The next morning, he awoke early. Lying in his bed, he could still feel shades of the dream shadowing his mind, just beyond conscious reach. He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands as he struggled to push it aside; back into the dark recesses where it came from. But it lingered, refusing to fade. Deciding that he needed some time for quiet reflection, he dressed quickly leaving the mansion quietly and disappeared into the woods that surrounded the mansion grounds. The leaves had long ago fallen from the trees leaving behind drab and bare skeletal remains of the trees they had once covered. He stood beneath them, listening to the wind as it flowed through the branches.
It was here that he so often found peace; here that he could often forget and let go of the rage that seemed so prominent in his life; here that he could let the beast within roam free without the chance of hurting someone. But there was no peace for him today; no escape from the dark emotions that the nightmare had resurrected. It wasn’t the images of the nightmare or even the nightmare itself that so terrified him; the dreams had always been with him and he had learned to live with them after a fashion. What terrified him, causing him to leave Ororo in the middle of the night was the fear that he might hurt her or someone else he cared about. His near miss with Rogue had been a miracle, plain and simple; the memory of which still managed to turn his blood to ice.
He sat in the woods for several hours trying to sort out his dark, menacing thoughts. He had promised Jean that he would never hurt her; either physically or emotionally; he had thought that would be enough. But he had never thought that he could hurt her like this; never thought that she was at risk simply because of the rage he carried inside. So the question for him became whether he should continue to build a relationship between them, knowing of the danger, or if he should back away now, before he had the opportunity to seriously hurt her. Sitting in the woods, the wind blowing around him, time passing as the sun moved across the sky, he had no idea how to even answer that.
Ororo?
The summons was gentle, almost a mental whisper as Ororo opened her eyes, looking around. Her eyes fell on the empty spot on the other side of the bed and she scanned the room quickly, looking for Logan.
The summons came again. Ororo? Are you awake?
She sighed recognizing the professor’s gentle mental touch as she stood, stretching the sleep from her bed-stiffened muscles. I am here Charles.
There was a touch of regret to his touch as he continued on. I apologize for disturbing you this morning Ororo, but we need some help with the young man Logan brought to us yesterday.
She felt concern touch her as she grabbed her robe, hurrying from the room. Where is he?
Charles told her and retreated from her mind, waiting for her to come to them.
A few moments later, Ororo breezed into the medical bay, completely calm and composed amidst a scene of total chaos. The young mutant stood on one side of the room, his form altered considerably since she had last seen him, and the others stood nearest the door, watching him closely. Ororo stepped further into the room, her eyes only for the boy who stood before her, his body covered in heavy spikes and his hands ending in deadly claws. She stepped forward, holding out her hand.
“I will not hurt you child. Do you remember me from yesterday?” She watched as the claws slowly receded and the spikes on his body began to shrink as her voice reached him. “I am Ororo; I am a teacher here at the school. Dr. McCoy and Dr. Grey would very much like to examine you to ensure that you are not hurt. Will you let them do so?”
There was a ripple through his body and the young man stood as she had seen him the day before. He reached out, taking her hand in his as he stared at her with his strangely wise eyes. “You’ll stay?” His voice was soft and behind her Jean gasped in astonishment. From her reaction, this was the first time they had heard him speak since his arrival.
Ororo smiled at him softly, leading him forward to the table. “I will stay.”
From that moment on, there were no interruptions. He not only let Hank approach him to help him onto the examining table, but he also let the examination continue without a single protest.
Ororo sat next to him talking to him about unimportant things and about the other students. She talked about her greenhouse, her motorcycle rides with Logan, even the self defense class Logan taught. She talked about the beautiful grounds that the school sat upon and all the freedoms he would now enjoy as a student. He never once took his eyes off of her. Ororo felt that he was reaching out, trying to find someone to cling to in a world that seemed a complete upheaval to him.
Jean agreed and suggested that she spend time with him everyday unless the professor said otherwise.
Ororo even led him to his new room; a private one until he settled in and recovered from the obvious trauma that he had endured. She then showed him around the mansion, showing him where hers and Logan’s rooms were, telling him that if he ever needed anything in the night to come find either one. After a few hours, she reluctantly left him with the professor who was then ready to begin the arduous task of undoing the trauma he had faced at the hands of his tormentors. She walked away from the professor’s study her mind once again turning to the puzzle of where Logan had gotten off to.
She walked down the hall towards her class room to begin her daily lesson. The chaos of the morning, namely the need for Ororo to remain in the medical bay for a few hours had interrupted her daily workout with Logan. Not that she had been able to locate him in the first place; Remy had been teaching Logan’s class that morning at the professor’s request. And she had been forced to give up searching to teach her morning class.
The rest of the day passed rather quickly for her; she was kept busy with the students and their assignments. She had little time to think of Logan; though thoughts of him still managed to catch her unawares. She was sitting quietly in her class room, grading some of the assignments that the students had handed in earlier, when the professor once again contacted her.
X-men, please report to the conference room. There is something important that we must discuss. She sighed, dropping her pen and rubbing her eyes. For some reason, the serious and somber tone in the professor’s voice did not bode well.
Ororo walked into the conference room, seeing that nearly everyone had arrived. Logan was also already there, sitting at the table; his face set in firm lines, his eyes focused far off into the distance. Ororo sat next to him
He turned to her slightly, reaching out to take her hand. He squeezed it firmly in his and she returned the gesture feeling surprise at his public display of affection. He gave no explanation for his disappearance; although given their current surroundings there was no freedom to discuss it.
So, leaving her questions for later, she turned her attention to the professor to see why they had been summoned.
Xavier waited until everyone had arrived and seated themselves at the large table. For the most part, they were all quiet having little or no idea what they had been gathered for.
“I am sure you are all aware that Logan brought a new student to us yesterday. I had originally thought that this case was far simpler in nature and far more easily resolved simply by bringing the young man here. However, after examining him closely, I now realize just how badly traumatized this young man is. In order to help him recover and to bring about a full healing for him, I feel that it is important that all of us understand just what he has been put through.” The professor turned to Jean to give them all the particulars of just what state the young man had been in when Logan had brought him back.
“Hank and I spent most of the morning examining Jimmy closely, with Ororo’s help that is. We weren’t even able to approach him until she came in; he seems to trust her a great deal.” Jean turned to Charles. “I asked her to set aside some time every day to spend with him; I think it will go a long way towards building the level of trust necessary for you to help him.”
Logan looked up at that statement, looking at Ororo questioningly.
She shrugged and turned her attention back to Jean’s explanation.
“Physically, he is remarkably healthy; no sign of disease or deformity; but there is evidence of older, very traumatic wounds. His gift lessens the effects of normal scarring so we have no way of knowing how many times he has been wounded, or even how often. Having said that, we have been able to determine that he has been burned, shot, stabbed several times and has suffered several broken bones.”
There were gasps around the table and Ororo felt her heart constrict painfully at the thought of the pain the young man had suffered. Jean went on, her voice clinical even unfeeling as she tried to continue her report.
“The professor and I have also discovered evidence of severe mental and emotional trauma as well. Physically this young man is 15 years old; emotionally he seems stunted. The emotional patterns exhibited consistently by a normal 15 year old are absent in him. He seems immune to images of severe violence and carnage, for lack of a better word. When the professor and I exposed him to those, it elicited the same response as showing him a peaceful nature scene, or a kitten. He is also exhibiting classic signs of post traumatic stress syndrome. If I was given his psychological profile, I would have either thought he was a middle aged psychopath or a military veteran who had served in a major world war.”
There were several moments of silence as the last word fell from her lips. The professor looked around the room, studying each of the faces that he had gathered to be part of his elite team. There were mixed emotions on each face; each one of them trying to deal with the horrifying ideal of someone, anyone seeking to harm a child to such a degree. Logan had once again begun to stare off far into the distance.
The professor looked at Beast to continue. “Hank, what can you tell us of the boy’s powers?”
Hank cleared his throat, pushing his own anger and disgust aside as he too began his lecture. “He is a very powerful mutant; one who has a remarkable level of control over his gifts.”
One of the other X-men spoke up further down the table. “What exactly are his gifts?”
“He is a metamorph.
“Like Mystique?”
Hank nodded. “Yes, but with a marked difference. While Mystique’s normal, natural appearance sets her apart as very different from normal human beings, Jimmy appears to be completely normal. His mutation does not manifest itself in his physical form. This is a far cry from what we know of this particular mutation; it nearly always affects the mutant’s physical appearance in some way.”
Hank became much more excited as he continued on that vein of thought. “This is an astounding discovery; if we had time to study this, we could better understand not only this particular mutation and perhaps others as well. This could lead to all sorts of wonderful discoveries in genetics and the theory of mutation.”
The professor cleared his throat delicately, well understanding his excitement. “Hank, if you would return your attention to the point at hand.”
“Ah yes, it seems I am far more eager and have placed the cart before the horse has even been born.” There were collective chuckles around the table as Hank got back on track. “Back to the boy; his control over his powers is astounding. He can replicate not only people, but simple objects as well. When we tested his ability to replicate people, he showed remarkable skill; even down to fingerprints and retinal patterns. If he is given enough information, he can even replicate scars from older injuries passing nearly every medical scan used for security reasons at present.”
Again there was a collective silence around the table as the implications for the use of that particular skill came to mind.
Again the professor spoke up. “Now you all understand my strong desire to bring this boy here. Now you all understand my need to undo what has been done to him. If there is even one mutant who is seen as such a visible threat as this, I cannot fathom what that would mean for our efforts to live in peace on this planet.”
“Professor, just what was done to Jimmy?” Ororo’s voice was soft but it carried easily in the silent room.
The professor sighed loudly, turning his attention to Logan. “Logan, I believe this is your part of the story.”
Logan looked up, seemingly startled at Charles’s words. He recovered quickly, clearing his throat as he began. “Chuck grabbed me early Saturday mornin’; just before dawn. He’d gotten word from his government contacts the Canadians had gotten their hands on a powerful mutant and they were worried that it might be a threat. That’s exactly what they said ‘it’; like he was nothin’ more than an object ta them. Bastards. So, I left to pull him out of there. I just had no idea what a damn house of horrors I was willin’ly walkin’ into.
“When I got there, it seemed simple enough, do some recon, sneak in, grab the kid and sneak back out. But God, ya can’t imagine what I found him in. The kid was in a lab; just like the one they butchered me in. The place was covered in guards and high rankin’ government officials. I even overheard a couple a lab techs discussing the damned program. I didn’t need ta hear more ta know what they were up ta so I grabbed the kid, trashed the lab and ran.
“Later, on the jet back he told me a little about what’d happened ta him there. He said they were trainin’ him, guerilla warfare, various martial arts, stealth tactics and various arms training. They were gonna make him an assassin; controlled by the government, workin’ for them. They figured if they started trainin’ him young enough, they could ensure that he’d believe what they wanted him ta and he’d follow orders. They thought that he’d be the perfect infiltrator; able to imitate anybody anywhere, right down ta the cellular level. He’d be able to get in and get out undetected; no one could stop this kid. He’d be the most sought after mercenary ever known; he was already well on his way to no longer bein’ human.
“He hasn’t been with them for very long; maybe a year at most. He said he tried fightin’ ‘em; like he’d have had any luck at his age. They used torture and drugs to get him to come around to their way of things. Most of the wounds you found were from trainin’ exercises; they used live rounds whenever possible to ensure that he’d duck.
“On my way out, I discovered somethin’ else; it’s what made me trash the lab. I don’t know who was doing the research, or even who was responsible for startin’ the damn project up again. But the Canadians had nearly rediscovered the adamantium bonding process that was used on me.”
There was stunned silence for only a moment and then everyone began speaking at once; the words loud and angered, concerned and frightened as they jumbled around the room.
Through it all, Ororo sat next to Logan, watching him closely.
He seemed, different somehow; subdued, even more withdrawn than normal. He did not look at her; he simply sat in the midst of chaos, his eyes downcast to his reflection on the table.
Ororo suddenly became very concerned. But she was given no opportunity to think on it further before Xavier called the room to silence.
“We are all agreed that this boy is our primary concern, at least for the moment. The news that Logan brings us is disturbing. But until we know more, until I confirm the truth of what he has told me, we should focus on Jimmy. I am deeply disturbed by this choice but for the moment we have stalled the research; that will have to be enough for now. Jean, Hank, I will need to see you before you leave today. The rest of you are dismissed.”
The other X-men filed out quickly, still talking quietly about what they had been told.
Ororo and Logan both stood, but Ororo was distracted for a moment as Jean and Hank approached the professor. When she turned back, Logan was gone.
Shocked, she spun around the room, looking for him, more concerned than ever that something was bothering him. But he had quietly slipped from the room without anyone noticing.
Logan was gone for most of the day; she searched high and low for him, but to no avail. She then sought out the professor and Jean and shared her concerns. They of course were just as concerned as she was and they both sought to locate him. But Logan was a difficult individual to read even at the best of times. Now, when he was emotionally distant and withdrawn into himself, he might as well not exist at all for all that either Jean or the professor could sense him.
So Ororo waited; waiting for him to come back on his own. But, later that day she stumbled upon him at the edge of the woods near her greenhouse.
Logan turned and watched as Ororo came towards him; he was purposely avoiding her. He told himself that he was doing it because he needed time to sort his head out; told himself that she didn’t need to be burdened with the darkness he carried inside himself.
She deserved to be bathed in the light; not defiled by the blackness and blood that made up his past. And deep down, he was afraid that if he shared his fears with her, she would walk away from him. Or worse, decide to stay and end up hurt, or dead because of him
He didn’t want to face Ororo with dark thoughts and memories whirling around inside his head. He couldn’t explain it but he felt almost, afraid that Ororo might discover his nightmares. As if somehow, being haunted by his bloody past and a mutant experiment gone awry were somehow things to be ashamed of.
So he was avoiding her. But he knew that it wasn’t going to last much longer. She knew that something was wrong; she’d known the moment she’d seen him in the conference room that morning; though he’d yet to talk to anyone about it
His instincts, however, never shut down or wavered; and a subtle scent brought him out of his deep thoughts. He turned to watch her approach him. Her graceful movements drawing him from the bloody and vague images that flashed around inside his head. He put his cigar out as she reached him, her eyes full of concern and sympathy.
She reached out and touched his face gently, her hand stroking his cheek as he reached out to embrace her fiercely. She rested her head on his shoulder, draping her arms around him.
For several seconds he simply held her, reveling in the feel of her, in his arms, solid against him. Relishing in the comfort and support she was giving him. He was surprised that she anchored him so firmly, tying him once more to the present with her. He pulled back touching her face gently as she continued to hold him; soothing him.
“You have been avoiding me.” It was not a question.
He dropped his hands, feeling her hands falling as well. He ran his hands through his hair as he took a deep breath. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I needed ta clear my head; get some stuff sorted out.”
Her voice was soft and calm; not pressing, not prying. “And did you?”
He leaned against a tree, his profile turned to her; his face sharp angles and deep shadows. His voice was soft and compelling. “Don’t know.”
Ororo reached out, touching his shoulder as she stood next to him. “Logan, what is bothering you; you have been quiet and withdrawn since this morning.”
He turned from her, his gaze going to the silhouette of the rising moon, high in the sky. It was a peaceful image; the fading light of the setting sun giving way to the ethereal light of another heavenly body. “Just leave it be ‘Ro.” His voice was harsh trying to dissuade her from pressing further.
She ignored him. “But why? If something is bothering you this much, that is all the more reason we should talk about it.”
He knew that she wanted him to talk about it. That she wanted him open up and share the experience with her; even if for no other reason than to release the pent up emotions that often built up after traumatic experiences. But, still he resisted.
“Dammit Ororo, I said I don’t want ta talk about it.” He took several steps away from her; he knew she was only doing what she had always done.
She was trying to help. She must have followed him because he heard her voice directly behind him and he marveled at the anger in her crisp, cultured voice. “You are such a foolish, stubborn man; thinking that somehow by keeping the truth a secret, you are protecting me. How many more times must I tell you that I can take care of myself?”
He turned, pushing his hat back so he could look her completely in the eye. “This ain’t about ya ‘Ro.”
She crossed her arms across her chest, her stance radiating disbelief at that statement. “Now that is strange because from where I am standing, I believe this is very much about me.”
Logan said nothing.
Ororo sighed. “I am not here simply because of what might be between us. Logan, we have always been friends; from the first there has always been an understanding between us. Do not shut me out Logan simply because you are afraid.”
Logan looked completely indignant at the suggestion. “Who in the hell said I was afraid?”
She jabbed her finger into his chest, seemingly desiring to poke a hole clean through him. “You did, by denying me the truth; by refusing to talk to me about what is bothering you.”
This time he raised his hand, pointing an accusing finger at her as he felt his anger rising.
“Look, just where do ya get off tellin’ me that I’m afraid of anythin’? Isn’t it just possible that maybe this once I might be right?”
She shot him a look he couldn’t read, but the scent she broadcasted seemed to show complete certainty. “So you are afraid?”
He shook his head, shrugging at the same time. “No, I just…it’s just that…dammit woman, yer messin’ with my head.”
Ororo threw up her hands in disgust and frustration. Her blues eyes were blazing as she stepped even closer to him. “Then tell me the truth, there must be no lies between us if this relationship is to work. Tell me what is bothering you. Have the nightmares come back?”
Whatever he’d been about to say died on his lips. Shock registered on his face as he wondered just how much she knew or how much she had guessed. “What do ya know bout my nightmares?”
She shrugged. “Enough to know that you are haunted by them. Logan we have been through this before, I would never judge you for what you have done in your past. That is a part of your life I can never, and would never wish to change.”
He nodded absently; he knew that; he’d always known that. “I know that.”
“Why then do you still insist that I might think badly of you because of your past?”
He looked up at the sky as if imploring the heavens to send him guidance on how to handle the situation. “It ain’t like that.”
“Well there must be a reason? You did not leave my bed on a lark in the middle of the night.”
“It’s personal.”
“Will you not tell me because you do not trust me?”
“No.”
“Do you think I would judge you?
“No.”
Ororo lost her hold on her temper and a flash of lighting struck about 100 yards from where they were standing. “Then tell me the truth!”
Logan showed absolutely no reaction to her display of power. Fed up with her pestering, he let go, the words flying out of his mouth to land between them like a land mine. “Because yer not Rogue!”
There were several moments of stunned silence at those harshly spoken words. Logan ran his hands through his hair trying to calm down as Ororo stood there silently waiting for him to explain. He knew how his words sounded and he didn’t like it. He was amazed that she even gave him an opportunity to explain in the first place.
“Dammit ‘Ro, I’m dangerous. I’ve killed people and not just in defense of my life. Worse, I get people killed. Everyone around me is in danger; if not from my enemies, than from my own damned, cursed hands.”
Ororo reached out, taking his hands in her own. He tried to pull free and she tightened her grip, resisting his efforts. “I am afraid I still do not understand what that has to do with me not being Rogue.”
Logan hesitated. He had never shared his fears about that night with anyone; except Rogue. And he knew that she would never mention it. But as he stood there, holding Ororo’s hands in his own, he felt a need to simply to let go. He felt a need to tell her, to explain his fears to her. It was very powerful. Looking into her eyes, he realized he no longer wanted to fight it and he simply gave up.
“Dammit ‘Ro, I nearly killed her. I had a nightmare and the second she touched me, I attacked her and nearly killed her. The only reason that girl is still breathin’ is cause of her mutant powers. I’ll be damned if I put ya at risk like that.”
She smiled, stepping even closer. “Do you not think that is a decision I should have some say in?”
He tried to step back, put some space between them and what she was trying to do. He was resisting her, trying to withdraw back within himself. “Dammit ‘Ro, this ain’t like buyin’ a car or house together. I could hurt ya, I could kill ya.”
There was a flash of anger in her brilliant blue eyes as she dropped his hands and threw her own into the air. “And the sky could fall on my head and the world could end tomorrow. There are a million risks I take every morning simply by choosing to open my eyes and live my life. What is one more? Especially if that risk brings me the greatest joy I have ever known. Logan, I am terrified every day that this thing between us might not work; and if it does not, I might lose one of my best friends. But I still choose to be with you, and take that risk because the happiness it brings me is more than worth it. Are you going to sit there and tell me that you do not feel the same?”
He let her pull him close once more, burying his face in her hair as felt the fear twist his heart again. He reached out, holding her face gently to look directly in her eyes. “I don’t want ta hurt ya.”
She laughed softly. “Hurt me? Do you not think that avoiding me might also be hurting me?”
“Dammit ‘Ro I could never forgive myself if I got ya killed.”
She sighed loudly, stepping away from him. A strange light came into her eyes as she stood there watching him closely. “I am going to prove to you that you will never hurt me; I am going to prove to you just how much I trust you and the beast within you.”
He was standing on a threshold now; he could feel it. The argument and his brooding had brought the animal within close to the surface. He shook his head, realizing that she had sensed the change in him as well. He was suddenly afraid of just what she was planning on doing. “”Ro ya don’t understand what yer doin’.”
“I understand very well.” Her eyes misted over, and she tilted her head slightly as she listened deeply to the call of nature all around them.
The air had been heavy all day, a storm threatening but never breaking. Logan knew that at that moment, Ororo was reaching out with her powerful mind. He could feel her releasing the storm from its prison.
Around them both, the wind began picking up speed, whipping around the trees, whistling shrilly. There was a bite to it as the sky darkened and small spurts of snow filled the darkness, stark white against the darkening clouds.
Logan stared at Ororo, her white hair whipping around her from the wind, and felt the beast within begin to rise, drawn by the raw surging nature all around him. He fought it; fought for control over the baser part of himself; but still the beast pushed against him.
His body shook with the effort. His feral half was so close to the surface, Logan could feel it pressing against his mind; wanting out, wanting to destroy, to kill to maim; anything to ease the torment inside his soul. But he held on fighting for control. Because she was there. He did not want to hurt her so he fought it, for her
She leaned forward, her voice soft but firm as she whispered in his ear. “Let go Logan. Let go of the rage and frustration. Let go of the hatred and bitterness inside. Let all of it go as best as you know how. Let go of yourself Logan.”
Logan shook his head, the man inside nearly swallowed by the beast; his power of speech leaving him quickly as he fought to keep it from getting free. “Don’t want to hurt ya.”
She smiled even as she lifted from the ground and he felt a small tendril of the breeze caressing his heated face gently. “We both know that I am more than capable of stopping you if I so choose. Come Logan, play in the storm.”
Logan could feel it happening, despite his efforts to stop it. He could feel his higher self retreating, pushed aside as the beast awoke and took his place. His thoughts were replaced by sensation and pure emotion. All around him, he could see and feel the storm; there was a need to revel in it, to plunge deep into the forest as it pelted the Earth around him.
He could feel that simple call as if it were in his very blood. He lifted his nose and sniffed deeply and caught a new, even more intriguing scent on the wind. He growled softly and stepped towards her, sniffing the air, drawing in deep breaths of it as he tried to place the smell.
Ororo stood there watching him in fascination as something within him began to change. If she had not seen it, if had not been watching him so closely, she might have missed the shift inside of him. Even knowing Logan as well as she did would not have helped. The change in him was very subtle
There were no outward signs, no change in his stance or his posture to indicate anything had changed. But she could feel that something within him was different. The beast within him called to her and she heard an answer from the very depths of her own soul. He awaked the spirit of the Earth Mother within her and she reveled in that. She stared at him directly, meeting his eyes and shivered at what she saw. Logan was no longer there at the moment, the being that looked at her from his steel gray eyes was pure Wolverine.
“Catch me if you can Wolverine.” She turned from him and flew off, knowing that he would have no choice, no other desire but to follow her. She had watched him sniffing the breeze; she knew that he was aware that she was there. Now to show him the truth she knew in her heart; that he would never hurt her; no matter what he might think.
Behind her, Wolverine stood still a moment longer, smelling the air as he let her fly off. His thoughts were vague unconscious images and sensations often given deeper meaning by the man now locked away inside him. But he knew well that the chase would be a great deal more rewarding if he let her put some more distance between them.
A few moments later, he ran into the woods, scenting the air around him as he went, trying to pinpoint the white haired siren that even then called to him; the song of her scent still resonating in his very blood. After a moment or two, he stopped, growling low in his throat; her scent was everywhere. He couldn’t pinpoint her very easily. Deep inside his mind the man laughed at her intelligence even as the beast admired her cunning. He would have to track her as best he could without her scent; but catch her he would; it was simply a matter of time.
Ororo held herself still as the tree she crouched in as she watched Wolverine closely. She had been unsure that she could escape his hyper-sensitive senses for very long. But the idea to use the winds to disperse her scent had been sheer genius.
Now, they were on more equal footing; she would escape his grasp until such time as she decided to let herself be caught. But she would also ensure that he would enjoy the chase; just as she was very sure that she was going to enjoy being caught.
She stifled a giggle as she stepped lightly from the tree. She followed his trail closely, flitting from tree to tree as he searched for her; careful to not remain in the open sky long enough to be seen. This was going to be fun.
An hour passed as the cat and mouse game continued between them. Twice Ororo let Wolverine see her long enough to entice him on; twice she let him catch a glimpse of her. Enough to be tantalizing and urge him.
She even let him track her for a few moments by her scent. Granted it was a false trail leading him no where near where she really was, still he seemed to be greatly enjoying himself. After nearly an hour, Ororo knew that soon she would have to let him catch her to be able to make her point. While the cold and the heat did not affect her, and normally she did not mind being wet, her clothes and shoes were soaked through and they were getting heavy, making flight a much more precarious proposition.
So, she landed on the forest floor, calming the wind and the storm, even as she sent out a tendril of wind full of her unique smell to draw him to her.
She only had a moment of warning that he had arrived. She could feel the woods around her become impossibly still and silent. She looked around, wondering where he would come from, even as she could feel his eyes on her; watching her, weighing her.
He appeared suddenly off to her left; his heavy body silently parting the branches as he came towards her.
She met his eyes, seeing the hunger she had aroused in him. She stood very still, letting him come to her, never taking her eyes off of him.
He stepped close to her, sniffing closely, letting his nose move across her chest and into the hollow of her throat.
She shivered slightly at the feel of his stubble gently caressing her skin.
He reached out, drawing her closer, holding her tightly as he began to kiss and nip at her neck gently. At her sharply indrawn breath and shaky moan, he pulled back to look deep into her eyes.
Ororo met his gaze wonderingly.
His eyes reflected the wilds from which he drew his name; the frozen tundra of the north, the icy forests and frost covered lakes that he had roamed. In his very glance she could see vast tracks of untamed nature dancing in his wild eyes.
“Mine.” He growled softly even as he kissed her lips. “Mine.” His kiss was fierce, possessive. Almost as if he were trying to convince himself she was real and prove his claim to her at the same time.
She felt herself pulled under by it, melting against him; any ability or thought of fighting him disappearing under his burning assault.
He caressed her cheek gently, looking once more into her eyes and she watched as the beast retreated and Logan looked out from those eyes once more. He seemed confused for a moment, looking around him in uncertainty. “’Ro? Did I hurt ya?”
She shook her head, smiling gently. “No you did not.”
He nearly sagged with relief at her words. “I was so scared I mighta done somethin’.”
She reached up to touch his lips, silencing him. She could still feel the need within him, pulsing just below the surface. “Shhh.” She reached up to pull his hat off his head and throw it aside. She looked at him, her eyes heavy lidded with the desire she felt. Reaching out, she began undoing the buttons on his shirt. “Now, why don’t we finish what you started?”
For a moment, it seemed that he might resist. Then with a lazy grin, his lips met hers, even as he brought his hands up her sides, sliding her shirt up with them.
In a frenzy, the rest of the clothes followed quickly, while above them the stars twinkled silently in the sky; shedding their crisp light onto the lovers below.
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