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.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I apologize it has taken so long, please forgive me. Life has a way of intruding making us take a lot of turns and detours. Hope you guys are still with me and will still read and review. Never left my love for RoLo. A A
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