessly hung up on the goddess she didn't have a prayer of competing with. Any shred of respect she possessed from the male members of the mansion, she had turned to dust. Her jealousy to be considered over Ororo in their estimation had led her to succumbing to lust and being treated voluntarily like worst than a whore by the Wolverine.

She knew he wasn't to blame. She had taunted him in the worst way she could to get what she wanted, only to find herself the fool.

Any satisfaction she had felt during her debauched romp with him, she left in the room, as she crept away too ashamed to face the man trying to wash away the memory of her from his flesh, mind and soul in the other room.

---Present---

He knew he had to start somewhere, he had already paid the highest price of losing Ororo, maybe owning up to his own mistakes with the truth could be the start he needed on the road to becoming what she had believed him to be.

"Cyke, I need ta talk ta ya." his voice was unusually respectful to the younger man.

Scott's heart did a quick stuttering trip, not wanting to imagine what could have the normally surly Wolverine addressing him with such a civil tone. He turned away from the younger x-men training in the danger room below, as Logan stood in the doorway of the observation deck.

"Is it important Wolverine, or can it wait?"

"It's been too long already, I need ta talk ta ya now."

Scott's heart tripped twice. Standing sideways, while pressing an intercom button to the danger room Scott dismissed the you mutants early receiving a cheerful uproar for their release.

"Look Cyke, I know yer not gonna like what I have ta say, but ya have ta know if I could take ia all back I would. But yer Ro's brother and a decent mand and I owe ya the truth. Can't keep walking around ya and everyone else knowing I was wrong in trying ta come between ya and Jean fer so long. Truth is I never really felt fer her as much as everyone thought. Just didn't know how ta end the game and I liked knowing I was rattling yer cage."

Scott's heart had stopped tripping and now he was ready to flat line. an uneasy feeling started weighing heavily upon his chest. Somehow he knew he didn't want to hear where Logan was going with this conversation.

"Scott!" came Jean's frantic call from the shining steel hall outside the deck.

Logan looked out the door to see Jean, Charles and Hank approaching, apprehension written on all of their faces.

Charles neared with his eyes glued on the Wolverine, a question coming from his lips too quickly, "Might I have a word with you Logan, immediately?"

Logan glanced at Jean and knew at once she had been poking where she didn't belong and had called in the cavalry to intervene in the situation. How much she had revealed he just did not know, or really care.

"Not now Chuck, I'm busy."

Walking past Logan and entering the room, Jean rushed to Scott's side. "Scott do you think I could have a word with you...in private?" Her words almost a whisper, as she grasped one of his hands between both of hers.

"What's going on here, what is this all about?" Scott took in the small gathering of people around him, feeling the tension in the air about to choke them all. Jean?"

Red hair covered her beautiful face from his view as she hung her head down and nervously rubbed his knuckles with her thumbs.

Scott looked from Jean to Logan, seeing the unusual apology in the feral mutants eyes. Unwanted realization dawned, he sprang upon Logan fists pounding, spittle spraying, as he repeated over and over with each blow, "You Bastard!"

Charles waved Hank forward as soon as he saw Scott draw the understanding of the situation. But even Hank was having a hard time restraining the X-men leader, so great was his rage.

Logan had not once tried to defend himself, but had willingly taken every blow.

"Get off of me Hank, let me go, I'll kill him...I'll fucking kill him!"

"Scott, please..." Jeans timid plea caused him to turn his anger on her.

"You finally did it! You finally rutted with him like his whore you always acted to be didn't you!?" For the first time in years the group was seeing him completely unhinged.

Hating where their actions had broguth them and feeling remorse at his callous treatment of her during their indiscretion, Logan spoke up, "If ya want ta take it out on someone, here I am, it's my fault. I chased her from the start, not giving a shit about anything. Have at me till yer hearts content."

Charles hurt seeing what was transpiring with his X-men. "Please we know the gravity of the circumstance, but we can bring about an end to this conflict in a civil manner. There is..."

Scott snarled, "Save it professor they can both go to hell!" Pulling away from Hank, who released him with a nod from the professor, he stormed from the room.

"Was planning on handling this another way." Logan rumbled, already healed from Scott's blows.

Jean's head snapped up, her eyes blazing. Her passive demeanor gone with the anger she now felt, in her estimation was his betrayal in revealing their secret to Scott. She had said she wouldn't tell and was possibly keeping her options open for more with him. With the sheer power of thought, Logans heavy frame was tossed forcefully into the wall, deeply indenting the smooth steel.

"Enough!" yelled Charles.

"That's right take his side," Jean was now becoming irrational, "God knows if I were your precious Ororo, Logan would be a useless puppet by now."

The growl emanating from Logan was just ten seconds from his claws appearance.

"I said that will be quite enough!" repeated Charles.

"And what if he had killed you with an optic blast Logan, do you think he could have lived with himself after such a thing?" asked Charles, more than a little frustrated, "Have you still not learned the lesson of the consequences to your actions." He turned his head, his piercing blue eyes now hardened on Jean, a telling act that he understood her part in all of this as the culpable culprit.

Hank walked over to a now shamefaced Jean, who was silently crying, and cradled her in his powerful arms. An act she by no means misconstrued as his pardoning her actions.

Logan opened his mind up to Jean just long enough for her to get his quiet message meant for her and her alone, 'I died the moment I accepted the challenge ta fuck ya and ya sentenced me ta death the moment ya decided ta cloud my mind ta Storm and have me sniffing after ya as though no one else existed, especially not her.'

Message received by Jean who now broke down uncontrollably. How did he know!?

Charles and Logan looked to one another with eyes full of understanding. Charles' held more than a hint of sadness.

Logan too exited, his shoulders lighter than they had been for a while. Never once did he look back.

The field was the perfect spot to gaze at the mountains in the distance. The sun was just seting in a glorious display of warm colors. Lush tress, foliage and wild flowers covered the earth, spreading out under the canopy of dusk. Even through a red haze of lenses and anger their beauty was obvious, just not appreciated at the moment.

Right now nothing made any sense or had any meaning to him. He needed air, he needed to breathe.

The desire to pull off his glasses and throw them away, accepting the freedom of just opening his eyes and blasting a hole in whatever was in front of him was strong. He didn't want to care or feel anything, the price for both was too high.

This little haven had been a place of happy memories and comfort for Scott and Ororo since their early teen years, when they had found it as siblings needing a place to call their own away from the mansion.

Many days were spent building their solid bond that had remained unbreakable.

Not often had either Scott or Ororo ventured here alone, but this time after grabbing a bottle of Benriach scotch from the professor's locked, now unlocked liquor cabinet, Scott made his way to the most peaceful place he knew.

Hours had passed as he sat holding the now almost empty bottle letting it dangle from his fingers.

He tried desperately to get his head around the thought of Jean and Wolverines betrayal, as images of them together kept flooding his mind. He was a fool. He should have known it was bound to happen sooner or later. But he trusted her. Believed in the commitment they had made to one another and the supposed love they shared. Stupid! And blind in more ways than one.

He didn't want to know when, where or how many times, it wouldn't change the pain. That it had happened at all was enough.

Why now...was the question that kept niggling at the front of his mind. The timing for the truth coming out seemed all wrong. For some time now Logan had shown no interest in Jean, as if he had moved on. His relentless pursuit of her not a factor, he was no longer bothered by him in that way. What did the bother him was that he seemed to have moved on to his sister, Storm.

The Wolverines attraction to Ororo was obvious, though he tried to keep it concealed, distant as in all things about himself. He just wasn't fooling Scott, who was a seasoned veteran when it came to him interfering in the life of the women he cared about.

Sighing in aggravation and running his free hand through his dark auburn locks, he was tired of thinking. He took another swig from his liquid friend. Damn he hurt. Physical pain could hurt like hell. But heartbreak hurt like a motherfucker!

--Two and a half hours earlier--

'Ororo, Scott is at your sanctuary and he has gotten into the...refreshments.'

Storm received the professors cryptic telepathic message.

--Present--

Twenty minutes passed with her watching him, doing his best to numb the pain of the reality he now faced. A reality they had in common. She knew he would have one heck of a hangover tomorrow, but who was she to say what was the best way to deal with what had been dumped on his lap.

Cautiously she made her way to him, sending a faint breeze ahead of herself, announcing her approach, as she had so many times in the past.

"The professor send you?" said, not once turning to look at her, his eyes staring straight ahead.

She sat beside him on the large rock, reaching up to hold onto his shoulder, "Yes."

Neither one spoke for a long time. Their eyes staring straight ahead, but focused on nothing.

"I could kill him you know."

"I know...but, I wish you wouldn't."

"How long O,...how long have you been in love...with him?"

"Longer than I am willing to accept...or admit."

"When were you going to tell me...about them?"

She took the time to look up at the stars now starting to shine overhead. A sight that never failed to make her feel so small. Not as small as his words now did.

"Do not hate me brother. I could not bear to be the one to hurt you, knowing first hand what this pain feels like. I just knew that if any part of Logan and I were real...he would be man enough to tell you,...as he should."

"Humph. Logan and you," he spat, "the asshole doesn't deserve you or the right to be around decent people."

"I fear that's just it dear brother, all his life he has had to take what happiness or good out of life he could, because everything positive was taken from him. Cruel people manipulated him and no one should have to fight for the right to exist, or prove they have value or have it taken away."

"You're sounding like dad sis, and right now I really don't give a shit!"

"I know, but don't you see dear heart, that's probably why he has stayed on here, to join the fight with others who have had to endure the same injustices and want something better for ourselves and those like us. He is clinging to the only bit of commonality, peace, love and family he has ever had."

"So he just takes whatever he wants without a thought to anyone else and that makes it all okay."

Ororo sighed deeply, carefully choosing her next words, "Sometimes dear brother, one doesn't have to take what they want, sometimes it is freely given."

Shaded pained eyes finally turned to look at her, what he had been avoiding intruded clearly into his liquor filled thoughts. Still his heart wouldn't let his mouth speak what he wasn't yet willing to accept.

Hurt outweighing the anger now, his shoulders slumped in agonizing defeat. "What do we do now, how do we get past this O'?" his voice sounded so much like the teenage Scott she remembered.

"One breath, one step, one moment and one day at a time. We're survivors Scott, we fight till there is nothing left within us."

"It just makes me hate him more...knowing that he hurt you in all of this."

"Hate is easy. Love is so much harder. Both can be a choice."

"Yeah, well right now I choose to forget about her," his voice broke causing him to inhale sharply, "and him." he said, holding the almost empty bottle out to her, as he still looked straight ahead. "I love you O'."

"And I you." she said, taking the bottle from him, not willing for him to feel any kind of pain alone.


He was every kind of fool. Not once could he remember being able to hold onto anything good. Some people were just dealt a load full of shit for a life and his was one of them. Not that he didn't do everything in his power to ensure that he received more than his fair share.

The No Place Special bar had been his current address for the last four hours. Wild Turkey had been his best friend for all four of them, with a steady companion of beer tagalongs. And and all breathing wannabe company, including the usual bevy of make-up camouflaged and tit heavy females, were sent off with the simplest glare or growl. He was simply put, wanting to be left the fuck alone.

She was the last person he wanted to see, but presently she was the only one with the nerve to approach him, regardless of the manacing body posture he was currently putting out.

As she entered the bar noticing him in his corner of seclusion, she saw his eyes follow her as she neared.

"Go ta hell Red."

"Logan please," she pled, "give me just a minute..."

His hand slammed the table top hard, jarring its contents and causing all nearby to look up startled in their direction. "Heard yer bullshit before, I aint interested."

Bravely or foolishly she sat down at his table.

He raised one brow in his usual fashion as a feral growl rumbled from his throat.

"I am sorry for earlier..." she started, ignoring his warning, "and for...for Washington."

"Yer full of it." he threw back at her, smelling the lie as it rolled off her tongue.

"What changed Logan,..." she continued, "what made you want her over me..." her voice trembled, as the waterworks threatened to show.

The look on his face was incredulous, was she fucking insane or just plain stupid. After all that had happened his vote was for both.

"I...I...I know what I did...was not completely...ethical..."

His temper was quickly reaching the boiling point. "Which time Red, when ya tampered with my head, or when ya goaded me inta fucking ya?"

If he didn't have his enhanced sense of hearing he would have missed her next words, "You can't tell me you never wanted me...she came between us."

He spoke through clenched teeth, as he leaned forward, "Let's get one thing straight, I always wanted her, always will," his chest tightened unbearably at the admission, "she couldn't come between what never was."

"Some part of it had to be real for you Logan, I know it,..."

"Then ya don't know shit! We played a fucking game, how much was manipulated by ya, ya'll never tell, but my roll in all this I accept...what was real was that two people actually gave a damn about the both of us and we threw it away."

"Were they really that important Logan," she reached out trying to hold his hand, he snatched it away, "or did we just make them out to be what we wanted them to be? You will see,...I am just as much woman as Storm. More if you'll let me be."

"Humph, not on yer best day Red, or with a thousand years ta practice and try."

"You Bastard!" she exploded, "What gives her the right to have the love of every man that comes into contact with her?! I deserve just as much attention and respect as she does, yet her odd white hair, blue eyes and darker skin draws it all to her! Do you realize even Scott started out having more than brotherly affection for her, before I..." she stopped, once again anger causing her to say too much.

"Yer a real fucking piece of work," he spoke calmly, outwardly keeping the inward jealousy of One-Eye loving his Ro that way suppressed along with his desire to fillet Jean. "Ya could have everyone care a helluva lot more fer ya, if the stink of yer jealousy fer Ro weren't so over powering. Yer two different women Red, both of ya gifted in yer own way, but Ro chooses to love, caring about everyone and thing around her, seeing their worth, ya just see and obstacle in yer way of getting all that ya truly aint entitled ta. Yer sick Jeannie," for the first time using a more gentle title for her, "ya can't see all ya have, fer all that ya want ta take from Storm"

Finally something of understanding started to sink into Jeans turbulent mind. She hung her head as the tears flowed freely down her beautiful face.

Standing to leave as he looked down upon the troubled X-woman his eyes showing no signs of softening in compassion. "Do yerself a favor, get some help. Go see Chuck. And..." he touched her for the first time, placing his thumb on her chin with his index finger underneath it, he lifted her head up to him, "leave me the fuck alone."

She sat sideways, watching as he walked away and exited the bar before she turned around, placing her arms on the table, resting her head on them and cried, for all of what she knew. He had spoken the truth.

The night wind blowing over them in the convertible on their way back to the mansion was perfect for the ending of another night of partying to forget their troubles. While she feigned sleep against the passenger side door, Scott was fully aware that Ororo was dreading the return to the estate, as he drove them closer to home. She wasn't alone, he had no more desire to return than she did, but face the objects of their discord they must as another day was fast approaching.

Since the horrible revelation of the betrayal to them both, they had found mutual solace in one another, just as they had long ago as siblings seeking peace from a world that hated them. And just as then Scott was not willing to let her hide inside a shell without his being there to let her know she was not alone. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel he playfully reached over and pulled a lock of her wind tossed hair.

"Do that again dear brother and you risk a titty-twister, or at the very least a wet-willy." she responded without opening her eyes or turning her head in acknowledgement of his tease.

"Don't forget who taught you how to do a wet-willy and as for either of your idle threats, remember I'm driving."

"Your point being. I can still get the best of you Scott summers, I always have and always will. You can never get the upper hand on me because you love me too much." she said, finally straightening up from her comfortable position of reclining against the door.

Scott opened his mouth to give a witty rejoinder, but upon reflection, quickly snapped it shut.

"See what I mean. Score one for the clever sister and zilch for the overprotective brother." It was finished off with a wiggle of her shapely brows and a confident smirk.

A side toss of his head an a small 'humph', said it all for Scott, as he reached over to affectionately squeeze her hand. They rode home in silence the rest of the way, still holding on to each others hand.


Instead of driving her to the boathouse, Scott parked the car in the garage, knowing she preferred to summon her winds to carry her the rest of the way. This time though instead of saying goodnights with a warm hug, Scott halted her exit, as he leaned against the passenger side door he had chivalrously opened for her.

"Sis, how long are we going to keep side stepping our real problems and covering them over with a blanket of our nightly escapades? You know dad knows all about them, we've been doing it for over a week now, and to be quite honest I'm more than a little exhausted. We're not teenagers anymore O' and frankly I could use more than two or three hours of sleep."

Slowly Ororo turned to face her brother. She still wasn't ready to deal with the truth of his words concerning their dancing the night away and bar hopping to avoid confronting what they were escaping from.

Scott took the time to look at her and he saw it, no matter how she tried to hide it, it was written all over her, simply and clearly put, she was angry. His beloved sister who had to temper her emotions at all times was furious. Her body so tense a hurricane couldn't knock her over she was so rigid. Coming back home the release she had found in dancing freely with him to the thrum of the clubs and bars music, was gone.

"Not now Scott." As always her few carefully spoken words tried to mask her true feelings.

Knowing her as well as he did, behind his tinted lenses Scott still saw the slight slumping of her shoulders, telling all too well the hurt that festered behind her well put up facade.

"If I leave it up to you it will never be sis. We can't keep acting as if we don't have to face up to what has happened. No amount of partying or shutting out the world till there's only just the two of us will make all of our pain, anger and frustration go away. We owe it to ourselves and those who are counting on us to get our shit together. What doesn't break us only makes us stronger, and you'll never break us. Remember?" He spoke of a danger room lesson they had both taught the younger X-men during which they were getting their collective behinds handed to them by the brotherhood, till a feisty, snow-haired weather goddess had inspired them all to victory with the exact same words.

With the most timid and trembling sound he had ever heard come from her resonant voice, barely above a whisper, staring him straight in his lens covered eyes, seeing almost to his very soul, she spoke, "I don't have any strength left right now brother, I...I fear,...I am broken." a sudden gut wrenching gasp broke through her painstakingly built defenses.

Suddenly Scott had her safely ensconced within the shelter of his strong arms. He knew no tears would fall, but the uncontrollable shaking of her overwhelmed being was telling of the emotion she kept suppressed that was crying out for release from its tightly held prison. No she wasn't weak, nor was she broken. Ororo Munroe was still the strongest person he knew, but the pain she was enduring caused him to desire to kill Logan and thoroughly castigate Jean afresh and anew. Honestly not just for Ororo, but for a little satisfaction for himself as well. Okay to be honest, a lot of satisfaction.

"I'm sorry sis,...I'm sorry," he said, gently rubbing circles on her back. Her sorrow was enough to cause his heart to break all over again. She needed an anchor and he wouldn't fail her, however long she wanted he would stand by her. All else be damned.


Logan stood outside the master bedroom door after pacing for nearly ten minutes. He hadn't spent more than three minutes in her presence since he divulged his tryst with Jean to her. But now he couldn't believe what his nose had picked up coming so strongly from her room. One-eye! What the flamin"! Why would he be inside Ro's bedroom at six-fifteen in the morning. Logan kept telling himself they were like brother and sister, but hell, a man was a man and a woman was a woman. No way no other man didn't want Ororo if they weren't blood related.

Logan had eyes and had seen on more occasions than he wanted to remember, the male members of the mansion enjoying the view of the beautiful weather goddess. Hell, he had even seen the admiration of her in the eyes of their enemies in the heat of battle. And though he didn't have much confidence in Scooters finesse in the bedroom, he didn't put it past any man not to try if he could with Ororo.

Still he had no right to be as incensed as he was. Wasn't he the jerk who had lost the prize due to what he was imagining going on behind her closed door. Damn it to hell, he was a fool, but he was a fool still in love. How could the so called siblings act as drunken lovers in a room right across the hall from his no less.

Yes, his enhanced sense of smell picked up the pervasive scent of alcohol, mixed in with both of their distinct aromas. thought the pungent scent of arousal or some form of intercourse was missing, because of his over active imagination and irritation, Logan let his mind think the worst, due also to his feelings for the admired goddess. And even though his hearing was just as enhanced he purposely didn't want to hear any form of intimacy between Ro and One-eye.

What he did want was to gut the unscrupulous, opportunistic bastard. Ahhhh to hell with it,...he gave one side fisted pound on the door before slinging it open, giving it a damn good shot at denting the wall behind it.

Sitting up in the bed beneath a deep piled white pillow-stitched comforter, sat a startled Ororo, with one hand smoothing hair from her face, while she tried to blow stray strands from her blurred vision.

Opposite her Scott lay on his stomach atop the comforter, in his boxer briefs, smoothly snoring. Soon to be dead!

Of their own accord all six adamantium claws burst forth between Logan's knuckles, as his fists clenched and unclenched. His eyes were unaable to leave the barely dressed X-man, as he tried to take deep breaths before he pounced on him. The Wolverine was due to make an appearance any second.

"Get out!" A very angry weather witch spoke through clenched teeth, as she sat glaring at him.

"Him first." Logan tossed his head towards the still sleeping Scott.

Ororo threw the cover back and leapt from the bed to stand face to face, with the fuming Wolverine.

Damn she was beautiful. He knew he had no right to make any demands of her, but right now he really didn't give a shit. He couldn't back away and he wouldn't back down.

She stood before him once again clad only in the tiniest of camisole tops and tap pants. His hands ached to reach out to her, while his mind played the cruelest of jokes on him, reminding him of the joy, ecstasy and pure release of them being together in every way.

"I said get out."

"So what is this tit," he let his eyes drop to take in her heaving breasts, "for tat? Making payback a bitch darlin', you know you can do much better."

"I guess you were late to the meeting so let me catch you up to speed. You and I mean nothing. Something you have made painfully clear. Whoever I choose to take to my bed is none of your concern. And as for better," she crossed her arms and turned her head to take a quick glance towards Scott, then glared back at Logan, "I've definitely already done worse."

His claws found their home again within his forearms. Her words missed their mark, as he smelled the truth behind their supposed sting. He allowed himself to hope that all was not lost with that new found knowledge that she still cared deeply for him. Little did she know the fact was that even with his ultimate indiscretion he had found his life mate in her and was incapable of just walking away from her completely. It explained his lack of any physical or emotional pleasure with Jean, though he still couldn't comprehend how he had succumbed in the first place. His mind was usually almost impossible for telepaths to enter. And loving Storm the way that he did, he had no desire for Jean or any other female.

Instead of acting on the lingering feelings he now knew she had for him, he decided to try goading her a little more just to sweeten the pot of his need to have some kind or response reciprocated towards him.

"Brother and sister hunh, darlin'. I'd say more like kissin' cousins or inces..."

Before he could finish his crude remark, Ororo had raised her hand to deliver him a stinging blow. Swiftly he caught her hand in mid strike, wrapped his free arm around her waist and drew her to him in a crushing embrace, as his hungry mouth made a feast of her own. Where there had been anger, passion quickly erupted. Feverishly she surrendered to her own desires as Logan's led him to capture every curve with his roaming hands he had already committed to agonizing memory. He could care less about Scott being in the room, he pressed his strained manhood to her center. All the while knowing he had pushed her too far and beyond the limits for his own wellbeing.

"...what do you think you are doing?!" she breathed, pulling herself together and away from him.

Again Logan looked from her and the future she had represented to him a short while ago, to Scott before saying the second most honest thing he had ever said in his life right before he turned and walked away, "Dyin'."

Mofo peeked around the door, his head hung low to spy his mistress rubbing her palms in frustration down the sides of he tap pants. In mimic of his master he woefully turned and ambled off, with the saddest of whimpers being his expression of all he felt.


"So are you going to tell me what that was or leave me to draw my own conclusion on the matter?" said Scott, as he stood in her bathroom doorway toweling his wet hair, wearing a pair of grey X sweats, straight from his shower one hour later.

She sat at the vanity table brushing her hair.

The brush stopped, "It was nothing."

"From where I lay, quite still and deserving an Oscar I might add, it sure in the hell didn't seem like 'nothing'. Tell me if I'm wrong or did I see you kissing him back for all you were worth?"

"A momentary lapse in judgment, due to your suggestion of 'Come on sis let's toast to all the good things we can come up with', two bottles of dads tequila later you're passed out mumbling about aliens abducting Logan forever and I close my eyes to have my dreams so blurry I couldn't even see them."

"Sure blame me for your lips getting super glued to his while your hands skied down his chest. Excuse me while I puke a little," this time he made the motions of puffing out his cheeks and gagging. He couldn't help but tease her again. "And did I miss something or did you really let him think that you and I..."

"Scott Summers, don't you dare go there. Besides I'm not responsible for anything someone else thinks, especially if that someone barges in where they shouldn't have in the first place."

"You know you are becoming absolutely wicked," he said, walking over to her to bend down and place a small peck on her cheek, "I'm glad I'm in the boat with you cause everyone else could be about to drown."

This time her aim was sure as she playfully elbowed him in the abdomen.

"Come on let's go see Hank for one of his miracle cures for what ails us, namely our massive hangovers."

Seriously this time she stood to cradle his face in both of her hands and say, "Only I don't think anyone has a quick cure for our true malady dear brother. But please give me time and I will get there and no way am I ever leaving you behind.

Again they found themselves in the sympathetic, comforting embrace of each other. Outside of their arms, there was no Jean or Logan, just the purity of a brother and sister who would do whatever it took to love, and protect the other.

On the small back porch steps, Logan sat smoking his usual morning cigar, as he scratched Mofo beneath his muzzle. His ears picking up the entire conversation from her open windows above him. Maybe all was not lost just yet. She still cared enough for him to do all she could to erase him from her mind. So far to no avail.

Casually he leaned against the porch pillar and slowly puffed on his cigar. For the first time in a long time enjoying his vice.

"Logan I find this very difficult to tell you, but I have discovered a more recent signature gate subtlety hidden behind the older ones placed in your cerebral cortex. As you know these gates allow for easy movement within ones mind by a given telepath, the same as we use a door to gain access from room to room. Though the others appear to have had no activity for many years, this one shows all the signs of repeated ongoing use, be it fairly minimal each time." Charles cautiously told Logan his findings after a rather intense session, knowing he couldn't keep something of this magnitude from him.

Since Logan had gained his memory of who he was and his past, it had been nearly two years since he had need of a therapy session with Charles. But the old nagging sensation of things not being quite right within his adamantium covered skull and his behavior in Washington, left him with the old feeling of being off balance.

Now this information and the immediate understanding of who and why someone would tamper with his mind again had him sitting in the professors office seething, taking deep breaths to calm himself as he neared the border of becoming feral.

"That Bitch!" he spat, as his arm swung out to his side swiping the table next to him clear of all objects as they crashed to the floor. He stood to his feet pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

"Logan, I know this is extremely difficult to deal with..."

"...it aint difficult Chuck,...and it aint impossible," Logan spoke in a deadly calm, near whisper, the claws on his right hand made a sudden appearance, "I'm going to fuckin' kill her!"

"Wolverine, please calm yourself. I know that Jeans actions have been deplorable, but I realize now that she is a very troubled woman..."

"Yeah and I got the cure fer her trouble right her," he held up his claws, "no body and I mean nobody is ever gonna fuck with my mind again." Before he could stop himself the words further came from his mouth, opening his heart and the emotion hidden there, "She has taken everything from me. Everything Chuck, never again...", his thoughts immediately on Ororo. Logan seemed to lose himself in reflective agony, his words almost inaudible, both hands now cradling his head, as he found himself seated again dejectedly.

Charles cast the emotional man before him a look full of compassion. It was taking a great deal of his telepathic ability to calm the enraged Wolverine. Rightfully he had more than reason to justify his anger with the emerald eyed beauty, but Charles could not allow things to get out of hand no matter the provocation.

Reluctantly Jean had taken Logan's advice and had gone to the professor for therapy. For nearly two weeks now he had been working with her to sort out the mess that was left of her psyche. It saddened and pained Charles' heart that Jean had been capable of the deceitful actions against Logan and the bitter feelings she harbored toward Ororo. But through all of her confusion Charles was still able to feel the enormity of the love she had for Ororo and Scott and the misplaced lust she had for Logan. Working past all the unhealthy garbage that had been built up over Jeans lifetime was an enormous obstacle. Charles had to continue trying. They all deserved so much more than what they had been dealt, Jean included.

"Logan, it is clear to see that no one has a right to ask that you not feel what you do about what Jean has done to you, but I will ask this...please try to give her the same mercy that was extended to you that has led to your life change. We all saw beyond your gruff exterior and obvious wounds that even your abilities could not heal, and we offered you the chance to show us the man we all knew you were inside. Jeans manipulations have been exposed and with proper care and treatment no more harm should be done. But in order for you to fully heal you must let go of this."

Logan released the hold upon his head and again looked at the professor through pained eyes, "Ya don't know what yer askin' me ta let go of Chuck. Fer the first time that I can remember I was...I was...happy. really happy, instead of facing a life of shit. Now I'm right back where I started, only this time with more hurtful memories of all that I've lost. Excuse me Chuck if I'm not so full of mercy right now. Ya can toss the rainbows and we all live happily ever after shit down the crapper where it belongs." With that said, he sheathed his claws, stood and headed for the door.

"Logan," Charles called after him before he could go, "you are a man. You are not a prisoner ofyour base instincts. You are a valued member of this household, family, and team. You are an X-Man."

Paused with his hand on the doorknob, Logan spoke over his shoulder, "Thanks fer keeping the Wolverine at bay just now. Make it yer last time ya attempt to touch my mind without my permission. And professor...I won't be giving that permission."

Charles sat staring at the door Logan had just exited. A small smile pulling at the corner of one side of his mouth. Logan had already shown mercy before leaving his office. His knowledge that Charles had swayed his anger by accessing the outer surface of his mind and he still sat unharmed, spoke volumes.

Still he sent the telepathic message to Jean to stay where she was in her room safely behind her closed door, well semi-safe. Logan would be gone from the house in a moment, no sense tempting fate. Charles was optimistic about Logans capacity for mercy at the moment, not stupid.


The ability to catch an x-man unaware was a rare thing.

Yet Storm had stood in the doorway of the classroom without being observed by the telepath she had come to know and love. For years they had fostered their growing relationship and had come to accept one another as family.

Unfortunately, no one had the ability to hurt you more than a family member could.

Finally the weight of her presence being too much to be ignored, Jean lifted her troubled red head. Her eyes lit upon the woman standing quietly obeserving her and her heart clenched. This was the first time she had seen Ororo since her return home and her immoral travesty had come to light. Looking into her eyes her own heart now felt the burden of the betrayal she had done to the woman she likened to a sister.

Unable to hold her steady gaze with the devastating guilt that threatened to encompass her, she quickly dropped her eyes to the unusually untidy desktop.

Silently Ororo walked into the room and took a seat at the student desk directly in front of Jean, crossing her long shapely legs as she did. Still not a word passed her lips.

"You really don't have to hate me Storm. I hate myself enough for the both of us right now and then some." Jean said with a tremulous voice. She dared take a quick peek up to see the reaction of her lost friend. Emotionless eyes met her own.

Taking a deep breath, but holding her head between her hands, she squared her shoulders and looked at the wronged woman across from her.

"I know there is nothing I can do or say that will make what has happened..."

Ororo raised one tapered brow at her.

"what I did...to you, Scott and...Logan go away. If I could take it all back I would, but we all know that is an impossibility. The only thing I can offer either of you is my deepest regrets with a life time of apologies to try and make amends."

Ororo started to slowly swing her crossed leg as she folded her arms over her chest.

"I won't insult you with a lie to say that I didn't mean to hurt you. I was lashing out from years of jealousy that I know now was completely unwarranted. I was hurting and I wanted to hurt someone back. You became the center of my misguided imagination. You had the love and attention of the people closest to me, in a way that I could never hope to achieve. To the professor you are the light of his life, closer even than a blood born daughter. To Scott," another gasp for breath, as emerald eyes filled with water, "you are the unattainable beauty he couldn't bear to lose, so he placed you in his life forever as his sister. And to Logan,...you were...are, everything he ever wanted and couldn't live without."

"They couldn't see me. So I thought. I had to make them notice me, I had to matter to them just as much as you do. I saw and felt the love and admiration they all hold for you. You who are so sure of yourself, with all you have and are. Me on the other hand...well I have never felt that security. I comforted myself with the knowledge that the professor and I share a like ability, while I had Scott in a way you never would. Logan,...Logan was another thing all together."

Once again she dropped her eye contact for a minute, before being able to continue.

"Please...Storm...please..." she was taking great gulps of air to finish what she had began. "I wanted to have him feel for me what he felt for you. God forgive me...I needed to have everything you had with him. I just didn't realize it wasn't ever going to be. He didn't want me. I had to use my ability to get what I wanted from him. Oh god...I now see I am essentially quilty of ra...rap...and much more.", she couldn't bring herself to say the word, as emotion threatened to overtake her.

I just can't make sense of how I got to such a place that I was capable of harming you in any way." She paused as she gasped for the breath that fought its way into and from her lungs. "I have become someone I no longer recognize...because I made myself so focused on you and all the extraordinary things that you are, I lost sight of just ...of just, being myself.

"Now I have taken us all on the path we never should have had to travel, and I'm sooo sorry Ororo." Tears now fell, rolling down her face in rivulets. "I am sorry, I am sorry...I am sooo sorry, please forgive me Storm, please...I hate what I have become, I despise what I did and now...now...now, I don't know what to do..." Her shoulders heaved with the weight of all the shame and pain she carried. Nearly silent wails tore from her throat.

Ororo was swiftly on her feet and kneeling before the bereft x-woman, as she reached out to embrace her in her strong arms, letting her free herself of all that had held her bound for so long. When the turmoil ebbed its way to an end, Ororo gently kissed her upon the cheek before rising, holding onto Jeans still trembling hand.

"I know this is where I am supposed to be magnanimous, and possibly turn the other cheek but...quite frankly I'm just not feeling like it right now."

Ororo's words shocked Jean as she continued to quietly release her pent up emotions.

If she were to be completely honest, Ororo was shocked by her own words, in light of all that her confused sister had just confessed to her, but simply put she was tired of having to keep such a tight rein on her own emotions, while others seemed to just romp in the liberty of their own, with little or no regard to the consequences.

"You hurt Scott...and Logan.", she said dryly. You've caused more pain than your own selfish desires could began to imagine and because of that, I can't fully forgive you...yet. My own hurt due to your actions were forgiven before I came in here and that being because of the fact that I have loved you more than you have despised me. You claim to love my brother, but true love is to put someone else's wants, needs and well-being before your own."

At her next words her voice held a catch she could not hope to disquise.

"You told me long ago that you wanted Logan...merely as your plaything. Well you did what you had to in order to accomplish just that. Congratulations. Did you find the satisfaction in achieving you goal worth it? Was it everything you bargained for? You took what wasn't yours to have.", she eyed her suspiciously, "and if I know what I think I do, the pleasure you got from it, makes you consider doing it again if you can. Are you done now or was that just the beginning? Should I tell Kitty to look out for Peter or take out a full page ad warning women who may be a hint of a threat to you that they need to duck and take cover? Or am I your only object of antipathy?"

"I'm sorry am I being a bit harsh in light of your revelation of your wrongdoings? I quess I don't behave very companionably when those who have proven to be my heart have been victimized. In case you are wondering, yes I heard every word you said, and though you waxed eloquent and I am sure your words were heartfelt, I have to let you deal with what your apathy has brought about."

"Thus is your life that you now have. Please for your benefit and all that love and care for you, do better with it."

"For your actions and feelings towards me, I forgive you sister. Our lives were never a competition. The world outside our bonds mean us so much harm I could never think to hurt you, yet if my existence has caused you such pain I too am sorry. But know you were and are worth more to me and all who love you. Our lives are not a measure of one another, but of how we as individuals choose to live it. Your true ability lies not in your mutation, but in the capacity of your own heart to see and act beyond yourself for the good of all around you. Do you hear me Jean, 'Our lives were never a competion'."

With that said, Ororo let her hand go slowly, reluctantly till their fingers could no longer touch as she left the room. There was no war to fight or battle to be won, just a family to hold onto and start to repair.

"Storm, Storm, where are ya?" Ororo Munroe get your sweet ass out here!" Logan yelled, as he marched through the front door of the boathouse.

She heard him from the master bedrooms brand new linen closet, where she was placing the extra bedding for whoever the occupant of the home was going to be. No way did she want to face him yet, especially with him calling out to her like his mean natured namesake. Wishing the closet had an escape hatch, reluctantly she closed the door and rubbed her temples in preparation for the coming barrage.

Logan followed his nose to the bedroom he knew she would be in. No doubt trying to avoid him at all costs. It wasn't going to happen. Not now that he had the true knowledge of what had come between him and his hearts desire.

The door stood open. Good. Saved him the second it would take to knock it down.

"We need ta talk darlin."

Still her back to him she looked to the ceiling and prayed to the goddess for strength. She would not and could not face him. "There is nothing left for us to talk about Wolverine, especially considering you are more a man of action than words."

Her cutting words hit their mark, but with the new information he now had, their penetration was not as stinging. He crossed the room in a few strides, reaching out to forcibly turn her to face him, without any hurt or harm. As with earlier this contact was not enough. He captured her mouth in the all too achingly familiar inferno he so missed and was damned if he would stop till he had his fill.

Apparently she had the same determination as he, she did not try to stop what her heart ached for so eagerly, but became a more than willing participant. All else be damned she would have this if it was all she could have of this infuriating man till their lips parted. Strong and controlled as she was, she was unable to stop the maelstrom of emotion that overflowed her soul, spilling forth in the tears that flowed down her cheeks unchecked.

As unwilling to stop his passionate onslaught as he was, Logan couldn't stand to know the pain that coursed through her, to the shedding of rare tears. "Don't...don't cry darlin. I'm sorry if I hurt ya. I never intended ta and...thanks ta Red I didn't have complete control either."

Roughly she pushed him away. Swiping angrily at the tears loosed from their prison of her soul. "You forget I know you Logan, you are a man who doesn't do anything he does not want to, and you are definitely free when it comes to expressing your passion. I only hope it was worth it.", she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, as cold fire danced in her blue eyes.

"Listen ta me darlin, what happened with Jean was not my doin'. She has been fuckin' with my head fer some time. Chuck just told me. There's no way darlin,...no way that I could ever want her or anyone else when I have you Ro."

As with the tears that now freely flowed, as the rain came down outside and the wind howled, unexpected words poured forth from her mouth, "Do you know how bad it hurts Logan? Do you know what it feels like to not be able to let out the pain you have locked up inside so that you can free yourself just to get a little relief from the hurt? Your mind is strong Logan. Even Charles can not access it easily with your permission. How much was manipulation and how much was purely your own nature? We all have a choice Logan."

Not once had he considered that he could still have some role in his betrayal with Jean. Quickly his heart gave his mouth the answer to her question. "Because darlin, when ya feel what I feel fer ya there is no way anyone else will ever do." Needing the contact with her, he reached out to grasp her by both arms with his massive hands. "I will say this only one time Storm, I aint beggin' ya ta believe me. If ya don't then ya can't trust in what ya know we have and I know ya can cause ya had ta feel the same thing that I do. Yer damn straight I'm a man of my passion...fer ya and ya alone...I love ya darlin, no one else and there's nothing I would do ta fuck that up. I didn't have much of a choice Ro, it got taken, just like so much in my life. I've looked, waited and wanted ya ta long ta carelessly throw it away on something I didn't want...or need. So yeah, she may have taken away my choice in my actions fer a moment, but no one can take away my love fer ya. Yer it fer me Ro, just ya." That was as close to begging as he had or would ever come.

Having said the hardest words to ever come from his mouth that he could remember, he did the next hardest thing, he released her and turned to walk away. Again. Each step he took making him feel the entire weight of his adamantium laced body in the soles of his feet.

Ororo stood, rooted to the spot. Her feet unable to move as heart pounded in her chest. Her mind crying out for her to run after the man who was taking the very reason for her existence with him. Her hand reaching up to touch the still there love bite he had given her weeks ago. Her thoughts unable to fathom why it still remained, with her own healing factor not allowing for any scarring on her flawless skin.

From the doorway of the bedroom Mofo now stood, centered in the entrance, looking at her as if she had lost her damn mind. Bracing his feet firmly on the floor he growled at her before lifting his head and barking fervently.

Eyes cold as ice that held an endless sorrow, looked back at him, as she slowly shook her head in the negative. Dry gasps quietly escaping her throat.

Sadly Mofo hung his head, emitting canine whimpers, as he followed his masters steps, but not before looking back with anticipation of a different response from the female he had come to know as his mistress. None coming he crept away. Now out of sight his whimpers became wailing howls.


"So I am told the work the two of you have done has been extraordinary. I look forward to seeing it all for myself." said Charles, as he sat once again in his office behind his imposing desk. Scott stood at his side again looking stoic as ever with his arms crossed over his chest.

Logan and Ororo occupied the chairs across from him as in weeks gone by, neither acknowledging the others presence with any showing of civility.

"I am however disappointed to see that the cohesiveness I was hoping for is still not manifest with the two of you. I understand there is quite the white elephant in the room, but we have overcome so much I was truly hoping that the two of you would be willing to get beyond even this last obstacle that has been placed in your path." Charles took the time to look from both Logan and Ororo, even to Scott standing beside him. Neither of them so much as moved a little finger.

"Very well then, as with all things I will remain optimistic that time will heal all wounds."

"Humph," coming from a sullen Wolverine.

"Typical," breathed a stiff postured weather goddess.

"Uh hem," Charles cleared his throat, "be things as they may, I would like to celebrate a job well done by having a housewarming of sorts at the boathouse. I'm sure your other team members would like to see what your talents have created. Scott assures me it is all amazing. Since the two of you have done all the hard work the party planning will be done by the rest of us. You are due a well deserved rest and will be the guests of honor, responsible for just enjoying yourselves. As our agreement is now complete, immediately following the festivities you may both return to the main house and life as you have known it."

Logan shifted in hs seat as he leaned forward placing both elbows on his muscled thighs, "Know ya have it all figured out that things are ta get back ta normal Chuck, but I aint sure that I am ta be a part of it." From the corner of his eye he subtlely eyed the blue eyed beauty beside him. "Not sure how long I'll be stayin' fer that return ta normal."

Ororo felt her heart rate speed up and her skin grow clammy. Breathing was becoming difficult. Never one to panic even in the midst of battle, controlling her emotions was now proving exhausting. Her voice broke with the slightest of quivers, "Charles if that is all."

"Ororo is there something you wish to add..."

"No, nothing at all. Now if you will please excuse me."

The room was growing exponentially smaller. Her feet couldn't get her to the door and outside fast enough. Once there she summoned her winds. He was leaving. For all his words of love, he was leaving. She wasn't worth fighting for. Just a momentary fancy after all. Lesson learned. Time to release all she held in, high up in the heavens. Once back on solid ground, she would be free to go on. A little wiser and a lot lonier than ever, but she would survive. Maybe.

Inside the professors office Scott let loose a torrent of profanity so unlike his character. Once done he tried to speak civilly again.

"So that's it. You're just gonna haul ass! Life gets tough and you bail. Doesn't matter what the fallout is you leave behind. Let someone else pick up the pieces, clean up you shit! I get it you asshole, Jean," his voice broke, "Jean did a number on you, but what have you done to Storm? For all of Jeans insecurities, Ororo is insecure as to whether or not she can actually be loved seeing as how she has to keep her emotions under constant scrutiny. The one time she lets go in a long while you prove to her that she is incapable of being loved, just fucking used.!"

"Scott, that is enough..."

"No professor it's not. Storms almost perfect control of her feelings keeps even you from knowing the pain she's in. A pain he could alleviate, as much as it pains me to say it."

"I don't need you or anyone else telling me about my daughter or her feelings Scott, I said enough!"

"Ya don't know shit dick. I already tried. She aint havin' it. Thanks ta yer scheming girlfriend, Ro won't give me a chance."

Taken a bit aback by the professors chastening, but the wind still strong in his sails Scott continued on, "I talked to Jean this morning Logan. I know what she did to you and to Storm, but if what you had with her was real how hard did you really try? Or is running just easier.?"

"I aint gonna beg one-eye. And I aint a glutton fer punishment. I'll leave it ta some other asshole ta wallow in misery." He stared at Scott. "Right now Ro don't want me and I aint gonna force myself on anyone. And if I were ya I wouldn't put ta much stock inta a damn thing Red says. Take it from me, life is a helluva lot better when ya don't."

Scott's hand went automatically to his visor. Forget all else Logan had said, he was still determined to hurt Ororo further and for that he had to pay.

Before he could act the professor reached up to grasp Scott's free wrist. *No son, that is not the X-men way. Logan is in as much pain as our dear Ororo and for the time being they are both at a loss as to which way to go. Logan is mated for life to Ororo and though he will never show it, the hurt he feels is also indescribable..*

The words were never spoken out loud, but telepathically to Scott, who for his part reluctantly brought his hand down from his visor.

"Whatever ya were thinking of doin' Scooter, trust me, I already thought of doing worse ta myself, just won't do a damn bit a good. So go ahead take yer best shot. Just be real sure ta make it count." Logan finished with a sneer.

"To hell with you Logan and the shit train you rode in on. You don't deserve to breathe the same air she does." Scott couldn't take it anymore. Just like Ororo, the room was too small for the two of them. Anger spurring him on and the need to find Storm, he too took his leave of the professor's office.

"Will you at least promise me that you will stick around until the housewarming? I'm sure for such an occasion we can allow a few libations in the form of shall we say...the adult variety." Charles knew it was a weak attempt to get Logan to stay, but it was worth a shot. His X-men could not be fractured. The loss of the Wolverine to the team would be too great at any time. He was too important to the cause to now be a casualty. And his daughter need not suffer anymore due to his absence.

Knowing the lame excuse Charles offered to help him save face to be near the heart he would be leaving behind, was reason enough to take the bait. Hell he was a dead man anyway.

"Don't expect much more from me professor. I aint never been a masochist and I don't plan on startin' now."

The same as Ororo and Scott, the room having grown stifling, Logan left without another word. The road called to him for a long ride.

Charles knew his daughter. She was not just hurt, but very proud. And he had more than an inkling about the character of the Wolverine. Two stubborn yet passionate people. Both fueled by intense feelings that they tried to hide and suppress. Both unable to keep up the pretense forever. Maybe a little anger would be just the catalyst required to pull them both out of their self imposed isolations. After all wasn't it anger that got them to the place where they had to face their feelings for one another.

Charles steepled his index fingers under his chin. Contemplating the coming events, and hopeful enlightenments.

Ororo walked into the mansions multi car garage bypassing the silver Aston Martin V10, the latest gift given to her by the professor, to open the door of the electric blue Corvette ZR1. A little shopping was in order to help her cope with her new found decisions to move her life along without him, the keeper of her heart.

"Goin' somewhere?"

His deep voice rumbled over her causing her heart to flutter and caught her off guard with her hand on the handle of the door, making her jump slightly. Wanting, no needing to be civil so that her life could gain some sense of normalcy Ororo chose to be polite instead of responding as she had been wont to do lately.

"Yes Wolverine I am. I thought a change of scenery might be good." Too late she thought of him and his need to leave. Her heart tightened.

Not missing the fact that she didn't call him Logan, he took a moment to observe her, as only he could. The way he had of looking at someone, sizing them up, scrutinizing their simplest action, was really unnerving. He looked at her with the eyes of a man consumed. Seeing through her calm words he caught the boiling of her emotions not hidden so well just below the surface.

"Ya won't have ta feel so uneasy fer much longer darlin, I'll be heading out ta save ya the pain of having ta see me everyday."

She found something fascinating about a spot on the garage floor, before speaking to him again, "Is that why you are leaving, or...or..."

"Or what..."

"Or do you not care about the team. The fight and the children anymore?"

"God damn it, don't give me that shit!", he found himself getting angry and raising his voice. "What happened ta us being able ta tell each other what we feel. Who are ya leaving out of that Ro?! The most important one that I care about. Is it really that damn hard ta admit!"

"Yes! Yes, it is. I don't understand anything anymore. You have made me question my getting up in the morning and my going down at night. And I hate it!", she started to breathe deep. "Why, why did you do it. Help me to see what I missed, to understand what I was lacking to make you succumb. Just...why, how?", she lost the ability to speak beyond a whisper with her last words.

"No part of it was bout you darlin, or us. Plain and simple, I was a puppet and I got my strings yanked. Yeah she used the words ta goad me, but she used her power ta manipulate me. If she had promised me a lifetime of fuckin' happiness and sunshine with her I woulda told her ta go ta hell." His voice lowered to a near whispering gasp, "She wasn't you, oh fuck,...she wasn't you...and that's what I realized too late. I didn't want her then and I don't want her now. If the shoe was on the other foot and it had been you ta do what I did, I'd fuckin' kill whoever he was. Sad thing is I'm a little too hard ta kill. I can't take it back but I can stop being the cause of hurtin' ya now." Mimicking a motion from weeks ago, he lifted his hand to touch her face, but dropped it back down, before reaching his goal.

"When will you stop being so selfish!" Her head snapped up so that she could look him in the eyes. "It is not me you are thinking of if you leave. You are running from the team and everyone who has come to depend on you...to care about you," her voice was becoming louder, filled with pain, "this is as much your home as it is anyone else's. I do not ask you to go for my benefit. I coped before...before anything happened between us and I will cope now. But if leaving is what you require to exist then by all means do what you must!" She threw her hands out at her sides in frustration.

He spoke, his voice now calm, "Tell me Ro, if I stay what will things be like between us? Will I ever be able ta touch ya, hold ya, look at ya without seeing ya look at me with the hurt or anger in yer eyes. I need - I want more than yer able ta give, I need...want..."

Ororo looked past him out the garage door into the yard, shoulders stiff, mouth unable to speak.

Pride and hurt, a deadly combination, could be a real motherfucker.

Logan looked at her, his jaw ticking from biting the words he wanted to say. Damn she was stubborn and so beautiful. As far as he was concerned, the Ice Queen was back in full affect. The warm companionable mate he had come to know was gone. Unable to look at her eyes any longer he turned his head and slid his hands into pockets and hollered for Mofo.

From behind one of the many cars the dog appeared carrying the handle of a shopping bag in his mouth. The animal seemed happy as his tail wagged and he brushed past Logan to nudge Ororo with his nose, before dropping the bag at her feet.

"I'm the cause of yer havin' ta toss my ass aside darlin. I accept that, I always have been looked at as something not worth much, now having hurt ya...I finally get it." His mind remembering the forgotten equation. He wanted desperately to see her eyes to let her know he meant every word he said. To let her see the pain and regret he held in his own.

"Didn't wanta leave things unfinished with us. I hope I did good.", and in classic Logan behavior he left the garage, snapping his fingers for Mofo to follow.

The dog stopped at the garage opening to turn his head and stare at her as if beseeching her one last time, before sadly and obediently following after his master.

She watched him go. Her heart ached to follow after him and wrap her arms around him never letting go. Her mind had control and anchored her to the spot. Self conflict had become her constant companion. The feeling of warm velvet pricking her eyes. She'd be damned if she cried. Seeing his back had become habit. One that would soon be done with.

Ororo picked up the bag at her feet. Peeking inside past the tissue paper, her eyes instantly welled up. Damn him! Damn him. Putting her hand inside, pulling out one of many colored and styled thong panties.


"Come on youse guys, ya gotta be kidding. We really can't get into the house until later today?", the little firecracker known as Jubilee whined.

"That is what we were told, little one. We must abide by the Professors wishes, must we not?", Peter offered, as he single handedly shouldered two long folding tables that would hold the nights feast.

"You're a fine one to spout off about obeying the Professor, considering you have been delivering Wolverine his beer supply weekly, putting it in the river to keep nice and cold for him and hide it from Miss Munroe.", Jubilee smirked.

Peter didn't even try to feign being chagrined or surprised. There wasn't a lot that Jubes didn't know about that went on at the estate.

"It must really be something if we have to wait for the grand unveiling or,..." Bobby stood from setting up speakers on the small platform, to look candidly at Kitty, also known as ShadowCat.

"Or what Bobby? Oh no you don't. Don't even go there. The last time any of us listened to you and your hair brained ideas we ended up cleaning the school, including taking out Logan's trash from his room, which he thankfully sat in the hall, but it still stank to high heaven, with all the ash and empty beer bottles. Not to mention the kitchen clean-up for a month. Whatever you're thinking count me out." Kitty was having no part of his schemes.

"Oh come on Kitty you're the only one besides Peter who can get us in there, only his wouldn't be as subtle as yours. We promise not to break or touch anything." Bobby tried.

Tabitha and Warren exchanged skeptical looks.

"I saw that you two.", said Kitty, uh uh nothing doing, no way.", she said shaking her head. "You guys are on your own with this one."

"Party poop.", said Jubilee. "Miss goody goody is still nursing her dishpan hands, but nice try freeze pop." A huge bubble gum bubble appeared to cover most of her face before it popped.

"I'm not a goody goody, just a strong believer in not acting like the brotherhood and going off halfcocked, breaking rules just because we can." Kitty responded, while taking a quick glance at Tabitha.

Tabitha unaffected by the look simply crossed her arms over her chest, stopping the lawn chair setup she and Warren were doing and threw back at Kitty, "Why don't you try living a little, you know taking a walk on the wild side, instead of trying to please our pseudo parentals all the time.", she ended by casually rolling her eyes.

"Come my friends," Peter tried to be the voice of reason, "I do not think any of us want to be anxious to do anything that will be displeasing to Wolverine, no?"

"There in, your prohibited booze channel connection to your idol on the regular.", Jubilee didn't miss the chance to chime in again at Peter,

This time at least he had the decency to look side to side, acknowledging his bust.

Five throats served to work in hard swallowing gulps at Peter's statement.

Pulling gum from her nose, Jubilee was the first to find her voice again, "Let's just get this finished and go see what other kids have made it back to school for the new year. Who knows who may be trying to worm their way in on our rooms."

"At least Miss Munroe and Mr. Logan get to go back to the mansion and leave their unwanted isolation behind, but I'd take being locked down with Miss O anyday." Bobby whistled.

"Like that's gonna happen." Kitty snarked.

"You never know, maybe I'll do sum'em to make her mad enough at me to get a quarantine with her." he shrugged.

Jubilee shook her head looking from one boy to the next and said, "Testosterone. It makes ya lose your minds."

"Yeah and outside of all the grumpy, scowling, feral stuff I could take a lockdown with Mr. Logan anytime.", Tabitha chimed in.

They all looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"On second thought,", she said, "naahhh."


Charles was truly pleased with the way the boathouse had turned out. Not that he had any doubt about it to begin with. What he saw assured him that the expense was more than justified. Logan's little jibe at hitting him in the wallet was moot. Gone were the ravages of neglect and transient animal abuse. In their place was a beautiful home that threatened to rival the mansion itself.

Touches of Logan and Ororo could be seen throughout the house. Subtle and not too subtle nuances from them both that melded so well together. There wasn't a thing missing that would keep the structure from being pleasing enough for almost anyone. Perfect restoration with elegance and yet cozy comfort.

Even though they both were responsible for the amazing transformation of the house, they hung back and let everyone tour the home at their leisure. Scott and Colossus aiding the professor in his upstairs inspection.

Eyes had gaped wide and jaws hung slack at the work that the two had accomplished. The thought of wanting to have the house as their own dwelling crossed all of the viewers minds.

Ororo had told Charles she hoped he didn't mind that they had done the house the way that personally they both liked and felt comfortable with.

Charles had to smile at her unease. With a slight squeeze to her hand it was enough to know that all was more than acceptable.

The house and yard had grown quite crowded with the return of so many of the older students, who by the way had been witness to why their two teachers had been banished to the house in the first place. Now they all meandered about the place enjoying the food, games and happiness of being back together again. Of course Jubilee had filled most of them in on what they had missed over the summer, with the boathouses reconstruction.

Music wafted from the speakers on the mini stage.

The elder X-men were now reclined in the living room, basking in a job more than well done by Logan and Ororo, who still kept low profiles considering they were the guests of honor.

Both of them trying to hide the glances they kept sneaking of one another.

"So Logan," the Professor spoke to the overly quiet man, "it is not hard to see your hand here. You have quite a talent for detail."

"Aint hard if you have the resources to back it up.", he finished with a crooked sneer, looking at Charles with satisfaction.

"A mere drop in the bucket, I assure you.", Charles exchanged, a surprisingly uncharacteristic boast coming from him.

Wolverine gave a now dissatisfied, "Humph. Too damn bad."

Everyone laughed, though a bit uneasily. Most everyone chose that moment to wander outside. Suddenly needing fresh air. Only Scott, Hank, Ororo, Logan and the Professor remained.

Not for long however, as the backdoor could be heard opening and closing, as clipped footsteps made their way to the small gathering still enjoying their rest in the new living room.

"What the fuck...", Logan growled.

Behind his visor, Scotts eyes narrowed in an angry squint.

Entering their party, head held high, Jean joined her fellow X-men.

"Good evening everyone,...Professor."

Ororo's breathing slowed, but she remained calm, her love for Jean overshadowing any hurt.

"Ah Jean, so glad you could join us.", Charles spoke up a little to exuberantly.

Though her absence had been felt by all, everyone understood the reason behind it. But what was the cause of her too casual and late arrival.

"Everyone if you would," all heads turned to Xavier, as he addressed each of them, "I would like us all to extend a gracious housewarming to Jean, as she will be the new resident in this beautifully restored boathouse."

Hank was the only one to find his voice, "Great Jehoshaphat!"

Mofo, who had been lounging near the fireplace, jumped to his feet and made a quick exit from the room, looking for a way out.

With the exception of the Professor and Jean, the room was suddenly devoid of air.

He nodded his head and lifted his empty bottle as a signal to the bartender he wanted another.

Though the place was called Harry's the bartender owners name was actually Frank. It was a little tidbit Logan had learned late one night as he closed the place down, still sober as he was when he had walked in. Truth be told, he didn't give a shit then and he didn't give a shit now. All he wanted was to be away from the place of his troubles. Too bad no one told his troubles not to follow him.

Try as he might, his mind stayed on the white haired goddess and the announcement the Professor had made before he had left on his bike to sate his anger with as much beer and liquor as his bladder could hold.

Now his thirst quenched and having pissed a river many times over, he found there was no cure for his still brewing temper.

He hoped Storm could find peace at least riding her winds, as she had quickly left to do after excusing herself as politely as she was able. Scott had locked his jaw and simple went in the direction of the mansion, no doubt headed to the hangar to work out his frustration on some nerd tinkering on one of the aircrafts. If the boy scout had any balls he'd soothe his aching heart wrapped in the arms of the nearest warm and willing female. Unfortunately the same could not do for himself. After Ororo there was no other. When you had the best nothing else would do and even if he had the smallest inclination to desire to try he wouldn't be able to...he was mated to her and he had already done enough damage.

Fuck! Fuck Jean and the chair bound bastard that was too blind to see what a manipulative bitch she really was.

Once again, he really didn't give a rats ass; his time left there was short...too bad for him no one had told his heart it was to be leaving with him.

"Do you have any of those left, or did you let this asshole drink you dry?"

'Hunh,' oh hell, he had to be worse off than he thought. How did he let one-eye sidle up to the stool next to him and he not catch it before he even walked in the door. He barely turned his head in his direction and looked at him out the corner of his eye. His response though the question was not posed to him, "Kiss my ass Cyke and take a long walk in the desert till ya choke.", he gave a lighthearted humph, followed by a sneer.

"Good to see you haven't lost any of your charm...all things considered." said Scott, taking a long swallow from the beer placed before him.

"What can I say, I'm a prince."

"Yeah, well are you done kissing princesses trying to turn them into frogs?"

"That the best ya got. Ya gotta do better than that dick. And once again...kiss my ass."

Scott gave a derisive chuckle this time, "No thank you I prefer the hairless, non-sweaty, less ape like feminine variety."

"Good fer ya, on second thought, wouldn't want yer pucker anywhere near my ass...healing factor only works so far."

Scott threw his head back and howled with laughter.

Both men sat drinking their beers looking straight ahead not really looking at anything in particular. Both of their minds on the announcement from the Professor earlier. It was a fucking bitter pill to swallow, even for Scott.

How much more wrong was going to occur before something got set to right.

After long moments of silence between them Logan spoke still looking straight ahead, while twisting his beer in both hands, "I get it. Maybe I always did, just didn't give a damn. I understand what I put ya through...and I'm man enough ta admit my part in it was wrong. No man has the right ta fuck with another mans woman. I'm only gonna say this once and I'll deny it if I ever hear it repeated, but...I ah," a heavy breath, "I'm sorry fer what I put ya through,...from the beginning ta the end...I was wrong."

The look on Scotts face was awestruck, as he swung his head around to look at Logan. Never in a million years would he have believed he would hear that from Wolverines mouth. And now here he was unable to repeat any of it with valid proof to anyone.

"That had to hurt like a motherfucker; really killed you didn't it?"

"Scooter ya have no idea."

This time they both let out a macho chuckle.

"So yer talk with Jean,...ya gonna try ta work it out? Cozy up together in the boathouse."

Scott remained silent. No sense rubbing salt into the wound for Logan or himself with unanswered questions and the turmoil inside of himself.

Scott turned to look at Logan, really look. Seeing for the first time the weight he was carrying and his despondent and unusually haggard appearance. Nothing of the cocky, self assured Wolverine had any bearing on this man. "You really gonna leave the team...and Storm?" He had to ask. Wolverine was fooling himself if he thought he could just walk away from Ororo. The school maybe, her hell no. If the hatchet was to be buried between the two of them he had to make every effort for Storms sake to make things right with the man she loved beyond reason, but was too stubborn to admit and forgive. The man that loved her beyond life itself.

Logan sized him up with a raised brow and a quick sniff to ferret out his reason for wanting to know. Nothing but sincerity emitted from Scott.

"What's this Scooter, now we're all buddy-buddy, discussing our innermost thoughts and desires and shit. Is this where we throw our arms 'round each others shoulders and start singing 'Kumbaya'."

Still he felt a moment of weakness and tried to further amend the wrong he had dealt to Scott since their first meeting. Besides he owed it to Ro and Scooter and himself to treat him better. Olive branch extended and accepted.

"Look it's gonna take everything in me ta leave Ro, but she don't want anything ta do with me. Don't mean I won't be on the next thing smoking if she ever needs me fer anything. I may have a healing factor, but there aint no coming back from her."

"So damn it why don't you fight for her!?" Scott was near to yelling. "Do you really think she doesn't care anymore! She's been hurt enough Logan, time for some lasting happiness in her life. If you're not capable of delivering that, then by all means step the fuck off.! Just didn't peg you for such an easy quitter."

"Thought ya didn't want us together in the first place...and yer right, I don't give up so easy, but I hurt her, I hurt her," his voice now nearing a whisper, "I hurt her...bad. Ya try living with that and facing her every goddamned day! Damn, I even went out and bought her panties," the last word was a whisper, "ta show her I was willing ta do whatever it takes fer the two of us ta be together."

"Good god Wolverine, this is Storm we are talking about. do you think she can just toss you aside like yesterdays garbage! Damn it she loves you more than you can ever deserve or know." He took a deep breath to calm down. "Look it's too late for Jean and me, don't make the worse mistake of your miserable life and hurt my sister beyond repair. I'll just come find you and kick your ass." that said, Scott rose from his stool and placed his hand on Logans shoulder before walking to the door.

"And Logan," he tossed over his shoulder, speaking up louder, "next time you buy women's panties, let me know, that's a sight I would love to see." He made a hasty retreat out the door, as he threw his head back laughing.

Beer spewed from Logan's mouth, a coughing fit taking hold of him.

Those in earshot of Scott's parting words all turned their heads in Logan's direction, not able to believe what they had just heard. Many eyes looking at his ass on the bar stool wondering.

Frank, smart enough not to outright laugh, walked to the other end of the bar, his shoulders bouncing in suppressed mirth.

Fuck an olive branch.


The soft rapping on the door to his suite of rooms was an unusual sound. No one bothered him once he retired here. It used to be commonplace for Scott or Ororo to bound into his rooms on a merry chase of one another, when they were younger. Now maturity had given place to a respect for his privacy, little as it was.

His gifting allowing him knowledge of the late visitor prepared him for their entry.

"Come in my dear,", he called from his place in front of the large window, looking out into the night sky.

Ororo walked into the elegantly appointed sitting room of her fathers suite, the door having opened by his will. The room was shadowed due to the late hour and the fact that he had only one lamp lit by a dimmer in the large room. His habit of old, to unwind from a days events quietly observing the beauty of the night sky. Often thinking that beyond his view of the stars there had to be life out there.

Somehow she knew he was waiting for her. After the announcement earlier in the boathouse she would have no rest, till she received an explanation from the man who loved her as a daughter. Not that she begrudged Jean anything, but she understood so little now a days she needed clarity on his reasoning behind such a palpable act.

Reaching the space behind his chair, she bent down, wrapping both arms around his shoulders and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss upon his tired cheek. A smile tugged at his lips to still feel her affection for him even after his seemingly thoughtless and confusing act. With returned warmth he reached up to pat her arms that held him in such a loving embrace.

This was their private time. Not for anyone else to see. This was the norm for Ororo, Scott and Charles. The natural affection shown between a father and his children. Pure and untainted.

"I love you dad." she spoke with the full richness of her voice, flowing from the depths of her heart.

"And I you, never doubt that. Till I die and beyond." he quoted, as he had repeated so often to Scott and her even as youngsters.

Going around to kneel in front of him, she clutched his hand, still needing the tangible contact that connected her to him. "Then tell me,...tell me what I fail to comprehend." she searched his eyes.

With a heavy sigh he pulled away from her hold and wheeled himself nearer the center of the room. "Ororo there is not a thing that I have that I would not freely give you..."

So out of character she interrupted him, her emotions coming to the fore, "You do not own one thing I want, especially not a house that I would take more than the love you already give. I want to know your purpose in giving what you did to whom you did. Surely you knew it would affect Scott, Logan and myself. Scott was...is so hurt. Logan is angry past words. He worked so hard. We worked so hard."

"The work was done to accomplish an end, which you both reached rather successfully. At no point in time did I mention what would be the outcome of your labor other than wanting to gain a cohesiveness between us. Yet we remain fractured. Now more so than ever. Ororo you have to see, there was more involved in the accounting than the three of you. Jean has been ousted from her secure place in this home and the team."

Ororo opened her mouth to speak, but was halted by the raising of his hand.

"Please, let me finish. I am more than aware of her actions and their motivation. She has been a very troubled young woman and I should,...I should have known."

"Are you blaming yourself for what Jean became capable of doing?"

"Not blame in the literal sense, but perhaps the abstruse yes. I have prided myself on keeping distant from your personal lives to the extent that I negated that we are a family with such bonds uniting us all in a cognitive way, making us sensitive to each others well being. My revulsion to intruding in your lives, due to my ability kept me from seeing Jeans confusion. Her misuse of her powers."

"I do not see why you are making excuse for her actions. She is not a child, but a grown woman who has to live up to the consequences of her actions. Isn't that what you did with Logan and I with refurbishing the boathouse following our inexcusable actions."

"It is not as simple as that Ororo. Your mind was not altered from an unknown amount of time of mental instability or misguidance. Your actions were rash yes, but not incomprehensible to you or Logan. Don't you see Jean has to be made to feel a part. I cannot isolate her from us."

"Then what do you call having her move out to the boathouse alone dad." she deadpanned.

At that the unflappable Charles Xavier lost a little composure. "I call it justifiable!" his voice raised, "she is still a part of the X-men and a valued teacher, but I cannot stomach her close proximity right now. Damn it daughter she hurt you and I am your father. She hurt Scott without so much as blinking an eye. She coercively seduced Logan and enjoyed every second of it!"

With those words Ororo flinched noticeably.

"Unforgivably tampering with his mind to do so. Am I that uncaring of a father not to want to protect the children that I love. To not want you vindicated and free from the hurt. To want to see you live at peace here in your own home without having to endure unwarranted animosity. Yet I have counted her among you as much as she has allowed me. So feel everything that you are experiencing. The same as I am trying to. Be angry that I have her moving into the house that you and Logan built. Knowing this...that it would have been a wedding gift to you, had she not interfered."

Ororo let out a shocked gasp.

"I mean every word I am saying to you child of my heart. So rage, rant, cry whatever it takes to take control over your life once more. Take back that which belongs to you. the place where you have every right to be and the one you cannot live without beside you. Now is not the time for passivity. I have taught you to war,...now fight!"

Her back ramrod straight, Ororo turned and walked out of the room. Hot tears coursed down her face. Anger at herself for her own foolish stubborn heart. Anger at Logan for not being strong enough and choosing to run. Anger at Jean for not realizing how much she was loved. And now anger at her father for forcing her to see possibly too late, that letting loose her rage was the answer to her own happiness and finally being free.

No gale winds blew, no rain fell. No abrupt weather changes took place save the rumbling of thunder and lightening flashes. The time for tears was over. Nature need not weep for her anymore. Done was her quiet seething emotions. Nature now echoed her cry of freedom. Control was not lost,...but found.

Mofo sat at the lakes edge head thrown back howling at the wondrous lightening and loud peals of thunder. Not once seeking shelter from a storm that would cause him no harm.

Authors quick note, I have had this revised and sitting on my computer for months. Just didn't want this to come across as sappy or too corny. Please no flaming arrows or darts. Oh what the heck I'm a big girl.



The night had passed in quiet stillness. That is after the distant booms of thunder and beautiful display of lightening had passed.

The morning light had met with the darkness to melt away what had been, to start something fresh and anew.

Not surprisingly the loud torque rumbling of Logan's bike entering the long drive was the sound that greeted many of the slumbering residents. Mofo's excited barking rivaled the cacophony of his masters return from the night before.

Though the hour was early Logan knew just where he would find her. The object of his constant torment and the source of his greatest joy.

He parked the bike at the edge of the path towards the river, deciding to walk the rest of the way, needing the time to give him the guts to do what he determined.

Not long ago he had made this same trek as a man walking to his death. Now he made it as a man running to the only thing that could save his life. His steps no less heavy, his heart closer to bursting, knowing his true chance at a life or emotional death was held in the balance.
___

She knew he would come. Something from deep within echoing the reality of his soon coming approach. With all that she could muster from the uncertainty that warred within her she watched. Waited.
___

The walk never felt so long. Maybe he was mistaken and should have continued on on his bike. He was never known for slowness, but for rushing in headlong..., now getting to his destination was taking an interminable amount of time.
___

She held her place upon her makeshift perch. Head hung low in silent supplication. Courage to face possible humiliation and disappointment was her urgent need. Sink or swim, fly or fall...she had to try. Sleep had not been her companion last night, there was work to be done. Though she was tired the drain was more emotional than physical. To calm frayed nerves a gentle breeze began to blow.
___

Loss of sleep contemplating his last ditch effort to have the life he wanted was a small price to pay. Besides his body just rejuvenated itself anyway from the lack of rest. He had nothing left to lose and everything to gain. Reputation, self respect and pride be damned, he had been at fault and if he had to beg, plead, grovel he would. Better that than the sure thing of life as it was now. It was a chance...an opening, one final hope.

Mofo ran ahead of him, knowing where he was going. His tail wagged with excitement and his tongue hung out to one side as he panted with seeming happiness. He sensed that his master was back, the take no prisoners, all else be damned and just don't give a shit - take control master.

His footsteps finally stopped. His eyes took in the vision before him. For a moment it was as though he had to learn to breathe.
___

She knew he was there. Slowly she rose from her perch. Their eyes met and locked on one another. Something in her brain gave her lungs a kick start to continue breathing and her heart the thump to resume beating.
___

Even though he wanted to sprint the short distance between them his feet started on their journey once again taking long strides. He wanted...no he needed her in his arms. But his steps faltered.
___

Seeing his rapid advance she held her arm out to stop it as she shook her head...no.
___

At once he was quickly dying. If not for his adamantium skeleton he would surely be in a heap upon the ground.
___

The place she had been sitting was the makeshift music platform the kids had set up the day before. Now she walked up to a microphone Bobby had set up and stood behind it. Her head once again hung low.

Two bodyless hands reached up on the borrowed sound board from the mansion and flipped a switch after she tapped the microphone head. Music streamed from the speakers.

Mofo ran forward as if to get a front row seat and plopped onto his belly on the ground before her.

Logan stood in his tracks still unable to move. His keen eyes locked to her simplest of moves.

For the second time in his life he heard the amazing sound of her voice singing as she unhurriedly raised her head to look him in the eyes once more, her graceful melody filling the air. The first part a little timidly, but the last two verses showing her growing confidence in her words with impassioned expression.

-I feel weak, we've been here before
Cause I feel we keep going back and forth
Maybe it's over, maybe we're through (her head leaned to one side with a nod and shoulder shrug)
But I honestly can say
I still love you
___

Logan swallowed the lump in his throat; hard. Noticing the breeze pick up slightly. A cautious lightness threatening his heart at her last words.

-Maybe we've reached the mountain peak
And there's no more left to climb
And maybe we lost the magic peace
And we're both too blind to find.

As in the garage from a couple days ago, Ororo lifted her arms from her side, not in frustration, but in uncertainty. Still her voice gained in volume and strength. The sound as beautiful as he remembered.

-Let's start over
Let's give love their wings
Let's start over
Stop fighting bout the same old thing
Let's start over
We can't let our good love die
___

Mofo jumped to his feet going round and round in circles. The breeze now a strong wind, bending tree branches in its wake. Ororo's hair lifted and tossed. Her hip hugging peasant skirt billowing as if a beautiful sail. Unshed rivers pooling in her eyes.

-Maybe we can start all over (a strong gasp of breath escaped Logan's lungs, unashamedly tears began to flow down his face, not once did he try to wipe them away, he was paralyzed by the words she was saying and as always the vision he beheld)
Give love another life

-I can see that we're not happy here
So why would we keep pretending that there's nothing
there
Maybe you like it, well I don't
And maybe you'll settle, well I won't (at this Logan raised a single brow, his mind still attune to her voice and the words)

-Maybe we reached the mountain peak
And there's no more left to climb
And maybe we've lost the magic peace
And we're both too blind to find

-Let's start over (almost like a child she stomped her bare foot, wanting to soar into the heavens for the whole world to hear her declaration to this man, bold and unapologetic,...still she remained grounded; barely)
Let's give love their wings
Let's start over
Stop fighting bout the same damn thing (moved by her emotions she changed the one word, the musics tempo fueled both of their overworked feelings)
Let's start over
We can't let our good love die (Logan could stand no more, slowly he sank to his knees as he listened and watched the love of his life shed all of her pride to offer herself freely to him, who deserved not an ounce of her gift. It was more than he deserved, more than he could bear. But he'd be damned if he refused. Mofo came to his side panting, not taking his eyes off his mistress, but nuzzling his master)

-Maybe we can start all over
Give love another life

I know that this will hurt you
I know you'll cry
I know I called you selfish, but that's a lie
I feel I know what's best for us (again she held her hand out to him, in want not in heeding as her voice grew even stronger and the tears finally fell. As in months earlier she was a fearsome awe inspiring sight. This time there was no anger or lightening dancing at her fingertips. Just the gentle beckoning of two hearts to let go their rage and come home)

-Let's start over!
Let's give love their wings
Let's start over (Ororo's head shook back and forth, the frustration of everything she was feeling and wanting desperately to express taking hold)
I'm tired of fighting bout the same damn thing
Let's start over
We both know that this love won't die

Maybe we can start all over
Give love another life

Abruptly the music stopped. Ororo stood breathing hard, her chest heaving after pouring all she had into her offering of herself to the man she loved. Looking him in the eyes waiting;...again. Questioning.

Question answered!

In a flash Logan was on his feet and standing before her lifting her from the platform, welding her to his masculine frame, holding on for dear life before claiming her lips as her very soul in answer to her ridiculous inquiry. Her arms found their way around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. The wind continued to blow as he walked them round and round in their embrace.

As much as it pained them both, they knew they had to come back to earth, even though it wouldn't be so bad a place now with the other part of themselves connected once again. Reluctantly Logan lowered Ororo to the ground.

From somewhere afar off in the world they heard Mofo barking and...and...was that...clapping and shouts of joy?!

Opening their eyes they held onto one another silently mouthing the words 'I love you', they became aware they were not alone. Filling the treeline to the boathouse was a large audience of many of the mansions residents. All exuberantly cheering.

The disembodied hands Logan found out belonged to the only other one Ororo had asked for certain to be there, Bobby, but he had the other kids with him as well. In typical Bobby fashion word had spread like wildfire, with the help of one little firecracker, what Miss Munroe planned on doing and all wanted to be party to it. Thank goodness for the alarm clock awakening of Logan's bike and Mofo's barking.

Hank the Professor, Scott and surprisingly Jean held the front row of the treeline audience. Their attendance due to a new teleporting student with a devilish appearance. All of them smiling to outshine the sun. Jean's a little more subdued, but happy none-the-less.

Although they kept their sight on the happy couple in front of them, a silent conversation transpired between the two telepaths. 'Thank you for your willingness to be a part of bringing about this end.'

'It is only right Professor. Besides I was the owner of a beautiful home for a few hours. Such a small part to play in seeing them both so happy...and things,...as they ought to have been,' a quick gasp of breath escaped her lungs, tears forming in the corners of her eyes,...'in the first place.' Jean chanced a side glance to Charles, with a smile.

Astute as always, Charles didn't miss a thing. 'Yes Jean, but never underestimate the fine lines between the realm of human emotion. With the slightest turning rage becomes loving passion, hate insurmountable love and sadness incomparable joy.'

'I get it, I do. What I didn't before Professor I understand. And with your continued help I'm sure I'll get to where I need to be.'

'Not mine alone Jean, but all of us,...your family.'

"Whoo hoo, Wolvie loves Storm!", an exuberant shout from a crying Jubilee broke through the den of cheerers.

Laughter could be heard, albeit a little meekly, the kids not knowing if they could laugh at the fearsome Wolverine, who loudly growled the response, "Ya bet yer ass I do.", which happily provoked more laughter.

Truth be told many were wiping tears of joy. And many were surprised beyond speech. Still tired from waiting for the signal from Miss Munroe, Bobby and his cohorts all ambled back to the mansion and their beds. Their night of almost sleeplessness now well worth it.

The other young viewers followed their lead and headed back as well.

Ororo and Logan made their way over to the older X-men and Charles.

A one arm hug and kiss on the cheek exchanged between Ororo and Scott. Masculine back pats exchanged between Hank, Scott and Logan, who had yet to relinquish his hold upon Ororo.

Jean stepped forward towards Ororo, but was stopped by a stern telepathic halt, 'Don't want yer scent on Ro right now...no offense, just don't need the reminder is all.' Logan imparted to her while looking only at Storm. Jean had the grace to blush understandably and back away.

Charles cleared his throat.

Though he had held back Charles now held his closed hand out to Logan. "With Ororo's permission I would like you to hold onto these for a while.", inside his now upturned palm were the keys to the boathouse.

Logan looked from Charles' hand to Jean, whose blush darkened, as she smiled shyly offering a nod of her head.

Storm squeezed his hand. "Whatever you want dear heart."

"On one condition Chuck," Logan's eyes traveled the group left standing there.

Charles borrowed a page from the Logan handbook and raised one brow.

"If ya all give Ro and me a while longer on our banishment. When we're ready we'll come find ya, till then don't bother knockin'."

Ororo elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"What,?" he had the impish nerve to act surprised, "I'm just sayin darlin."

On that note Hank and Jean laughed and turned to leave following the path of the children. Both knew the alone time they needed was well deserved.

"Same old Logan, I see." Scott chimed in.

"What expect me ta be different now just cause..."

"Cause what I know you went out and bought..."

"Okay! Okay damn it! Would ya mind if Ro and I had some time alone fer a while." Logan changed his tune instantly at Scotts words.

Scott beamed.

The Professor cleared his throat suspiciously behind his hand.

Ororo bent down giving Charles a hug. "Take care my dear, do not forget this old man is near and misses you already."

Scott leaned in to give Logan a manly hug, but whispered in his ear, "I am trusting you with my heart, hurt it again...no one will remember who you were."

"Trust me Cyke, I'd rather cut out my own heart than ever try. I'd be a fool."

Logan took the keys from Charles, he and Storm turned and walked toward the boathouse.

Before going inside Logan yelled back to the now departing Scott, "Cyke, from now on I'm the wisest man on the planet!"

Mofo lay at the front door as if a sentinel on duty, just as the doors slammed shut and a giggling Ororo was heard inside, just before a growl and something glass crashed to the floor.



the song is (Start Over) by Beyonce. If you haven't heard it look it up on the net and give it a listen, one of my favorites. AA

A N: Well here we are; near the end of this journey. So long I have wanted to post, but wasn't sure if this was quite right. I can't make anyone who has been faithful to this piece wait any longer and I do apologize for my lack of surety with this fic. Such as it is, here it goes. A A


Tranquil. Beautiful. The atmosphere surrounding the once ramshackle boathouse had an entirely new feeling. Gone were the ravages of time, in its place a beautifully appointed comfortable home. The woods creatures, who once found it to be a place for rummaging, now came to play in its well attended yard and gardens. The old visitors adding to its picturesque beauty. The disrespect once bestowed upon the house a thing of the past. Everything seemed to now pay homage to its deserved elegance.

Upon first notice it would be assumed that no one dared disturb the command that the house held in its place by the lake, but everyone knows it's best never to assume anything. The living room was still immaculately ordered, with the exception of a shattered compote on the floor near the entrance receiving table. A large area rug was slightly askew, some of its fringes upturned. A worn leather jacket was carelessly dropped in the middle of the stairs.

Upstairs sheer curtains fluttered at the open window at the end of the wide hall. An oil painting hung crooked near the entry to the master suite.

The sound of soft breathing could be heard coming from the open door.

Inside a man sat in the comfortable chair near the window, watching the sleeping beauty upon the king sized bed. His eyes intent upon every rise and fall of her chest. A miracle. Nothing but a miracle. Though he claimed no belief in any certain deity, he knew he had been given the chance to be near her again by something greater than himself.

She took a deep breath, but he didn't move. He knew she was sound asleep and he was. . .afraid. He was aware of the emotion for one of the rare times in his life. He was afraid that if he moved he just might wake up and fint it all to be a dream. So. . .he sat very still and quiet waiting for her to awake and tell him that this was indeed a reality.

Early morning:

As soon as the door closed he reached for her.

She sensed his movement and quickly turned, walking backwards toward the stairs, a sly smile on her lips.

His hip bumped the table in his haste to be near her. The crystal compote she had placed there tipped over, rolling to the floor with a crash.

She giggled as he attempted to dive for her and he slipped just a little on the rug. Knowing he would not be easily halted she turned and ran up the steps. He was close on her heels. Growls his only vocalizing, as he shed himself of his dusty leather jacket, not caring where it landed. The stairs becoming its temporary home.

Similarly as in weeks before, she ran for the shelter of the master bedroom. Now elegantly renovated and decorated. Then out of humiliation, now out of blissful playfulness. In her haste, delicate fingers brushed the nature scene painting on the wall opposite what had been her temporary dwelling.

No sooner had she crossed the doorway, than he had her snared around the waist within his massive arms pulling her backward to his chest. She tilted her head back to lay against his neck as her own arms enfolded his that were wound about her.

He held on. Breathing in the fresh rain smell of her hair. Loving the feel of her arms and body on his.

She relaxed for the first time in weeks. Relishing the safety of his strong embrace. A contented sigh escaped her lips.

For unknown minutes they both just stayed that way.

Home. What they thought lost and gone forever, theirs once again.

Reluctantly Ororo walked out of the arms that held her. Her steps carried her to the picture window she now looked through with unseeing eyes. When her voice came it was soft, without the aid of his enhanced hearing he would have completely missed what she was saying.

"You hurt me", her right hand gently rubbed her left arm up and down as she hugged her own waist, bereft of his arms. She spoke ending her words with a quick gasp. "I don't open myself up very easily to the possibility. I guess that is why it took me so long to put aside my pride and its cousin; stubbornness. I know that love makes you vulnerable. . .to the good and the bad that life brings," slowly she turned to face him where he stood in the same spot.

"I. . .I thought you did not see me. . .or at least, like so many others just, I do not know maybe you. . . were not interested or did not care to know me. The men the have been in my life tend to treat me as something nice to have around, but not as a woman with a heart, that feels. Then you told me otherwise. I could not believe what I was hearing. You made me trust you. You proved your words to me with the love you made me feel."

"I told myself I would fight for you, for that, but I did not. Then dad made me face those words. I chose to be angry at everyone around me and the world. Blaming them for the pain. Never once did I stop to consider that I was causing the same hurt and anguish to you," tears welled in the bottom of her eyes, that she refused to let spill down her cheeks.

Logans heart broke anew.

"Somewhere deep down, in a place I do not want to admit exists, I wanted you to hurt. And. . .I was, huh. . .I was wrong, so very wrong. For that I am soooo sorry." Her breaths were coming fast and shallow.

"I made a choice Logan and I don't regret it. I love you, i couldn't stop if I tried. . .and goddess knows I tried. I understand the man that you are and the power that was wielded over you in your actions, I am not making an excuse for either, but I do not blame you. I forgive you. If you are willing to put up with all my faults," she tilted her head and shrugged her shoulders, "I'm here. In this for as long as you want me; or we do not kill each other," swiftly she swiped at the tears that escaped down her cheeks.

She sought his eyes imploring forgiveness and acceptance.

Logan ran his hand down his face. To say he was completely relieved would be a lie. He knew the damage that was done. He had thought of it all too often over the past few weeks, what if the shoe were on the other foot. It hurt too damn much to even think about it. He could only wonder at the grace the woman before him offered.

Slowly he began to walk towards her, speaking as he did, "Darlin' I could never stop lovin' ya if I wanted ta. . .and I damn sure don't want ta. Yer everything I need and never deserved. The pain I caused ya is the worst thing I can think of. I'll say it a thousand times a day fer the rest of my life it it will help. I'm sorry darlin', I'm sorry," he now stood in front of her. with the back of his hand he reached out to stroke her face.

She knew once again the effort it took for this proud man to confess such words to her with such depth of meaning. She stood before him her world spinning on its axis with the joy she felf.

"Since the first time I really saw ya, ya've been the first thing I think of in the morning and the last at night. Anyone who doesn't see ya is a damn fool. Anyone that has never taken the time ta get ta know ya were flamin' idiots. I will always want ya darlin', hell it wa beyond death being without ya. If ya can find it in ya ta put up with this old Canuck I aint ever lettin' ya go. Just hold onta me and fry my aas if ya even think I'm goin' anywhere, even though I aint and I'll still put up with it, just ta be with ya. I love ya so damn much darlin'."

The two collided in an all consuming embrace that beckoned both like a wave to the shore.

Her arms wrapped around his corded neck. Nothing was between them but the intense charge of pure love that had become a tangible element in the room.With deliberate tenderness Logan captured her mouth with his. Their lips slid over one anothers in unhurried exploration, as if for the first time. Both seeking to know the other anew. Both opening up to the other to taste what was to them lifes nectar hidden behind soft pillows of fresh dew.

How it happened neither one could say, but in an instant both were devoid of their few hindrances of clothing. Coming together again instantly in a heated embrace. Sighs of joy escaping their mouths. Logan scooped her up and carried her the few feet to the enormous bed, placing her down as if she were too fragile to touch.

Unable to restrain himself he placed the softest of tender kisses upon every inch of her flesh that his lips traveled. His hands soothing every part of her that they could reach. With every effort of his attention he felt her relax. Soon her breathing became less and less labored till it evened out in deep restful breaths.

He took a moment to peek up from his ministrations of soothing the woman he loved so very deeply, that had become his heart, to see that not only was she relaxed. . .she was sound asleep.

Silent laughter filled his throat, as he lay behind her cradling her against his chest, till his own tired eyes let sleep claim him as well.

5:47 p.m.

An easy deep inhale and languid arch of her back and stretch of her limbs, slowly brought Ororo awake. Before opening her eyes her hands sought out the body she knew would be near her on the bed. Cold linen met her search.

"Logan," an urgent plea, left her lips, as she quickly sat up on her elbows, eyes now open looking for him. Her hand sweeping colorless locks from her face.

"Hey darlin'," his deep voice came from the cushioned chair near the window.

"I. . .I thought. . .Logan I am sorry I did not realize how tired I was till I felt so safe in your arms and I. . ."

"Hush Ro, no reason ta apologize ta me. I'm glade ya were able to get some sleep. We have all the time in the world left ta us now darlin'."

"But I know you. . .I mean. . .I know we were. . ."

"Were what darlin'?" he asked rising from the chair, unabashedly naked, as he walked over to join her upon the bed.

He eyes fought to stay on his face and not the anaconda between his thighs. Still she unconsciously licked her lips, as her mind strayed to the delight she knew it could bring.

Logan's ego soared having caught the action and his trademark crooked grin softened his features.

"Well I ahh, remember that you were, that is to say that we were definitely in the beginning of ahh. . .", she stammered.

"Beginning of what darlin', about ta bring the roof down upon our heads with the earth shattering couplin' we were about ta commit," he laughed.

Shyly she hung her head down and smiled, with none of it having to do with the fact that she lay naked just as much as he was. Then out of nowhere she reached out and playfully punched him in the arm.

"Really darlin', first ya fall asleep on me and bruise my ego, then ya start ta trounce me fer yer not being able ta resist my soothing charms. How dare ya woman!" before she could think he had her in a vise grip and was tickling her senseless.

Ororo's hearty laughter filled the room, as she squirmed endlessly at Logan's assault. "Uncle, uncle," she cried, between snickers.

"Are ya sure darlin', me egos still a little bruised." he waggled his eyebrows at her.

In an instant the look in her eyes went from impish playfulness to heated. Logan was floored.

As though no time had lapsed Logan again started his hands and mouth exploration of her beautiful body, not missing an inch. Slowly, painstakingly he turned her back to him and kissed every part of her from her neck to her spine.

"Logan. . .I need to touch you. What are you doing?"

"Hush baby, just let me. I'm remembering everything I could never forget. I need to soothe every part of ya that I hurt, even ta yer soul if I can."

Ororo took an overwhelmed breath.

The man was going to kill her. Tenderly with every touch of his hands and mouth, Ororo fell apart only to be put back together by the all encompassing feeling of love he imparted to her with each caress, every kiss.

If she wasn't broken before she was now, as every carefully constructed wall she had built came crashing down by the power of the man she loved more than life itself. Beyond any climax she had ever had, Logan brought her to euphoria with each passing second by just the earth shattering depth of emotion he showered upon her.

Silent tears coursed down her face.

How was it possible to go from such pain to unimaginable happiness and ecstasy in so short a time.

She had to let him know she felt for him just as much. Unable to be merely a recipient her hands and mouth eagerly sought to assuage any lingering doubts as to her love for him.

All tiredness was gone, all playfulness was put to rest. Intense passion now broiled between them both. Hands sought eagerly to renew exposed flesh. Mouths nipped, kissed and sucked anywhere they could reach. Legs intertwined one another. In short neither could control the hunger they had for the other.

Time held no meaning as the two became one. Beyond their touch there was nothing. The world consisted of two and their boundless love.

Though they had shared the usual tumultuous passions of inflamed need, this time was gentle, unhurried filled with untold emotion.

Every touch, every thrust tearing down the hurt each had suffered for so long to solidify the bond they forged brand new. Neither cared if the world came to an end right then and there; at least they were together. . .whole.

When release came for them both, much later, it was with the shattering climax of the earth moving; their world. shaken to its core, removing all debris hindering anything and everything that they were building on creating a firm uncluttered foundation.

Basking in the afterglow of their joining they lay still tenderly stroking each others faces staring into the others eyes, seeing the same passionate love reflected back at themselves. With no words to say Logan cradled her to his chest, her silent sobs mirroring his quiet tears.

Outside no storm raged, only a light rain fell refreshing the earth with promise of new life.

On the front veranda beside Mofo a dark furry companion lay curled to his side, as his tail lazily swished back and forth as she slept, while he vigilantly kept watch over all within his domain.

“ORORO N’DARE MUNROE HOWLETT! Get yer sweet as…, butt out here!” he amended his word. Logan’s booming voice carried in from the mansions eastern door. All heads within hearing turned toward the appearance of the scowling faced Wolverine. His temper was something of note, but never with the white haired goddess known as his wife of nearly a year. Immediately every mind set to wondering what could have the Wolverine so upset with the one person he loved more than life itself.

“Where is she,” he bellowed to no one in particular as he continued his stomp into the mansion. Every one within his company quickly found something else to be of intense interest if his gaze fell to them with the unwanted precarious question. Self preservation from him and his wife was immediately brought to the forefront.

Logan chewed the Cuban in one corner of his mouth vigorously, demonstrating his level of frustration.

Pete had the unfortunate luck to come down the stairs just as Logan was making his way to the upper levels.

A grump and a growl proceeded from Logans mouth before audible words, “She up there tin-man?”

Unafraid though infinitely wise Peter shook his head in the affirmative.

“Humph”, not a thank you or any other words, just a doubled pace to his intended quest.

In no time at all Logan was at his destination. The attic door was closed, but not for long. In one slam it opened to allow him entry to what was still his wife’s private sanctuary. Charles hadn’t the heart to give it to anyone else since her marriage to Logan and their occupancy of the boathouse. It would forever be hers at her disposal.

“Have you lost your mind husband. Do I barge in on you in the garage?” she said with her arms crossed, standing near the balcony doors.

“Yeah”, the cigar moved to the other side of his mouth still agitated.

“Well do I scream for you all over creation when I am not aware of where you are?”

“Yeah, ya do.”

“I certainly do not let it be known to the entire school and the goddess that you have vexed me in some unknown manner.” she huffed.

“With lightening strikes and roarin’ thunder darlin’,” his eyes shone with an eerie light.

“Humph, well I have not lost my mind. I was going to tell you…”

“When after the damage has already been done. What is this darlin’ some kinda payback.”

“Do not think me so petty Logan how was I to know that TeeBee would do such a thing.” she said, raising one plucked brow as she had learned to do from him, but something else danced behind her baby blues.

Logan looked at her as if she had grown a foot in the middle of her forehead.

TeeBee, why was she talking about Mofo’s mate she had adopted as her own. Sure TeeBee and Logan didn’t exactly get along, much like Mofo and Ro at first, but he wasn’t aware of any new wrongdoing to himself from the mutt.

“What the hell are ya talking about Ro, what has yer bitch gone and done to my shit now?”

‘Oh damn’ she thought. She had reacted to the wrong oops. She was a smart woman she could cover two major faux pas with one stone if she played it just right.

Slowly she sauntered to where he stood, adding an extra sway to her curvaceous hips, her mind backpedaling all the way to find an escape for her self set trap.

“You know husband, TeeBee is only being possessive of Mofo the same as you are with all you love and care for. She cannot help that she has a hard time sharing him with you. After all you do not share me with anyone.”

“And I never will! Yer mine.” he said impassioned. “But there is a difference darlin’, Mofo aint gotta worry about my wanting to sleep with ‘The Bitch’,” hence her name TeeBee, “you on the other hand are quite different where me and every other living male is concerned.”

“Oh Logan please! That is not true and it does not change the fact that you are the only one I want.” they now stood embracing, with her playing with a lock of his hair in one dainty hand.

“I better be, but that doesn’t change why I came lookin’ fer ya and my curiosity now over what yer dog has done.”

She pulled away, walking back toward the balcony, “It is but a small thing Logan a trifle really,…”, she glanced back over her shoulder, hesitating.

A raised brow and arms crossing his chest, greeted her sight.

Damn the man was stubborn, not to mention sexy as hell.

Feeling none of the bravado she was about to display, she threw caution to the wind and went for it.

Bracing her hands on her hips and solidly planting her feet she squared her shoulders, “I am not getting ready to do anything now that I have not done a hundred times before…”

She heard the start of his rumbling growl in his chest, but she forged ahead.

“…I have never known you to turn down so simple a mission and besides that Kitten and Scott will be with me. It will be a piece of cake and I shall be back in your arms before you will even miss me.” She was speaking so fast and looking everywhere but at him that she missed the incredulous shit eating look he was giving her.

“Ya’ve gone and done it Ro, you’ve lost yer damn mind if ya think I’m letting ya do this.”

“Oh is that what we have come to now dear husband…you Let me do things?”

“Don’t go there Ro, that’s not a road ya want ta travel” his mind and hers immediately went to his own bachelor party and his restrictions per her. His poker night with the guys and his restrictions per her. His wanderlust at an end per her. The lessening of his alcohol consumption; per her. His tethering during missions per her orders and much more too numerous to think on. Damn,…the woman had tamed the Wolverine, somewhat. She needn’t know how he almost always ignored her restrictions.

Shit! Change tactics she thought. The first words coming to her mind reminded her she was definitely married to the Wolverine. Never before had she thought with profanity leading the way.

“You know I deny you nothing that you truly desire dear heart,…”

Yep she was nuts.

“… so just in this I want you to be in accordance with my position in the X-men.” she again found herself sauntering towards him to wrap her silken arms about his neck and nuzzle his nose with her own.

Soft pecks were placed upon his jaw, to the corners of his mouth till she took both of his lips with persistant pressure.

Logan let her persuade him to her hearts content, enjoying her attempt. He loosened his tight jaws and line of his lips, feeling the quick smile she let slip to her own lips upon his.

He let her cajoling carry on till he knew she thought she had won him over.

Releasing their contact, he put her at arms length, a slow smile working the corners of his mouth. Hers in return was seductive yet coy.

“It aint happening!”

“Oooffhhh!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms up in frustration, “you cannot stop me. You are still the most infuriating, pigheaded man I have ever met!”, childishly she stamped her foot, after acting the siren.

Logan threw his head back and laughed. “Ya wanna bet…” the most evil grin she had ever seen him give graced his face slowly …”I’m gonna tell Chuck!” and with that he started backing out of the room, wisely keeping an eye on her before turning his back to her.

“You would not dare!” she yelled after him as he quickly left the room.

“Why you… I’m glad TeeBee pooped in your helmet and used your jacket as a pee pad.” she whispered, not sure if he was still close enough to hear her.

---

“You wanted to see me Charles” Ororo said entering the same office she had over a year ago to get her sentence of banishment with Logan, who once again was leaning in much the same position against the fireplace, with a smirk on his face she wanted to wipe off.

“Please Ororo, take a seat.” Charles gestured to the same electric chair she had sat in back then.

Once again Scott stood beside the Professor, this time his hands casually linked behind his back his face unreadable.

Ororo took in the air in the room and knew the jig was up, Logan had spilled the beans.

“Charles,” she began, not waiting for him to start this time, “you do not have to be concerned about me, you know that being an X-man is a priority with me and that I would never do anything to put anyone or myself in harms way.”

“Ororo please, if I may. You do not have to tell me the care that you take for yourself or others, but in this I have to be in agreement with Logan.”

She looked to Scott.

Scott looked to one of the windows a small smile playing at his lips.

“Traitor.” she mouthed.

Logan snorted.

“I will not be sidelined!”

“Ororo.”

“I should have been the one to tell you.”

“Yes you should have been, but in light of the fact that you did not, you are off active duty. Immediately.”

“That is not fair. It is still early.”

“Logan stood straight and growled.”

Scotts brows rose above his visor as he began to softly whistle.

“Still not a chance I am willing to take with my first grandchild.

The wind left her sails.

“But dad, I…”

“Ororo listen to me. I understand the influence you could have in this mission to Wakanda and its positive outcome. But the risks of where it will take you from there to the war torn countries surrounding it is not a position I want you or my unborn grandchild to be in. Had I known earlier I would not have asked you to take part in such a mission, even at the refusal of Prince T‘Challa‘s request.”

“Tell her Chuck”

Scott unavoidably laughed out loud.

Ororo glared at both him and Logan.

Charles ignored the antics in the room, “My being aware of your childhood relationship with the Prince certainly spurred my agreement with the Wakandan nation that your assistance would prove invaluable, but the safety of you and your child are more valuable to your husband, myself, Scott and the team. You can always revisit old acquaintances at your leisure at a more appropriate time in a safer environment.
“Or never at all.” Logan grumbled.

Again Scott smirked.

Ororo hung her head. She knew this was a battle she was not going to win. With a heavy sigh she rose to leave.

“Please Ororo I know that you would love to visit Africa again. Do not count this a punishment, but the concern of an old man who longs to hold you and your baby close just long enough to know that no harm will come to either of you. I trust you completely. It is the world in turmoil that I do not. Don’t begrudge me my own insecurities in that aspect, after all I am only a father.”

His words no longer allowed her to just leave. She turned and walked over to him behind the desk, elbowing Scott in the side in passing. Bending down she and Charles exchanged a warm embrace and kindly kisses upon each others cheeks.

“For you dad, anything.” Her anger continued to simmer, evidenced by the darkening sky outside and the roaring of thunder in the distance.

She stood to once again leave, giving him her lovely smile. As she passed Scott, he was rewarded with a tight pinch to his arm and a pursed lip scowl was thrown in Logan’s direction.

Once she was out of the room the men all exhaled deeply.

Scott looked at Logan pointedly, who now flopped in the chair she had left empty. “You are a dead man, you know that right?”

“Shut the hell up, don’t remind me.”

The Professor pulled out a bottle of brandy from the bottom drawer of his desk. Scott procured three snifters from the side bar, all waited till Charles poured hefty drams in each. With raised glasses in silent toast they threw their heads back and savored the warm liquor.

Silence filled the room for a brief moment as thoughtful smiles crept up on each of their faces, followed by happy laughter from each.

---

As Logan approached the boathouse he heard the sounds of heavy panting coming from the bushes to the left of the porch. He didn’t need to be completely sober or psychic to know that Mofo and TeeBee were going at it …again! “Good boy,” he slurred.

Entering the house there were lamps still lit leading to the stairs. No matter how angry she was at him, he was always welcomed in his own home.

With steps that were slightly askew, he made his way up the stairs to the master bedroom. The sconce on his side of the bed was still lit, but the curvaceous form under the cover on the opposite side had its back turned to it.

Uncaring he sat his heavy bulk down hard on the bed, wavering as he lifted his leg to take off one shoe then the other. He had won a victory today, a rarity against the woman behind him and he was going to savor it for as long as he could unhindered by thoughts of her retaliation.

Knowing her as well as he did, he knew she wasn’t asleep by the sound of her breathing. The hour was late, way late, but again he didn’t care, the copious amounts of alcohol he had drank with the encouragement from the men in the mansion, especially Scott, had spurred on his current episode of rebellion toward the woman laying in his bed.

Not to mention he was going to be a father. A father. So hell yeah he celebrated the way every man on the face of the earth did who was happy about it. He got as shit faced, stinking drunk as he possibly could. Of course Scott helped him along tremendously. The bastard,…no no, the buddy, no ... the bastard. Oh hell he couldn’t think straight.

As with every night he got under the covers devoid of a single stitch of clothing. After much persuasion he had convinced Ororo to start sleeping the same as himself. So he thought, in actuality she had always done so, as she hated being entangled during her sleep in night clothes.

Still not caring one iota about the wrath he knew he was going to face, his resolve still strengthened by alcohol, he snuggled close to her wrapping her in his arms and breathing heavily into her hair.

“You stink, and I hate you!” was punctuated with a backwards elbow to his ribs.

“No ya don’t darlin, ya love me more than you can say, the same as I love you and I feel like celebratin’.”

Quickly she turned around to face him still locked in his arms, “Now who has lost their mind,… I said I hate you and you will not touch me.”

“Ya mean like this,” his hands wandered from her back to cup and squeeze her irresitable derierre, already a growl escaping him as he pulled her closer to his already turgid manhood.

“You really are despicable and out of line and totally unfair and stinking and…”

Her next words were captured by his mouth passionately conquering her own. He knew his battle was won when her attempt to keep him at bay quickly weakened to puny pushes upon his chest.

“You were sayin’ darlin,” he teased.

Breathlessly she answered all the fight gone from her, “I hate…you” even still she nibbled his neck, unable to break contact with him and the fire he had stoked.

“Then hate me a little while longer darlin. Did I ever tell ya how unbelievably hot ya are when I get ya good and pissed. All that rage ya throw at me just makes me know ya were made fer me and me fer you. Nobody else could ever get inta my heart the way ya have. And even though I know ya love me with every part of ya, I don’t mind the heat of yer temper, and oh yes ya do have one darlin,” he nibbled the tip of her nose at her look of unbelief she was giving him.

She knew he spoke the truth, so she gave herself over to the inevitable. Her consuming love and sometimes rage filled passion for him.

The flame of their coupling was fueled by words unusual to their mating dance.

‘I hate you’, hate me more' , became the bellows to their fire. Over and over it was repeated, with overwhelming vehemence, till the bliss of their joining was complete.

Laying sated in each others arms, softly she said, “You deserve only the best things in life my heart, no matter what your past has been ,” tenderly she cradled her still flat abdomen, “and you have given me a part of yourself that can only make me love you more.”

Gently he stroked her hair from her face and the man that had thought himself undeserving of love whispered to his heart that beat outside of his chest, within his arms, “If I had ta fight forever ta hold ya fer just one day I would do it over and over again fer a thousand lifetimes. And if I could stop Mofo from getting into yer unmentionables I wouldn’t. I owe him a debt fer getting me a summers confinement with ya. He got yer rage ta open a door fer me inta yer heart and that’s the only place I want ta be. I love ya Mrs. Howlett, raging temper and all.