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18. In the Open

“You broke my nose.”

“Scott” cried Jean, rushing to her husband’s aid.
“It ain’t broke,” growled Logan, stepping back to give Jean room. Scott pushed Jean away and tried to get up “You fucking idiot, just wait….I’ll get you” he said, pushing himself up.
Logan stepped up, ready for a second punch when Ororo’s voice stopped him mid-swing, “Logan.”
“Yer lucky day” grumbled Logan lowered his arm and withdrawing to the wall.
Henry had reached Scott and was examining Scott’s nose. “He’s right, it isn’t broken. Just minor bleeding. It should stop soon, however I’ll get some medicines for the swelling.” he concurred with Logan.
“I told ya. I didn’t hit him hard enough to break it,” commented Logan dryly.
“Why you…” Scott began trying to put up a false front.
“Scott…No” pleaded Jean. Turning towards Logan she narrowed her eyes and asked in a cold voice, “What is the meaning of this? Why did you hit him?”

//earlier//

“What is it Scooter? I am busy,” said Logan impatiently. He had followed Scott into the rec-room and was waiting for Scott to speak. He wanted to get this done as soon as possible, so that he could go back to Ororo.
“I can see that,” sneered Scott.
“What do ya mean?” Logan was on his guard now, taken aback by Scott’s semi-accusation and his tone.
“You know what I mean…” “Wolverine” Scott deliberately used Logan’s codename in order to rile him up.
“No, I don’t.”
“Oh yes, I guess it is too difficult for you to comprehend. Just like it was too difficult for you to get that you aren’t worthy of Ororo and need to leave her alone.”
Logan growled deeply at Ororo’s name. Scott picked up on that.
“Oh yes, that’s all you can do is grunt and growl. Maybe that’s why they call you Wolverine, because that’s who you are…..an animal.”
“Shut Up” said Logan, his lips turning into a snarl.

“Why, did I hurt your feelings?” mocked Scott. “Well too bad, I am going to get Ororo and talk some sense into her.”
“Don’t take her name,” threatened Logan, stepping closer. “and leave her out of this.”
“Why” Scott didn’t realize how close to the edge Logan was and his next comment was the clincher. “Just because she is alone and lonely, doesn’t give you the right to play with her emotions and once you have got what you want, dump her like a two bit whore.”

“That’s it” Scott didn’t even see the fist coming towards him before he head a bone crunching noise and fell backwards on the coffee table shattering it.

//

Logan remained quiet and looked away from Jean. Jean walked up to him. “Answer me dammit, why did you hit my *husband*.”
“Ask him *Why*?” grunted Logan. He turned to look at Ororo who had come to his side. “Sorry” he whispered to her.
“Scott” began Ororo evenly. “What is the cause of all this.”
Scott just waved his free hand, holding cotton with the other, “Nothing” “Its between me and Logan.”
“Remy tink’ he know the re’son for all this fun and show,” commented Remy chuckling at Scott’s sorry state. Truth be told he had got pretty close himself to punching Scott. But even he had to admit, Logan had done a much better job, he wanted to see a replay or two.
“You stay out of this,” muttered Scott. “This is between Logan and me.”

“What is it Remy?” asked Jean and Ororo. Both worried about their respective partners.
“Summers ‘ere don’ like Ororo going out with here man, Logan” explained Remy. “Dat why he ask smart boy Warren to come to mansion and try to get Logan to give up on Ororo.” “But dat fail didn’ it homme?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Scott” was all Jean could say. “Is this true?”
“He doesn’t know what he is blabbering about?” grunted Scott, trying to cover up his nervousness. Remy had hit the nail right on the head. If things came out he would have not one but at least four people (Ororo, Logan, Jean and Warren) to deal with and then there was the professor. Scott looked up to the Professor as a father and wanted to please him all the time, and this was sure *NOT* to please him.

“He’s lying.” Everyone including Scott looked at the owner of the voice. Warren stepped forward. “I didn’t think you would stoop so low man. We were supposed to be friends.”
“Warren….” began Scott.
“No” silenced Warren, turning to Logan and Ororo he spoke, “I am sorry for any problems I might have caused between the both of you. I would have never come to the ball if I had known of this” he grimaced pointing to Scott.
“So that’s why you left….” Ororo trailed off looking at Logan, who just lowered his head as an apology. “Sorry” he whispered again.

Ororo walked up to where Scott was seated. “Get up” she spoke. “GET. UP.” she repeated herself tightly.
“Look Ororo…” Scott began.
“Shut up” she gritted.
Scott lowered his head, “Why?” asked Ororo.
“Why Scott? Why did you do this?”
“For you” answered Scott.
“For me, ha…that’s a laugh.”
“No” spoke Scott, looking up. “I wanted you to be happy…. I had your best interests in mind.”

“Sure, so that’s why you called your best friend over and tried to ‘pimp’ me out” she was seething now.
“No Ororo. I wanted you to get everything you deserved.”
Ororo’s eyes widened at the words she had just heard from Scott’s mouth and from Logan the previous night.
“You fed Logan all that garbage didn’t you?” “You told him that I would be happy with Warren, with his smart looks, ivy-league education and deep pockets. Didn’t you.”
“YES” Scott said, straining himself to stand erect. “Yes I did. But it seems that he is too dumb to take a simple hint. And now when I tried again he showed his true colors and punched me. He showed me and everyone that he is an animal.” “Do you want something like that?” he said, pointing towards Logan.

Ororo noticed how Logan flinched at being called an ‘animal’ in front of everyone. She had also called him that and now was sorry for that, even if she was being affectionate.

“Oh he took your hint all right. He even tried to push me away, make me hate him so that I would leave him and move on to someone like Warren. Someone who according to you would give me everything I deserve. But you know what, your little ‘game’ worked against you. His actions gave me the strength and opportunity to express my love for him,” stated Ororo to everyone in the room. “So I would like to thank you for that. And as him being an animal just because he punched you once, I just have one thing for you.”
With that Ororo clenched her hand and planted a solid right hook on the same spot Logan had punched, causing a fresh spurt of blood and everyone else’s mouths to fall open.

“I don’t think helping ‘me’ was the real reason behind all this trickery,” stated Ororo, rubbing her sore knuckles. “I think you wanted to get back at Logan. You still blame him for what happened between you and Jean. Even after he took care of you after you knocked yourself out after getting drunk and it was he who sent you back home, to your wife. I think you blame him for Jean lying to you and disrupting your perfect ‘paradise’. A paradise which both of you built on lies and his broken heart.”

“What is she talking about?” queried Warren, confused by the sudden change.
“Oh nobody told you did they,” commented Ororo. “Perhaps you should ask Scott about it, after all he is your *best* friend.
With that, Ororo walked off to where Logan was standing. “You know what Scott, you need to lose that *itch* to control everyone’s life around you, otherwise one day everyone will kick you to the curb, including your wife” with that she walked out, towards her room, Logan’s hand fiercely grasped with hers.

Logan was pulled along as Ororo practically flew to her loft-apartment. She had a calm but stern look on her face and only her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. It was only after she was inside that she let herself go, sinking down, her legs giving way, crying profusely into Logan’s shoulder. Logan held her tight to him, as if wanting the pain to flow out of her and into him. He held her like that until the sobs became fitful and less intense.

He then moved to the bed and picking her up, set her on his lap. Ororo hung on to him for dear life, all her previous anger and bravado gone.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered throatily.
“What fer’ darling” Logan asked, caressing her hair and back trying to calm her down.
“For bringing you back here, for everything Scott did, for…for…” her voice cracking, “calling you that.”
“Don’t be sorry darlin’, don’t ever be sorry…for anything ya do.”
“But….” she began.
“Ssshhh…” Logan placed a finger on her lips. “Ya didn’t bring me here, ‘we’ came back *together*, Scooter is an ass, if it wasn’t you and me, it woulda been someone else, like Marie and Remy. And I am sure Marie couldn’t throw a punch like ya” he chuckled, gaining a mock punch in the chest from Ororo.
“Ooohh….see what I said?” he rubbed his chest, happy that Ororo was finally looking up.
“But I saw how felt when Scott called you….an…”
“An animal” completed Logan, lifting her chin so that they look eye to eye.
“Hmm” whispered Ororo, lowering her eyes.

“It’s the truth darlin’,” Logan said evenly.
“NO” Ororo jerked her head. “No….its not.” she whispered, “No.”
“Listen ta me darlin’,” he continued, lifting her chin again. “I have always had these feelins’. I am more in tune with nature, than with people. Even growing up in Canada, I used to run around the countryside, looking fer new things, flowers, plants, animals, birds and a whole lotta more things. As I grew up that wild side of me also grew. Being in the army with a ‘pack’ o’ my own, it only became stronger.”

Ororo seemed a *bit* satisfied with his explanation, “Just like I am with plants,” she mused.
“Yup” he agreed. “See ya an’ me, we are from and with nature. That’s somethin’ someone like Scooter won’t every undastand.”
“But still….”
“Sssh….no buts nothin’. Ya know I never like when people call me an animal to my face, but this morning when ya called me that…..it felt good….it felt right. So don’t you go and take that away from me” he shook a finger at her.
“Ok Ok….I won’t do that” she grinned and clutched his finger bringing it to her lips. “My animal….”
“That’s like my goddess….” Logan replied, lowering his lips to hers.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Spoilsport” growled Logan, causing Ororo to giggle.
“Who is it?” she asked, not wanting to leave her cozy spot on Logan’s lap.
“It’s me, Warren” came the answer from the other side of the door.
“What da ya want?”
“I…uh….want to talk for a minute…..to both of you.”
Ororo got up, straightened her t-shirt and walked to the door, followed closely by Logan.
“Yes Warren” she asked opening the door.
Warren smiled at both of them. He was glad to see Ororo’s raised spirits. He could see the tear stains on her face and was happy that Logan had managed to improve her mood. Looking at both of them he also realized that he had interrupted something every intimate.
“Sorry for disturbing you” he apologized. “I just came over to say ‘bye’. I am leaving.”

“Oh” “Sorry for the show downstairs” apologized Ororo.
“That” “Don’t apologize. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, well except for the fact that my friend used me to play on you guys. I am sorry for that.”
“Never mind that,” “You are Ok Worthington. You seem to have done well for yourself” commented Logan.
“Thanks” answered Warren.
“Although, I still think you talk a lot o’ shit.”
“And I still think you are a crazy Canadian.”
The three of them laughed at that. Ororo kissed Warren on the cheek and told him to come over whenever he was in New York.


“So darlin’ what do ya want to do now?” asked Logan after Warren had left. “We already lost lunch.”
“Logan I don’t feel like eating in the mansion today” said Ororo. The truth was that she didn’t want to face Charles, Jean, Scott or anyone else who had been in the rec-room that afternoon.
“No worry,” “We’ll go out. I know just the perfect place fer us ta go, and before ya ask, no it’s not a beer bar, but it’s not one of those high-society snob places either.”
“Sounds perfect,” said Ororo, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of their first official date. “It’s a date.”
Logan winked at her, “Ya darlin’ and it will be a special date.”
“Special date…huh” Ororo arched her eyebrows, “Special like…..remember for the rest of your life special.”

Logan was about to give a witty reply, when he noticed Ororo had a deep full body blush going. It was then that the true meaning of her words sunk in. ‘Remember for the rest of your life.’
“Are…are ya sure, ‘Ro” he stammered. “I don’t wanta force ya or something.”
Ororo’s only reply was a simple nod and one barely audible word, “sure.”





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