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It was 2:27. There was a muffled sound, but Ororo could tell a motorcycle engine from a mile away. She rose, ready to strike. Grabbing her silk robe-- a present from Charles-- she stormed down the stairs, the pun not funny at the moment. She ended up at the garage, ready to set the big bad wolf in his place. Poor Robert, he was so put out. He didn’t deserve that.

When Ororo arrived at the kitchen, she found chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, sliced bread-- now stale-- and mustard. Whatever he’d been planning had been left out, and she was confused. She put the food away, trying to figure out what caused him to change his goals so abruptly. She wandered to his room, expecting to find him there, when she heard sniffling. Tentatively opening the door, she found a very confused and nervous Bobby, gathering his clothes for washing. She questioned him, then calmed him when she heard what happened.

Ready to scream at Wolverine, Professor called her into his office. Jean called while she was in the shower, and Ororo knew. She’d been updated telepathically. That wasn’t the only reason she was called to his office. Charles, wanting to give Logan time to cool down, ordered her to leave him. And she would, but Charles never said anything about when Wolverine came back.

Protective over the children she thought of as her kids, Logan was about to eat major crow. He hurt Bobby over something stupid, something he was aware of for months. Ororo felt bad for him, really, she did. She understood the loneliness, but he was not about to take his problems out on anyone else. He was an adult, and it was time he started acting like one.

Folding her arms to her chest, she tapped her foot. It was never good to be on the bad side of Ororo’s ire, the adverse effect was deadly. The heavens rolled, thundering mirroring her dark mood. He pulled in, taking his helmet off and shaking his head. His wolfish peaks returned, and he spotted her. Rolling his eyes, he greeted her. “Wanna put a lid on that? It makes for dangerous travel.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Was that a goodbye?”

He cut the ignition. He rose to his full height, unimpressed with her. “Could be,” Logan retorted.

Ororo hated how cryptic he was. “Then before you go, make sure you apologize to Robert. He didn’t deserve your tirade.”

That’s what she was so pissed about. “Yeah, sure. Great talking to you, Storm.” He pushed on; he didn’t need this shit. Not now.

Ororo scoffed. “So this is it, huh? You’re leaving.”

“I thought we established that.” He kept walking, he needed to grab his duffle, say goodbye to Marie. He could always reach Chuck, have him forward his apology to Bobby. Logan threw his door open, the smell of rain filling the air. Thunder boomed outside, making his windows shake. Fine, let her ruin the weather, it matched his mood well enough. He tugged a drawer open, pulling some shirts out.

Ororo stood in the doorway. Wow, she scoffed. She closed the door, if she was going to yell, she didn’t want the kids nearby hearing her. They could sleep through the storm. “You know, Wolverine, I’m impressed. You stuck around much longer than I originally anticipated. A week and two days! I should alert the media.” Ororo leaned against his door, mocking his relaxed stance. “I’m not sure if it’s an improvement, though. For you, it’s probably an issue. Right?”

Logan rolled his eyes. “Is that supposed to bother me?”

“It should,” she hissed. Ororo shrugged, approaching him. “That’s your problem. You care too much about things you shouldn’t, and don’t bother with the things that should.”

“And my sticking around,” he shrugged, folding the shirts, “that should?”

Ororo gave a hollow laugh. “Yes!” Was he really that dense? “People here care about you, but that doesn’t matter. Not enough at least, right? Because she’s not here? And when she returns? What will you do?”

Damn. She had a point. Logan had no idea what to consider the mansion, but it was stable. He could always return, giving him stability. Or enough stability that he could keep pushing forward. “I don’t fucking know, Storm. I just need to get away.” He didn’t mention he just wanted to bide time.

“That’s your problem, Logan! You run, but has running ever once solved anything for you?” she shouted.

“It works for me,” he snarled. “Besides, what do you care? It ain’t your problem! Yer life is fucking perfect all the goddamned time, and it’s pissing me off. Everything is pissing me off!” He leaned forward, baring his fangs and trapping her against the dresser. “Consider it getting some air. It’s stale here, what with you freezing the environment faster than Popsicle or Scooter.” He saw Ororo stiffen, as if he hurt her. Good! “Yeah, that’s right. You put on a good show earlier, but I’m on to you! You got everyone fooled, but I know you’re a frigid bitch,” he spat. “What do you care if I leave? It ain’t like you’ll be missing me.”

Ororo shook her head. “No, it doesn’t,” she mumbled. He furrowed his brows, confused. “You think being in a new environment with new faces who don’t know you will take it away. And it does, but only after the thoughts get so loud you can’t focus on anything but the pain, the acute loneliness,” she whispered, locking her blue eyes on his. “But it doesn’t fix anything. It just... numbs everything. And it isn’t the environment making it go away, it’s you. The pain becomes so overwhelming that you just stop feeling it. And for a while, it’s okay. Not feeling anything. It’s what you wanted, right? The nothingness.” Ororo shook her head.

He slowly released her arms. It dawned on him that he’d been holding her just above the ground, his grip increasing on her tiny arms. He stepped away from her, his chest heaving from the exertion. This was becoming too fucking weird. Each word cut, making his heart heavy in his metal chest. Showing her his back, he continued folding, ignoring her presence. The thundering ceased. It was just rain now, heavy and steady.

Ororo rubbed her arm. She’d be bruised in the morning, she knew, but she had to finish. It needed to be said. “It comes back, Logan. All of it. It doesn’t matter how long you run, it’ll come back.” Ororo began rubbing the other arm, returning the blood flow. “You are many things, but I never thought you to be a coward. It appears I thought wrong.” She gave him one last look, then turned. She opened the door. “Please give your apology in person before you leave. Robert stays up fairly late.”

Logan nodded, despite the fact he heard the door close. He huffed, then continued folding. If the rain slowed, he could be in Canada in an hour or two. Thundered boomed. Best make that three.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, yeah, another cliched Storm-makes-Logan-stay chapter, but whatevz. At any rate, this story is mostly done, I'm just trying to figure out how I want it to end.





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