Chapter One: Without Exception

I gave you a ring
And I promised you things
I always thought we'd do
But my best laid plans
Slipped right through my hands
-Travis Tritt


Some years past...

There was a sad eyed boy waiting in the hallway when her first class let out. Though she was informed yesterday of another potenial student coming this morning, she had let it slip her mind.

Something about the dark haired youth tugged at the heartstrings. He sat, alone, looking as though someone had just run over his dog. She crept closer, idly setting her thick stack of paperwork on the hallway table. He seemed so lost, so weary of being alone in this world. Everything in her body wanted to reach across the divide, to bring him back to the world he seemed without.

"Hello," she greeted quietly. "Are you Peter?"

His soulful eyes met hers slowly. "Da."

"I'm Ororo." the white-cropped teacher smiled, holding her hand out to him. "But some call me Storm."

The boy named Peter seemed intrigued by this. "Why do they call you that?"

Storm shrugged one slender shoulder. "Because I control the weather."

His eyes lit up like Christmas lights. Ororo could see he was starving for understanding, for someone to love him no matter what. She reached for him without even thinking about it. In him, she saw herself so many years ago. Tired, unsure, and all but abandoned in a world that would never understand her. Charles had reached for her hand, offering a home and family unlike any in the world. She resisted him, for a time, but his lure was soon undeniable. Her family was now the X-Men, come what may.

Peter, however, shied from her touch. Not willing to frighten him off already, she took an unconcious step back.

"I apologise," he said quickly. "I do not wish to hurt you."

Though she knew better than to flinch, Ororo's guard went up just a little. It was only prudent that when a young, uncontrolled mutant warned one listened. The effect of an uncontrolled mutation could be devastating, especially to a young man already so wounded.

"Don't worry," she replied. "What's your gift?"

"My gift?" His reply oozed bitterness. "Tis not a gift, but a curse."

Alarmed, Ororo shook her head. "Perhaps. But only because you have not yet mastered it."

His sad eyes turned away sharply.

"Please," Storm plead, desperate to reach him. "Tell me."

"They call me Colossus," he whispered after a time. "And for good reason."

A sharp, teeth-grating crunch of metal on metal shot through the room. Ororo's eyes widened with astonishment as the young man sitting so fornlornly stood to his massive full height. His peaches-and-cream skin suddenly converted into what looked like the strongest steel. He flexed gigantic arms, somehow managing to look demure as he glanced down at his would be teacher.

"I am a monster."

The voice, slightly altered with it's owner's changed appearance, was still sad. Ororo, now completely unafraid, reached for one metallic arm. He seemed surprised when she touched him, but a smile played around the edges of his handsome mouth.

"No," Ororo grinned. "You are far from a monster. I can teach you so much, Peter."

Hope, which seemed alien to her young charge, sprang forth in those dark eyes. "But my strength...I have hurt so many."

"No longer," Storm assured. "I can teach you to touch softer than a butterfly's kiss."

"How?"

Ororo tugged on his arm. "Come with me and we'll get started."

***

Some years later...


She spotted him peeking through the curtain, looking like a curious schoolboy. She knew every inch of him, knew how his body reacted to his emotions. While to others he was as stoic and emotionless as ever, Ororo could read her young friend like an open book.

Nerves made him shift the weight from one foot to the other. This was, after all, the first time he'd done anything for an audience that was not housed in Xavier's mansion. It was only at Charles' urgings that she even broached the topic three months ago. She and Peter had been preparing for such a day for years, but his shyness was an obstacle to overcome yet.

"Worried?"

Her voice startled him. With a yelp of surprise, Peter jumped at least a full twelve inches into the air, spinning as he did so. The black and gold of his costume would have seemed gaudy had they been anywhere else. But here, among like-dressed people, Peter could wear form-fitting pants and be completely comfortable.

"YOU!" He accused as Ororo fought laughter. "You frightened me."

"I could not help it," Storm apologised.

Though Peter glared at her, there was no real malice in the gaze. He sighed, a long-suffering sigh, and turned his attention to her costume. Ororo adored the black dress, complete with gold trim and a train attached to her wrist. The style left much of her back bare, showing off a toned figure she knew she could be proud of. She fussed over Peter's collar as they prepared to hit the floor. In mere seconds, her friend would be exposed to a large crowd. She could only hope his nerves held out.

Before either of them could speak, a young woman in an evening gown with a walkie talkie in her hand rushed over.

"You're next, get ready."

As she bustled away again, Ororo took Peter's hands. Their eyes met, as they did so often. Gone was her lonely young mutant in desperate need of affection. In his place was a handsome, solid man with more to cherish in his life than he knew what to do with.

Here, however, they were just Ororo and Peter. Not mutants, not student or teacher...just the two of them.

As their names were called, Peter spun Ororo through the curtain and onto the dance floor.

***

Here and Now...

This couldn't be happening.

This didn't happen to her. No. It wasn't right. She didn't deserve this. Hadn't she lost enough? Hadn't the Fates tortured her enough?

Though the weather outside was perfectly clear, inside she could feel the storm brewing. Five people sat around the polished cherry table, which the windows reflected sunlight onto the shiny surface. Ororo heard none of what they were saying. She stared with unseeing eyes at the papers before her. It seemed as if nothing was right. So surreal was the entire experience that she might have written it off as a dream, had the pain in her heart not been so fresh.

As she had daydreamed of Peter, the reality that included Logan pressed in all around her. She fought it, trying to stave off the suicidal depression with happier memories. Peter and Ororo had taken home that first trophy, hadn't they? It ws still in the trophy case at home. In the mansion.

In the home she and Logan were married in five years ago.

She can't see his face. When was the last time he actually met her gaze? At one time, she knew everything he couldn't say by a shift in the line of his lips or the arch of his brows. Now, he keeps secrets, hiding those deep places inside of him where she used to live. They had filled one another up, never let go. But, without warning, his grip had loosened one day. Now she was adrift, aching and alone.

Whatever Logan's lawyer was saying made no difference to Ororo. Blinking helplessly at the papers before her, she barely heard Henry McCoy -- whom acted as her attorney -- reply to the bleached blonde, French-manicured woman at Logan's side. When all this started, Storm held on to the belief that it would pass. Logan didn't really want to be rid of her... Sure, they had problems, but what marriage didn't? Surely things were not so bad that they demanded a divorce.

But now, as she looked down at the stack of papers lying so innocently on the glossy table top, she wondered how things had come so far.

Aware that several sets of eyes were on her, Ororo stared with unblinking eyes at the signature already scrawled over the line marked "husband". He had signed so easily, so quickly. It was as if he wanted to simply be rid of the last few years. Was she to be reduced to an old, unwelcome memory? Had her marriage really been nothing more than a sometimes amusement for her soon-to-be former husband?

"Ororo?"

Ignoring the soft call of her name, Storm glanced up. Logan sat directly across from her, toying with something small and metallic on the table. She could hear the dull clinking of it as the circle of gold spun on one end before giving in to gravity. He had not looked up since the meeting started. He calmly allowed Ororo whatever possessions she wanted, stipulating that he keep the house he had built for them. She allowed it. Nothing material would repair her greiving heart.

"My dear?"

She did not turn her eyes from the careful study of Logan's Stetson, but she did respond.

"Yes?"

"Some of us have places to be, Mrs. Munroe," the snotty lawyer said nastily.

"Would it be too much to ask for a little compassion," Peter snapped back in Ororo's defense. "They are ending a marriage."

"Happens every day," the lawyer shot back.

"Bea, shut up."

It was the first that Logan had said in some time. Ororo's heart tripped at just hearing the familiar tone. Though he did not look up or even acknowledge the other X-Men in the room, something akin to hope flared to life in Ororo's breast. She knew it was dangerous to hope again, but she still loved him. Oh, how she loved her Wolverine. There was nothing she would not give him, if only he asked.

For five years their marriage was wonderful. Just a year after Charles and Jean had left them, Logan proposed to the weather witch. As Scott had been found at Alkali Lake some months earlier, he blessed the union as much as a broken man could. He still blamed Logan for the loss of Jean, but even then there had been some understanding as to why it happened. Ororo sometimes wondered if her dear friend would ever recover from the loss of his fiancee.

"She didn't want this."

That flicker of hope jumped in Ororo's chest again. No, she hadn't wanted it. When Logan told her six months ago that they were through, her first reaction was confusion. She had assumed there was another woman, but no one could find any traces of one. She still did not know what prompted the sudden and heartbreaking decision, only that he had pulled completely away from her. Gone were the days when she could read his every emotion without seeing his face. No more would he reach for her while lost in the dredges of a nightmare.

He, quite simply, was through with her. But was there hope still? Could she win him back?

"I still don't," Ororo offered, looking up at him.

"That's too bad," came the reply from shadow under the Stetson.

Hurt once more, Ororo reached for the pen lying so peacefully in the center of the table. Two little signatures was all it took. The flash of a thick ink pen ended what had been the happiest period in her life. It seemed so empty. In her heart, her marriage was alive and well. This entire ordeal is just a farce. She hadn't stopped loving him and something told her that, deep down, he hadn't stopped loving her either. He was trying to protect himself...or maybe even her. From what, she could not even fathom.

She looked up after scrawling her signature the final time. To her surprise, her eyes met Logan's for the first time in months. There was pain in those ebony eyes. Pain and loss and something so heartbreaking she could not even put a name to it. Ororo wanted to reach across the table, to cover his hand with hers and comfort him. But the blonde lawyer snatched the signed papers away, effectively breaking the long-sought eye contact in a flash.

"Well, that's over with," Bea said sardonically. "Congratulations, kids."

Henry spoke up a moment later as Peter steathily grasped Ororo's free hand under the table.

"A little professional decorum is not uncalled for, madam."

Bea merely sniffed at the big, blue mutant.

Ororo stood up gracefully, inhaling deeply. Somewhere in the general area of her feet she found the strength to not shed a single tear. Her marriage was over. Everything was in shambles around her.

With careful hands, Ororo reached for the rings resting on her finger. She'd never removed them in five years of marriage. She worked the set off quickly, bruising her knuckle in her haste. Without so much as a word, she leaned over the table and took Logan's hand. He startled slightly, but his palm opened as though he wanted to reach for her. Ororo deposited her rings into his palm, swallowing over the lump of emotion in her throat.

"These are yours."

She straightened, turned on her heel, and led Henry and Peter out of the law office.

***

"I want to hate him."

Loud whistling of engines and the gentle sound of passengers snoring made Ororo raise her voice slightly. Peter, those soulful eyes filled with empathy, nodded.

"I do not doubt it."

Ororo closed her eyes, laying her head back against the headrest. "It would make everything easier if I could just write him off. But I still love him, isn't that stupid?"

"No." He shook his head. "Love does not fade when the ink dries or because someone walked away. You are not expected to stop loving him. At least, not yet."

A single tear leaked from her eye, only to be wiped from her cheek by a thick thumb. Peter never could stand the sight of a woman crying, it tended to send him into rage or sorrow. Never had Ororo met a man that could so easily be described as an old fashioned knight in shining armor. Literally and figuratively.

"I feel like such a jerk," Ororo admitted. "I believed all of his promises."

"I believe he made those promises with only the best of intentions." Peter defended his friend quickly, though Storm knew he was still firmly on her side.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the fasten seatbelt light has been reengaged. We will be landing in just a few moments. The temperature is seventy degrees with partly cloudy skies. Thank you for flying with us and welcome to Columbia."

As the flight attendant finished her speech, Peter sighed deeply. Ororo, somehow, felt a little better. Logan was far away in New York, minding the children as he tended to do. Every summer when she and Peter left for several weeks, the school was forced to live without their Headmistress. It felt so blissfully normal to be going away with Peter like this. For just a few moments, she could forget all about her divorce, the emptiness of her heart and bed.

At least it was something.

Chapter Two: Humanity

I had big plans for our future
Said I'd give you the whole world somehow
I tried making good on that promise
Thought I'd be so much further by now
Never could build you a castle
Even though you're the queen of my heart
But I've had the best of intentions from the start
~Travis Tritt


Pain ripped through him with the force and fury of a tidal wave. He couldn’t remember where he was or even his own name. There was nothing but the hot, thick blood that erupted from his mouth.

He knew, in the part of him that clung to his humanity, that there were others somewhere close by. They could come for him, save him from the torment he was forced to endure now. Where was she? Why didn’t she come?

Snarling, spitting with the consuming rage, he tore apart the cruel bastards that tried to detain him. They only responded by giving him more pain, shoving aside that humanity and making way for the beast within. Didn’t they know what would happen? Didn’t they understand that he couldn’t control it?

Why didn’t she come?

His claws were the only reality he could depend on. They cleaved a console in two, sending sparks flying across those too terrified to flee. A glint of gold on his hand paused him for a moment, then filled him with rage.

She wasn’t coming. She wouldn’t take the pain away.

That lying bitch.

On a roar, he took another white-coated scientist and plunged three adamantium claws through his upper torso. Blood splattered on his face again, the coppery taste wetted his appetite for more. Why should he fight for humanity? Nothing was here to tether him to reality. Nothing was worth it.

A door opened, the hissing of hydraulics turning him around quickly. A familiar scent drifted toward him as someone walked through the door. She was alone and unarmed. His lips curved into a feral smile. She was defenseless.

He rushed toward her with a feral growl. The scent suddenly filled with fear and she stumbled back. She fell onto her backside and tried to back away, lifting a hand as though to stay his assault. He only laughed, a hollow and maniacal sound.

“Logan?� Her voice was filled with terror.

He took her like all the others and she fell before his might.



Logan awoke on a scream. He flipped his sweat-soaked body out of bed and retched violently on the floor.

“Oh, God.� Rising to his knees, balanced with his palms flat on the floor, he continued tossing up his supper while tears streamed down his cheeks.

When his stomach could give him no more, he flopped against the wall, his bare back resting on the soft blue paint. One hand reached up to the gold chain around his neck, taking the three rings in his hands as though it were a rosary.

If he were a praying man, God would have him on speed dial by now. Nothing could stop the nightmares or the soul-crushing guilt. What he had done was unforgivable.

Bringing the smaller bands of gold to his forehead, Logan released a pent up sob that sounded something like her name in the still quiet. He had done the right thing, he knew that. But it hurt even in the decimated parts of his soul. Waking every morning without her was like torture. Watching her walk away, thinking he didn’t love her anymore was hell on earth.

“I’m sorry,� he whispered to the darkness. “I’m so sorry, baby.�

He curled up on the floor and waited for the dawn.

~**~


Clutching a cup of coffee in his hand, Logan began his day as though his world did not come crashing down around him in the night. With a stack of messages in his free hand, he moved from the mansion’s kitchen into the recreation room. He turned the stereo down without a word, ignoring cries of dismay from several teenagers.

Taking the hall toward the dining room, he ensured that the younger kids were being given a fair shot at breakfast. A grumbled good morning was reserved for Elizabeth Braddock as she met him in the dead center of the room, flanked by Warren Worthington.

“Hey there, Headmaster.� His friend greeted.

Logan rewarded her with a tense smile. He felt her brush his mind, ever so slightly, and compassion flooded her eyes.

She called this morning. Betsy offered silently as they continued a conversation about the school aloud.

How’s she doin’? Logan replied, sipping his coffee.

She sounds better. No nightmares, yet. There was disapproval and shame in her mental voice, which Logan cut off quickly.

She’ll be fine. She ask about me?

Every time. Betsy smiled sadly, the impression of her sorrow reaching him through their mental link. She’ll be home in two months.

Not that it matters.

“And you’ve got a two o’clock with Hank.�

Their silent conversation over, Logan nodded to Betsy. “Ok, have Bobby take over my P.E. class for three. Give me plenty of time with Furball.�

Logan glanced down at his watch, then cleared his throat. “Bets, ring the bell. Summer courses start now.�

“Yes, sir, Bossman, sir.� She grinned cheekily, saluting him sharply.

As she bounded out of the room, Angel raised his hand, shyly trying to get Logan’s attention. He had a soft spot for the young, winged mutant. Someone so innocent, so naïve just brought out the pack mentality Ororo had constantly teased him about.

“What’s up, Halo?�

“I need a van next week…�

“Oh, shit,� Logan swore, then apologized to several younger students as they rushed out of the room. “Sorry, Halo. I forgot to reserve it. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.�

Angel smiled softly. “I know you will. Thank you, Wolverine.�

When the blonde rushed to his class, Logan swore under his breath and headed toward the Headmistress’ office. He spotted Scott waiting for him and offered a slight smile. Though the man was better since the death of Jean and his exile at Alkali Lake, he was still a little…off.

Jean had effectively mind-wiped the poor man, leaving him as a wild man in the forests surrounding the old military compound. By the time Logan and Ororo had found him, he was recovering some of his memory. No one knew what Jean’s purpose had been, but her death and actions nearly destroyed Cyclops a second time.

He still bore scars, especially when Logan and Ororo took over the X-Men and the school without asking. And yet, he seemed more himself over the last five years.

“Hey, Logan,� Scott greeted with a grin around his ruby-quartz glasses. “You get word from the dealer yet?�

Shrugging, Logan motioned for his friend to follow him into the office. “Haven’t looked at the messages yet. Come on in.�

The Headmaster’s office was largely unchanged since Charles Xavier’s death. While Ororo was listed as the school’s primary Headmistress, Logan was often left in charge when she was away. They shared the office, both deciding that Xavier’s office was to remain the same.

They had added several photographs of the students over the years and, of course, a desk chair. Other than that, it was as though Xavier never left. The room always filled Logan with a tinge of sadness. This was the room that changed his life. Where he met the unflappable Charles, stick-up-his-ass Cyclops, and beautiful Storm.

“You, ok, man?�

At Scott’s question, Logan shook his head, trying to come back to earth. “Yeah. Why?�

“Cause I just told you Jean was reincarnated as a leotard and you said ‘Makes sense’.�

Logan came around the desk and set his coffee down. One hand came up to rub at his eyes, knowing his lack of sleep was going to bite him in the ass. It had taken a lot to clean his bedroom, to drag his carcass into work when all he wanted to do was drown in regrets.

He didn’t want anyone to realize how much the divorce killed him. It was supposed to be nothing, he was the bad guy. He just used Ororo and then tossed her away. That was the cover story. No one, save Betsy, could know what it had done to him.

No one could know how much he loved her.

“I’m fine.� Logan said to Cyclops as evenly as he could. “Just busy today. A lot on my mind.�

The lines around Scott’s mouth said, clearly, that he didn’t believe a word coming out of Logan’s mouth. He did, however, drop the subject.

“If the dealer calls, could you remind him that I need six brake pads instead of four?�

“You got it,� Logan nodded, reaching for the phone.

He had a million calls to make. Usually this was Storm’s department, but when she was gone with Peter every summer, it fell on his shoulders.

Some men might have been suspicious of his wife and a younger man taking off for weeks at a time, but not Logan. He knew, better than anyone, that the relationship between Ororo and Peter was platonic. They loved one another, very much, but he likened the relationship more to Charles and Scott than anything else.

Realizing that Scooter still hadn’t left, in fact he was staring at Logan with an unreadable expression on his face, Logan raised a brow.

“Somethin’ I can help you with?�

“Nothing,� Scott shook his head. “Just wondering where Logan went and why Wolverine is here full time. That’s all.�

With that cryptic statement, Scott turned on his heel and slammed out of the office. Logan had no time to contemplate the strange comment, as the phone in his hand squawked with a feminine voice.

“Legacy Van Rentals, how can I help you?�

“Yeah,� Logan said, shaking his head to clear it. “Hey, Gladys. I need a rental for next week.�

“Hello, Logan,� the elderly woman said cheerfully. “Let me see what I can do for you.�

~**~

His morning had gone as it usually did. Phone calls, requests from students and teachers. He even had one prospective student to give a tour to. Normally Scott or Betsy handled that, but given the student’s wolf-like abilities, they all thought Logan was a better choice.

All in all, he felt good about that meeting. He figured the parents would call in a week or so to make arrangements. Score for the good guys.

He hefted a mean uppercut to the punching bag in front of him, enjoying the way vinyl hit vinyl. Sweat drenched his hair and clothing, filling his nostrils with the salty scent. Every day, no matter what was going on, he took an hour to relax. Since his nomadic life had ceased some years ago, Logan found he needed this one-hour a day to stay sane.

It usually worked, soothing his wanderlust. But since his break up with Ororo, he found it less and less soothing. What else did a wolf do when its mate was suddenly gone? He wanted to rage and scream, if only at himself. But what would it help? He’d made the decision all by himself.

It’s for the best. He repeated the phrase again, hoping it would actually sink in this time.

Another vinyl-covered fist struck the bag, the sound of it bringing Logan a small piece of satisfaction. He had that meeting with Hank in ten minutes. He dreaded meeting with the big, blue mutant. Something about Beast could shame the devil himself. Logan always felt even more like an ass after an encounter with Ororo’s friend.

Finished with the bag, Logan ripped the gloves from his hands with his teeth and tossed them aside. He took a quick shower in the locker room, pulling on a set of Xavier’s School sweats with a matching tank top. One thing no one could ever get out of Wolverine was a suit. He still wore his trademark casual clothing, no matter who he was meeting.

He knew Hank would meet him in the sunroom, the office was still too painful for the gentle giant. Logan sighed, squared his shoulders and entered the room at one minute after three.

“You’re late.�

It’s gonna be one of those meetings. Logan thought sardonically.

“No, I’m not.� He fired back as Hank turned toward him. “You’re just in a damn mood. What the hell do you want?�

Though Henry McCoy was usually reserved and guarded, his face was like a thundercloud as he turned on Logan. He crossed the room in two strides, making Logan’s hackles raise. Neither of them noticed, but they molded into canine battle stances without thinking about it. He spoke again with his nose nearly touching Wolverine’s.

“You do not deserve to run this school, boy.�

“I’ve been tellin’ you for six years to stop the “boy� shit, Furball.� Logan snarled, his claws itching for release.

“Perhaps if you ceased to act like one, I would find another word to use. Until then, get over it.�

Shocked by Beast’s completely antagonistic approach, Logan kept their gazes locked. For a moment, he feared Beast would see the pain he had worked so hard to conceal. That fear almost made him look away, but Hank beat him to it.

“I’m sorry,� he apologized. “I don’t know what got into me.�

“Don’t worry about it,� Logan shrugged. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his sweats. “What’s going on, Hank?�

As both men relaxed a fraction, Hank took a seat on the white sofa along one wall of the sunroom. Logan, as usual, took the chair across from him. They both seemed ready for action again, though Logan knew Hank would not erupt again.

“As you know,� he began, all business now. “Rogue and I have been lobbying against the new Registration Act for the last year.�

Logan nodded. “Yeah, of course.�

“It seems that may have been in vain,� the blue man shook his head sadly. “The bill has reached one of the committees.�

While his eyebrows shot up, Logan scooted forward on his chair. “What?�

Hank nodded. “There will be a preliminary vote in six months, once all the evidence is considered. Marie and I, of course, will be fighting it.�

Logan smiled at the thought of his young friend. “I don’t doubt it. How’s she doin’?�

“Law, I believe, is in her veins,� Hank replied with fondness in his tone. “But Logan, we must be on our guard. One false move, one bad press report could push this bill through to the Senate.�

“I get ya, Hank,� Logan rubbed his face with one palm in annoyance. “I wish they’d just let it go.�

“That is what we fight for, my friend,� Hank said quietly, referring to Logan as his friend for the first time in months.

As if they both realized that at the same moment, a tense, uneasy silence filled the room. Blue eyes met brown across the table and for a second, Logan was reminded that before all of the divorce mess, Hank had been one of his closest friends.

“I had to take her side, Logan,� Henry said softly. “For I could not understand yours.�

That hurt. Logan inhaled deeply, hating it when anyone cornered him to discuss “feelings�. He shifted in his seat, clearing his throat.

“Don’t worry about it,� he shrugged, not wanting to reveal that he had banked on Hank defecting to Ororo’s “team�. “It’s understandable.�

“Still, it is never pleasant to choose between friends.� Hank sighed. “Especially when one believed said friends to be very much in love and quite happy.�

“I’m an asshole,� Logan shrugged again. “And I don’t really wanna talk about it.�

“An asshole you may be,� his friend said sternly. “But there is something you are hiding, I can feel it.�

Logan bore his eyes into Hank’s, refusing to look guilty.

“Does this have anything to do with what happened in Tokyo?�

Damn him. Logan almost snarled, resisting the urge to flinch by pure force of will.

“If it did, it wouldn’t be your business.�

Hank obviously knew he was on to something, for he continued, heedless to the edge in Logan’s voice.

“You see, I never quite understood what happened there. Ororo’s injuries were inconsistent, after all.�

Logan?

Blood. Crying. A glint of gold as she tried to defend herself. Pain. Screaming. Oh, my God.

“Stay out of it, Hank,� Logan snarled as he leapt to his feet. “This is between me an’ her.�

“Of course,� Henry backpedaled instantly, seeming to realize he’d overstepped his bounds.

Without waiting for an apology, Logan stormed from the room and out of the mansion. He needed fresh air.

What he wanted was to forget.

~**~

Bogotá, Columbia

Peter’s massive hand supported her back as he whipped her upside down, keeping their hips flush. The music pounded in her veins as they attempted, for the hundredth time, to perfect a turn in the sizzling Paso Doble.

She wrapped one of her long legs around his waist, letting him drag one hand down her torso. She brought her body up sharply, shoving herself away from him and molding her body back into the unmistakable Spanish line that kept the dance professional.

Peter, his face a mask of determination to match that of hers, moved counter to her, his back rigid. His hands gripped hers again, pulling her against his body as they stepped lightly, keeping passion burning between them as the “bullfighter� sought his “flag�.

Ororo had seen this dance preformed their first night in Bogotá and immediately told Peter that they were not leaving the country until they perfected it. She wanted that flash and fire for the next competition. She wanted it to feel alive again.

When they parted again, Ororo took the sides of her skirt and whipped it expertly. Peter fell to his knees, seemingly under her spell and gracefully pleaded with his body for her to love him. She dismissed his advances with a flick of her skirt, which inflamed the would-be lover. Peter took her hips in his hands and forced her to melt into him.

Of course, that damn turn kept screwing the whole thing up.

Ororo landed on her backside while Peter cursed in Russian at his mangled ankle. Again.

Panting for breath in the sweltering room, they both shook their heads. Ororo reached over her head to switch the CD player off.

“All right,� she sighed. “I give up. Those dancers must have extra muscles in their abdomens.�

Peter sent her a lopsided grin as he sat in front of her. He reached into the nearby ice chest to retrieve bottles of water, tossing one to his partner.

“I seem to recall that you said something similar when we learned the Mambo.�

“Ok, but shoulders aren’t supposed to move that fast,� she grinned, taking a long pull from her water bottle.

“We will get it,� he said confidently. “It will only take practice.�

Ororo nodded, allowing his confidence to straighten her back a little. “Your attitude is getting better.�

“It is easy to feign it when your partner looks ready to kill.�

She frowned. “I was going for casual disinterest.�

“You were thinking about Logan.�

Deflated, Ororo exhaled slowly. “Was it that obvious?�

“Only to me,� he assured her. “Because I know you so well.�

Ororo shook her head, taking another pull from her bottle. She hated it when Peter could read her so well. She wanted to forget about Logan, just for a moment, but he seemed to creep into her thoughts whenever she tried to keep him out.

“And I did not want to mention anything,� Peter continued a moment later. “But if you lose any more weight, you won’t fit into your costumes.�

Ororo looked down at herself critically. “I haven’t lost weight.�

Peter scowled. “Yes, you have. I nearly tossed you a moment ago without meaning to. I know you have no passion for food, but if I have to force feed you, I will. He is not worth this, ‘Roro.�

Without bothering to respond, Ororo placed her water bottle beside the CD player and turned the song back on, blaring the sound as loudly as it would go. She turned to Peter, lifting her arms to signal the start of the dance.

He sighed and stood as well. Obviously, he was not going to get through to her today.

Their bodies came together quickly, their steps filled with the desire and anger of the Paso Doble. Ororo channeled her heartbreak into every step, taunting her partner so that he wanted her with every flick of that long skirt.

Regret and pain could wait for the night, as it always did. The days were given to dance, to losing herself in beautiful steps and pulse-pounding music. Peter was right; Logan wasn’t worth it anymore.

Chapter Three: Memories

I told myself I won't miss you
But I remember what it feels like beside you
I really miss your hair in my face
And the way your innocence tastes
And I think you should know this
You deserve much better than me
~Hinder



By the time Piotr held the mansion’s front door open for her, Ororo thought she could sleep for a week and still be exhausted. Days of travel were beginning to hit her as they stepped into their home. She could hear the welcome, wonderful sounds of children bickering and laughing wafting through the halls.

Giving Piotr a smile, she managed to straighten her spine and talk herself into being strong. In the two months since she’d seen her ex-husband, she doubted anything had changed. He was likely still grouchy, still moody, and completely handsome. For the last twelve hours, she’d been trying to convince herself that she could get over him.

That evil voice in the back of her head said that she would never “get over� him. Ororo amended her inner thoughts to vow that, at least, she would learn to just live with losing him.

“Petey!�

Storm ducked out of the way, dropping her luggage so that she would avoid being plowed over by her dance partner’s long-time lover. She narrowly escaped, laughing quietly as the petite brunette launched herself from the staircase into her love’s arms.

Piotr caught her easily, as though she weighed no more than a pillow. There were loud, affectionate noises of kisses being rained over whatever bit of flesh either of them could reach. Ororo knew she wouldn’t be seeing her friend very much for the next week. Two months was a rather long time to go without your significant other, after all.

She scooped her things up and easily moved down the hall, leaving Piotr and Kitty to their heartfelt hellos. The couple was something out of a fairytale, a gallant knight and his beautiful princess. Ororo had a good feeling about the two of them.

As she headed up the stairs, she caught a hint of a familiar voice. It took everything in her body to not come to a screeching halt. She wanted, so badly, to simply bolt down the hall. He was speaking to someone, from his tone she thought it might be Scott. Logan was always just a touch more gentle with Cyclops than anyone else. Guilt could be a powerful motivator.

Keeping her bags in her hands, Ororo raised her chin almost defiantly. This was her home, her school. She would be damned if this man would run her off. She straightened her back and kept right on walking, praying to some unknown higher power to give her the strength she needed.

When he came around the corner, dressed in his signature flannel shirt and faded blue jeans, her heart stopped. Not long ago her return would have been greeted by a warm smile, an eager embrace.

Logan, however, simply nodded at her curtly. “Welcome home, Storm.�

“Wolverine.� She replied, trying to mask the hurt that flared in her chest.

“Briefing tomorrow at nine, for you and Colossus.� His voice was cold, detached and he refused to meet her eyes, instead concentrating on the papers in his hand.

“Make it ten,� she countered icily. “Have you seen Scott?�

“Yeah,� Logan’s tone was still flat, unemotional. “He just went into the upstairs den. Said something about a Lost in Space marathon.�

“Thank you,� Ororo moved away almost instantly, her heart aching within her breast.

“Hey, Storm?�

She halted, but did not turn, closing her eyes against the warring emotions. Oh, how she wanted to hate him. She had loved him, hopelessly, recklessly for six years and now he asked her to just walk away.

It was not fair.

“Yes?� Ororo was proud when her tone remained cool, composed.

“McCoy wants to see you, too. He’ll be here this weekend.�

Hank. Thank the Goddess above. “Thank you for the message. Have a good evening.�

With no more words, Ororo walked briskly down the hall until she reached the bedroom suite that had been hers before her marriage. She ducked inside, tears threatening to spill from her eyes and the skies.

Paying no mind to her unpacked suitcases and the time, she grabbed for her cellular phone and immediately dialed Hank in Washington.

~**~

She looks good, Logan said silently to Betsy as they pretended to be working on class scheduling that evening.

She’s miserable, Psylocke fired back, her violet eyes flashing. I don’t know how much longer I can do this, Wolverine.

As long as it takes. He snapped, glaring at her. We promised each other we’d handle this.

I don’t know if I can. Betsy sniffled, hiding the motion by ducking her face behind a book as Scooter walked by. She has to know something is wrong by now.

Just keep your shit together. He replied harshly. She don’t need this now.

Maybe not. Betsy’s mental voice was filled with sorrow. But I can’t carry her burden alone. My psychic walls aren’t that strong, Logan.

He did not reply as he stared down at his paperwork. Somehow, he knew this would come back to bite him in the ass. He wished, for the millionth time, that he’d been strong enough to run, to keep running until he’d killed himself.

That won’t do any good.

I know. Trust me, I know.

~**~

Some years past…

“He’s a liability, Charles,� Ororo Munroe said as she set her teacup down. Concentrating on the delicate, intricate pattern painted onto the fine china gave her a moment to steady her hands while waiting for her mentor to speak.

In just a week since the disaster at Alkali Lake, Ororo had taken Scott’s place among the staff. She easily took on meetings and classes, knowing that there was no one else for the work to fall to now. With Jean gone, the entire world seemed slightly skewed.

Charles, for his part, took everything in stride. She knew he was dealing with the loss of Jean in his own way, but without his steadfast guidance, she shuddered to think where the X-Men would be today.

“Ororo, I know that you have lingering issues with Wolverine, but I cannot condone simply shoving him out of the door and changing the locks.�

Her dear mentor could be so unfailingly patient. Though she and Scott had voiced several concerns during the feral mutant’s first visit to the mansion and after his return, Charles was hell bent on converting Wolverine to their cause.

“He would do so to any of us.�

“Such a statement is unworthy of you, Ororo.�

Sighing, Ororo sipped from her tea again, turning her eyes to the window. Outside, dark clouds that had nothing to do with her mood rolled and clashed in the heavens. The siren call of a brewing storm sang in her veins, begging the weather manipulator to come out and play.

“He loves Jean, very deeply,� Charles said at length. “Why does that simple knowledge distress you so?�

Not bothering to be surprised that he’d read her during a long silence, Ororo shrugged one shoulder. “I am unsure. Something about that man bothers me.�

Charles raised an amused brow. “Bothers you? He is loyal and all alone in a world that hates and fears him. That, my dear, usually beckons to that maternal instinct you keep tucked away.�

“I do not know,� Ororo shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “He bothers me.�

When her friend sat back, clasping his hands in his lap, Ororo braced herself. That was the universal sign for “You are not leaving this room until you explain yourself�.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, settling back in the comfortable chair and meeting Charles’ kind blue eyes. She could remember, so clearly, the day she met him in Cairo so many years ago. His wallet had found it’s way into her hands and, in return the wheelchair bound man offered her a home.

Not all of his X-Men agreed with Charles at all times. As with any family, they often fought and argued over the simplest things. Ororo thought, with some fondness, that she assumed all families did, whether bound by blood or not.

“When you first asked Scott and I to rescue Logan and Marie in Canada, I had no idea you wanted him to remain with us.� Her words were soft, her gaze holding his firmly. “After our first official meeting, I assumed he would vanish into the night, as others have before him.�

“What changed your opinion?�

“The way he looks at Jean.� Saying her name still broke Ororo’s heart, but she managed to swallow the tears forming in behind her eyes.

“I do not believe any of us anticipated his falling for our Jean,� Charles spoke the name softly, his own heartbreak in the single syllable.

“He won’t change, Charles,� Ororo continued. “He will never be one of us so long as he believes he is alone. We have surrounded him with support and comfort, only to have it rebuffed at every turn.�

“You once rebuffed this life, Ororo,� he pointed out gently. “It took you years to accept us.�

“Yes,� Storm agreed. “But I was tired of being alone. He is not.�

Her friend’s eyes grew distant for a moment before he spoke again. “I am afraid you have never been more wrong, Ororo. Logan is very much tired of being alone.�

Ororo’s gaze fell to the arm of her chair, where she absently picked at the upholstery. She could feel the heavy weight of Charles’ stare on her, but she steadfastly refused to meet his eyes.

“We can’t depend on him, Charles.�

“And you do not want anyone getting too close to you now.�

She let the pain come, remembering Jean’s final moments. Logan’s voice begging her to open the hatch, to let him go to her. Scott pleading, cries of the children….

She’s gone.

Don’t you say that! Don’t say it! NO! No.

She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s gone.

A warm, strong hand found hers and Ororo shook her head to fight the pain back.

“He bothers me. You cannot trust him, Charles.�

“But I do,� he said quietly. “And in time, so will you.�

~**~

Some time later


She sat in the bitter cold on the wrought iron memorial bench under an overcast sky, watching the snow fall quietly around her. Her eyes had not left the chiseled stone in some time. He had come to take the seat beside her hours ago, never speaking, never acknowledging her at all.

He’d taken her hand at some point, their flesh almost freezing together in the chill of dead winter. It was the first time that she could ever remember someone doing something as simple as holding her hand. Even Piotr refrained unless they were locked together in dance.

Logan did things like that. A constant surprise, she could never anticipate what he would do next. Even when she had been so sure he would abandon her and the school after the Professor’s death, he shocked her by remaining at her side.

Though she was grateful for his help, for the support he gave by just staying at the mansion, she worried every morning if this would be the day he would leave her alone. Even with Scott slowly recovering from the Phoenix’s brutal attack, Ororo could feel horribly alone.

But times like this, when Logan offered his silent, unshakable support, kept her going when everything wanted to come screeching to a halt.

Ororo glanced down at their joined hands, wondering if he realized how well they fit together. When she looked up to his face, she was surprised to find his gaze glued to the Professor’s headstone instead of Jean’s.

As though he sensed her sudden shift in attention, his cold hand squeezed hers gently.

“You ok?� His gruff voice broke the long quiet, startling her a little.

“I do not know,� she admitted, finding it odd that he could always force the truth from her.

His thumb swept over her knuckles with that same silent comfort, urging her to delve more deeply, to spill her secrets so he could keep them for her.

“I miss him,� she said simply. “I miss her. I miss who I was when they were with me.�

“You’re still you,� Logan countered. “Teacher, mutant, X-Man…erm…woman.�

Ororo offered him a small smile. “That is not what I mean.�

“Then, what is it, Storm? You haven’t sat out here since we buried Jean.�

Deciding to nip that directly in the bud while they were being honest, Ororo changed the subject flawlessly. “I have a name.�

“Huh?� His dark eyes met hers finally, filled with confusion.

“My name,� she went on. “Storm is my codename and I do not mind it at all. But I have never, in the years we have known one another, heard you say my first name.�

A soft, teasing smile crossed his lips. “Maybe I don’t like your name.�

Mildly irked and not surprised that he had irritated her, Ororo moved to take her hand from his. “Well, then, by all means, you can take your opinion and sh…�

“Aww, come on, Storm,� he chuckled, gripping her hand more tightly to prevent escape. “I don’t mean it.�

She decided to let him have his teasing moment, letting her hand relax in his grasp again.

“My name is Ororo. Try using it every now and again.�

“I do use it,� he admitted so softly she thought she had missed it.

“I beg your pardon?� Ororo turned to him again, one white brow arched.

Logan immediately retreated inward. It was her turn to grip his hand tightly, not willing to let him run away from her in this moment. They were too open, to bare to let this simply slip by them. Something deep inside of her told Ororo that she had been waiting for this moment.

“I do use your name,� Logan repeated. “I use it all the time.�

Confused now, Ororo took her free hand from her pocket to grasp Logan’s whiskered chin. She gently turned his face so that he would look at her. The depth of emotion she found so raw and naked in Wolverine’s eyes momentarily stunned her.

“When?� She demanded softly. “When do you use my name?�

He tried, one last time, to tuck tail and run. She could see it coming over him and without even knowing how she came by the knowledge, Ororo halted it. Her hand spread over his cheek, forcing him to stay with her. When he leaned, ever so slightly, into the touch, her heart skipped within her breast.

“Every day,� Logan said plainly, as though he were tired of running. “In my head whenever you pass by, when you walk up, when you’re in the other room. I don’t ever say it, cause I’m afraid you might see through me.�

“See what?� Ororo replied, shifting just a little closer to him. “What will I see, Logan?�

Fear and something like hope shone through Logan’s dark eyes. Ororo did not know what was happening here, but a flicker of life inside of her said to trust it. Charles had warned her that she would trust Logan one day and here it stared her in the face.

He leaned closer to her, tugging on their joined hands so that she inched nearer, until they were touching. His eyes moved all over her face, resting finally on her lips before meeting her gaze once more.

“Ororo…�

She did see it. She saw right through him at his husky whisper of her given name. Passion and desire warring inside of him with tenderness and trust. Ororo’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of Wolverine so bare before her. Her heart reached out for his without her knowledge, something inside of her wanting to drown in him.

“Ororo.� He repeated, reaching up to cup her chin with his massive hand.

“Logan.� She had not intended for his name to come from her lips in that desperate whisper.

He released her hand and face, his arms coming around her, lifting her until her much small body was piled in his lap. His lips sought hers, brushing against her mouth like the wings of a butterfly.

Before he could delve into her and let her do the same to him, he paused. Their eyes met for what felt like an eternity.

“’Ro.�

Nothing more lay between them. All thoughts of Jean, of Charles, were shoved aside as the flush of something new washed over them. Oh, she might live to regret this, but for now she would lay claim on her Wolverine.

His mouth took hers possessively, leaving no doubt that she was about to be dominated in ways she’d never dreamed of. Ororo’s world tilted until all she knew was this embrace, this moment in time where there was no pain. Only hope, promise, and all those things they had both been denied.

Ororo thought, perhaps, as Logan claimed her heart that Charles had obviously known more than he let on. She would have to thank him someday.

~**~

Here and Now


Logan watched through the doorway as Ororo and Pete melded their bodies together as one cohesive whole. They looked made for each other as they whipped into a sensual tango. Ororo molded into Pete’s chest, seeming to become part of him rather than a separate entity.

Peter’s hands flattened against Ororo’s smooth back, supporting her as they moved into a whip-like turn. It never ceased to amaze Logan that a man with so much strength could touch so delicate a woman without harming her. She’d told Wolverine years ago that it was how she taught Pete to control his strength.

Dance had brought the two friends together and likely saved lives as Pete learned to control his devastating mutation.

“Damn it!�

Hearing Ororo curse, Logan took a step to the left, fading into the shadows of the doorway. He watched as Pete sighed, rubbing the back of his neck while Ororo switched the music on the player.

“That footwork is going to kill me, do you realize that?�

Peter reached over and lightly swatted Ororo on the bottom. “And you will take me with you.�

The easy familiarity between the two mutants might have looked like sexual intimacy to an outside observer. But Logan knew them both, knew how they moved and melted together. They could each get away with so much if only because they had been together so long. No one, not even Scooter, could claim to know someone as well as Pete and ‘Ro knew one another.

He watched as his former wife lifted her hands into dead air, building a frame to dance on her own. Peter stepped back, watching her feet studiously. Ororo took two swift steps forward, flicked her ankle quickly and attempted the three-step turn once more. She stumbled again, dropping her arms and looking to her partner helplessly.

Logan loved to watch her dance. At times, he was reminded of naughty private dances she would reward him with when he’d been good, but mainly he simply enjoyed it. Her lithe body moved with innate grace, her long, sculpted limbs wrapping around her partner as though she were an extension of him.

I don’t deserve her.

He wanted to look away, aware that he was steadily becoming a voyeur, but he found it almost impossible. He missed his wife. Though he knew, on some level, that what he had done was wrong, that he really had become the heartless bastard everyone always told her he was, he could not escape that simple admission.

As she moved into Peter’s arms again, Logan forced himself to look away. He pushed away from the door, moving down the hall with a trademark scowl on his face.

Thinking about that day in the snow, when he’d finally given in to the feelings building inside him for months, brought a fresh wave of pain. He still didn’t know what possessed him to follow her outside, to hold her hand. When she’d called him on the name thing, he knew he was lost.

For months he’d been avoiding it, telling himself it was just the loss of Jean messing with his head. But every day something about Ororo drew him closer. He avoided using her real name, wanting to impose some distance between them without her knowing about it.

That first time, when her beautiful name crossed his lips, it said everything he couldn’t put into words. She had responded with equal passion, eagerly allowing him to ravage her as soon as they managed to get back into the mansion. They’d made love for hours, giving in to every lustful and sultry thought he’d ever entertained.

It had always been too easy. She allayed all of his fears, never allowing him to cage the beast inside of himself.

That, of course, had almost gotten her killed.

Logan ducked into his office, a smaller room down the hall from Ororo’s, and fought the self-hatred bubbling to the surface. Snatches of memory overcame him until bile swelled in his throat. He bolted for his private bathroom, slamming the door behind him as the guilt spilled from his stomach.

Living with his sins got a little harder every day, but he had done the right thing. Ororo was better off without him.

She had to be.

Chapter Four: Weakness

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I’m bound by the life you left behind
You face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
~Evanescence


“I am sorry I could not return your call until today, my friend.�

“Don’t worry about it, Hank.� Ororo smiled into the receiver, standing on the balcony of her bedroom. “I know you are very busy.�

“I should never be too busy for you, my darling,� he countered effortlessly. Ororo could envision him, barricaded in his office, hanging upside down as he spoke to her. It was a warm, comforting image.

Since her induction into Xavier’s fold some years ago, Henry McCoy had been her friend. At their first meeting he had easily held his hand out to her, a simple smile on his peaches –and-cream face.

“I don’t know what to do,� Ororo admitted cautiously.

“Is there anything you can do?� Hank’s question, like the man himself, was layered with meaning. If she wanted to unravel it, she would need a lifetime. It was something she adored about her Henry. The man kept her on her toes.

“I wish there was,� the woman sighed. “I want my husband back, damn it all.�

Hank chuckled quietly, making her smile in spite of herself. “I know you do. But, my dear, is this healthy?�

“He still loves me,� Ororo defended with less conviction in her tone than she would have liked.

“Of that I have little doubt,� Hank replied easily. “Ororo, something did happen that drove Logan into this self-destructive path. The key to getting him back is finding out what the catalyst happened to be.�

Ororo pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head slightly as the building migraine began to overtake her. At least she was still without classes today. She did not think she could concentrate long enough to brush her teeth, let alone teach someone.

She could not deny what Hank was saying, even as the silence stretched between them. Logan did not lightly cast her aside, as many preferred to believe. She knew, with every passing day, that something had happened.

What, when, or why remained a mystery.

“Perhaps…� Hank began haltingly. “You should ask him about Tokyo.�

A soft frown crossed her lips and she pulled the cordless phone away from her ear to stare at it. Hank had strange ideas, at times, but he would never deliberately lead her to the wrong conclusion.

Tokyo had been a mistake, on all their parts. Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine had flown directly into a trap set by the remnants of the defunct Weapon X project. Psylocke and Storm were easily separated from their male companion and then one another.

Storm had little recollection of events after she found Psylocke at the rendezvous point. She was told, much later, that the Weapon X militants had located the female X-Men. Psylocke defended a weakened Storm after she took a rather large support beam to the back of her head.

The blow effectively erased Ororo’s memory of the incident. In fact, it discarded all memories of the battle, the wake of it, locating Logan, and the visit to a Japanese hospital for treatment. She woke from a deep coma some two weeks later, completely unaware of what came to pass during her long sleep.

Psylocke and Wolverine quickly filled her in. Logan never left her side.

“Tokyo? Hank…� Ororo replaced the receiver to her ear with a toss of her head, making her choppy white locks bounced about her. “What does that have to do with anything?�

A pause. Ororo could read Hank like an open book, even when separated by so many miles and several weeks. “Henry Peter McCoy. Answer me.�

He sighed, a long-suffering sigh, before answering her. “I believe you should ask him, directly, about what transpired in Tokyo. Call it a hunch, my dear.�

Carmel fingers drifted up to her forehead, sliding beneath the light fringe of her bangs. She traced the long, jagged scar at her hairline, an odd shiver passing through her at the touch. Something about that scar had always bothered her, though she could never explain why to anyone’s satisfaction.

“Ororo?�

“Yes, I am here,� she answered. Shaking herself back to the present, Ororo picked up her coffee cup, sipping the rich, grounding brew. The bitter taste brought reality back to the weather-controlling mutant.

“Are you all right?� The question, so sweet and innocent in it’s simplicity, lanced Ororo’s carefully guarded heart.

She felt her infamous self-control waver, just slightly. It was enough to send the heavens rumbling and the wind whistling through the grounds. Inhaling deeply, soothingly, she reigned in her mutation.

“No,� she answered honestly. “No, I am not all right.�

Henry sighed, the sound teary even over the impersonal line of a telephone. “I am sorry, my dear. I wish I could do more for you.�

“You already have, Blue-Man.� She replied gently.

“Ambassador?� Ororo heard the unmistakable voice of Hank’s assistant come through the line, as though he had just walked into the room. “You’re running late again.�

“Yes, yes,� Hank replied testily, his voice muffled as though he had covered the receiver. “I will be along in a moment.�

Ororo chuckled silently, smiling fondly at the mental image of her dear friend snapping at an intruding assistant. He really was just adorable.

“I will let you get back to saving the world one board meeting at a time,� Ororo teased.

“Oh, do shut up,� he shot back, affection in every word. “Call me tonight?�

“Always.�

She clicked the phone off, leaning on the balcony beside her coffee. Her soft satin wrap whispered with every movement as she carefully laid the phone on the solid stone railing. It was still too early for many of the others to be awake, so the grounds were blissfully silent.

The lonesome caw of a far off bird mingled with the throaty quacks from several ducks that had landed on the nearby pond. Enormous, marshmallow-shaped clouds filled a true blue sky, though Ororo could already feel the call of a brewing tempest in her veins.

Tonight nature would rage against the mansion, fighting against the building that jutted out of the earth so proudly. Black sky would be devoid of twinkling stars, winds would scream and rain would pelt the land. Oh, she could feel that savage beauty. She wanted, desperately, to call it to her now, to get lost in the heady sensation of her element.

Thinking of nature’s ferocity usually brought about thoughts of Logan. This morning happened to be no different than any other. The faint memory of ecstasy beneath the monstrous swirl of a rainstorm flitted through her mind.

She had taken Logan that night, on the sopping earth of the forest. He’d been unable to believe that she, usually so buttoned up, could truly let go in the open like that. It was one of their first nights together and she quickly taught him why they referred to her as Storm.

With the itching memory of Logan’s strong hands on her skin, the impression of his lips on her throat and phantom feel of him inside of her, Ororo’s heart rate quadrupled. Irritated and suddenly aching for physical contact, she collected her coffee and the telephone to head back into the bedroom.

It was time to start her day. Pete would be waiting for her.

~**~

Her heeled dance shoes made clicking noises on the hardwood floor as Pete expertly whipped her into a tight spin. She flung her body back, trusting the young Russian to catch her. He did so, bringing her easily into his sensual embrace. His face was scant centimeters from hers, his eyes intently burning.

The man could make passion out of nothing without batting an eyelash. Ororo felt her pulse quicken against her will, thinking for the millionth time that young Kitten was a lucky woman indeed.

Ororo hooked one of her long legs around Peter’s hip, sliding provocatively from his front to his back, where she molded her body against him. His hand gripped her thigh tightly, the other going up to his neck to take her hand.

They moved as one seamless unit across the floor, neither of them bothering to check the mirror to ensure their stance was correct. The dancing duo could feel in every pulse-pounding beat that they were dead on.

Peter and Ororo always performed better with an audience, after all.

Her partner tore her from his back when they reached the edge of the floor. He crushed her to his chest, their legs entwining seductively. From the outside looking in, it truly seemed as though Peter was about to take her, hard and fast, right there on the floor.

That, of course, was the whole idea.

The dance finished with a flare. Ororo dropped to her knees in seeming submission, allowing Peter to lean down to her, his hands framing her face.

Applause broke out immediately, accompanied by wolf-whistles and good natured jeering.

Peter took Ororo’s hand, effortlessly helping her stand so they could bow in unison. Her smile was immediate and true. Nothing in the world compared to dancing with Peter. They were a match, like a pair of comfortably worn in shoes. There would never be romance between them, but their chemistry on the floor was unmatched.

She adored her partner. When Charles had first suggested to a fourteen year old Windrider that ballroom dancing would help her adjust to life in the United States, she had scoffed. But just two lessons later, she was addicted. Her natural grace was easy to integrate into the sensuous movements, the emotion she was allowed to portray without devastating weather complications was a high she could never quite duplicate.

Scott was grinning from his place at the back of the practice room alongside Psylocke, Shadowcat, and Leech. The quartet was the usual audience and could nearly always be found watching the dancing pair at some point during the day.

“That was awesome,� Scott complimented as the dancers approached.

“Uh, yeah,� Kitty said, a hungry look in her eye. “You guys really nail those Latin dances now, don’t you?�

“It’s enough to make anyone right randy,� came the English-accented voice of Psylocke. “Is it hot in here?�

“Hey, hands off, purple girl,� Kitty replied on a laugh.

Peter wrapped his girlfriend in a warm embrace as Leech smiled softly at Storm.

“That’s so cool,� he said softly. “It’s like watching poetry.�

“Why, thank you, handsome,� Ororo responded. She batted her long lashes and put a hand to her sweaty breast in a perfect imitation of a Southern Belle Simper.

While Scott and Jimmy went out to the garage to tinker with the cars, the others trooped into the kitchen. Peter took a bottle of water from the refrigerator for Ororo, handing it to her as she passed to sit at the table. He took one for himself as well, watching as Betsy and Kitty sat with her.

“Who’s hungry?� He asked after checking the clock.

Betsy reached up and pinched her arm. “He is drop dead gorgeous, a completely brilliant dancer, and he cooks. Is there nothing he does well?�

Kitty crossed herself, laughing merrily. “No, not really.�

Ororo rolled her eyes. “He can’t carry a tune to save his life.�

“HEY!� Kitty and Peter said in unison, making Psylocke howl with mirth.

Storm blew her partner a kiss. “How about Piotr’s Famous Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup?�

“Ooh!� Betsy raised her hand. “One for me, luv!�

“And me!� Kitty did a little dance of joy in her chair.

“Four of Piotr’s Famous coming right up,� the Russian said, turning toward the stove before opening various cabinets.

Ororo laughed into her hand when both of her companions tilted their heads when Peter bent at the waist to locate a decent sized saucepan and skillet.

“You two are terrible.�

“What?� The brunette waggled her eyebrows. “I’m allowed to look.�

“Enough staring at my ass,� Peter said without turning around. “Except Katherine, of course.�

That, of course, only made Psylocke laugh harder while Kitty positively beamed.

The girls sobered a few moments later, listening as Peter hummed while cooking them all lunch. It was one of those lazy, calm and familial afternoons that Ororo felt she missed during her messy divorce period.

Some of her good humor fled at the thought of her divorce. She had made it through the entire morning – after her call from Hank – without dwelling on her singleness. Now, though, the hurt came rushing back, replacing her happy, sated mood with dour depression.

“Come on, ‘Roro,� Psylocke said suddenly, her face crumbling. “Don’t start thinking like that.�

“Betsy,� Ororo sighed.

The violet-haired telepath held her hands up in defense. “You’re the one projecting on a loud speaker. I can’t help what I pick up.�

“What are you picking up?� Kitty demanded.

“I’m sorry,� Ororo shook her head. “I did not realize.�

“For what?� Kitty tried again.

“Don’t you dare apologize,� Betsy cut in. “I know you’re hurting, even if you won’t talk about it.�

“What are we talking about?� The third woman attempted cutting in a third time.

“I do talk about it,� Ororo defended herself somewhat lamely.

“To who?� Betsy sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Hey! Let me into the conversation, dang it,� Kitty sulked.

“Psylocke was picking up my depression over the divorce,� Ororo finally addressed Kitty.

“Oooh,� Kitty replied with sudden understanding. “Gotcha.�

Any further conversation was halted by the appearance of a blonde-haloed Angel in the doorway to the kitchen. Ororo smiled to him warmly, cutting a glance to the now silent Psylocke.

In his years at the school, Angel had shed most of his timidity. He, rather swiftly, became an integral part of both the school and the X-Men. His kindness and patience were not dulled by psychological abuse at the hands of his father, but strengthened his resolve. The X-Men now had a champion. Angel lived, breathed Xavier’s dream.

Ororo credited him with saving the team after Charles’ death at the hands of the mad Phoenix. Had he not walked into the office at that precise moment, she might have given in and closed the school. In one instant, Angel reminded her of the dream, gave her the strength to step in and take the torch from her deceased mentor.

She watched, with an ache in her heart, as Angel’s eyes drifted through the room and sought out Betsy. As though he were drawn to her, he spoke to Storm without taking his eyes from the violet-eyed mutant.

“You’ve got a phone call.�

Betsy, whom had gone completely and totally silent at Angel’s appearance, raised her eyes to his slowly. Kitty nudged Ororo as the two seemed to forget there were others in the room….or on the planet for that matter.

“Oh?� Ororo asked, watching them carefully.

“Yes.� Angel said softly. “Someone named Kate Jennings.�

“All right, I’ll take it in my office.� Ororo stood, telling Peter to keep lunch warm for her.

“Good afternoon, Kitty, Peter…� Angel greeted belatedly. “Elizabeth.�

“Hi, Angel,� Kitten said brightly.

“Cheers, Warren.� Betsy said, not commenting on the fact that he used her full name, which she normally despised.

Ororo paused as she was leaving the room, staring at Angel and Psylocke. There was something in that gaze, something so raw that it was sweetly heartbreaking. She wondered, somewhere in the back of her mind, when Angel had fallen so hard for the telepath. It was common knowledge, at least to those closest to Betsy, that she harbored feelings for the winged mutant since her first day at the mansion.

Though she wanted to be cynical and sarcastic, Ororo could only sigh to herself.

May the Goddess bless and keep them. Give them a long, happy life together.

She fought her own grief as she headed to her office to take that damned phone call.

~**~

Aerosmith blared through the house’s speaker system, making the windows rattle with every gut-clenching guitar solo. Alone in the home he had shared with his wife, Logan stretched his arms above his head, readying himself for the workout he typically engaged in.

He still hadn’t gutted the house as he’d planned. Something like nostalgia kept her things scattered through the home. While Steven Tyler screamed about love in an elevator, Logan positioned himself in front of the punching bag he kept in the bedroom.

After the first few blows, the stand-alone bag swaying with every hit, he began to feel somewhat better. He knew better than to watch when she danced with Pete, especially in that fiery, challenging Latin style they had gone to Columbia to learn.

She inflamed him, even through the self-loathing and hatred. He had wanted to take her so badly that he left the school several hours early, just to get his shit straight.

It wasn’t like he’d gotten any in a while. In fact, he hadn’t been decently laid since the last time he’d taken Ororo to bed. That, to his dismay, was nearly seven months ago. Frustration was starting to take its toll. All he had to do was glimpse her and he found himself ready to pound her into the floor, wall, or any other available surface.

He sniffed carefully, suddenly annoyed with himself. Damn, he was still scenting her on his clothing. Not even dousing himself in soap and cologne could mask her scent.

No…wait. That was actually her.

Logan spun away from the bag, his eyes darting to the skylight. He’d closed it a while ago, when the rain and thunder began. At first, he thought he’d been smelling things again, but a beat later, two Carmel-colored legs appeared through the open window. Rain soaked the carpeting, but apparently she didn’t care.

Ororo landed gracefully on the floor in front of his bed, her eyes immediately shifting from white to blue. She was sopping wet, her white sundress sticking to her dark flesh in ways that definitely made it hard for him to breathe. Her hair was matted to her face.

Damn, if she wasn’t the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“What the fuck do ya want?� Logan demanded, channeling his sudden lust into anger.

She said nothing. For a moment, Wolverine wondered if he had lost his mind –finally. Was he hallucinating? Had his perverted mind thought her up so he could get himself off to memories of the way her willing, naked body felt wrapped around his –again?

Ororo moved closer, causing Logan to tense. He didn’t want her here. He was too raw, too open to fight her off. It was better if she ran the other direction, found some nice, stable dork and settled down.

He did not retreat as she came closer still, her wet body dropping rain all over his floor. When she was close enough, he caught the fury and lust in her gaze. At that moment, Logan knew true and overwhelming fear.

“Get out,� he ordered her sharply. “Go home.�

“No,� she defied him.

“What do ya want? Leave somethin’ here?�

“What I want is very simple,� she answered, standing close to him now. Close enough that the scent of her desire and need nearly took his knees out. He was hard almost instantaneously, the ache inside of him almost unbearable.

“I want you to take me to bed,� she finished.

Oh, she was gonna be blunt like that. Logan’s mouth twisted into a grimace that was part restraint and part give.

“You’ve lost your damn mind, Storm. Go home.�

Her stance changed so slowly, so fluidly that he almost missed it. A slow, seductive smile spread over her plump lips. That toned, lithe body shifted closer to him, until he could feel the undeniable heat of her skin.

“You do not want me?� Her question was measured, her tone an enticing purr. She reached for his hand and he was powerless to stop her.

“No. I don’t.� He denied while his body screamed.

His hand suddenly found purchase on the smooth, wet flesh of her thigh. Ororo’s hand guided him, raising their joined fingers until she forced him to cup her slick heat. Logan’s eyes threatened to roll back in his head, remembering so suddenly the exquisite torture of being buried inside her tight body.

“You don’t want this, Wolverine?� She questioned. The use of his codename made her game suddenly apparent.

This wasn’t a ploy to get him back. Ororo had been – and by all evidence still was – a sexual person. She tested the limits of his rapid-healing stamina more than once. She could be yielding and submissive or hard, demanding, dominant. This, obviously, was a dominant moment.

But he couldn’t let himself drown in her. If he did, there was no telling what might be revealed. He didn’t want to hold her, know her, sink into her and forget what he’d walked away from.

“No,� but his voice faltered. Ororo’s smile widened.

She rocked her hips, taking one of his fingers inside of her. Her low, breathy moan almost knocked him stupid.

“Fuck me, Wolverine,� she whispered under the pulse-pounding music.

Unfortunately, Logan’s brain decided to start working again at that exact moment. Using his anger and frustration as a shield, he said the first thing that popped into his mind.

“Hey,� he swallowed thickly. “If yer up for a quick and easy fuck, it’s Sailor Week in the city. Could find a coupla sailors to fuck your brains out on the dock. If you’re lookin’ to be a whore and all.�

For a moment, he was so ashamed of himself he almost cried. Hurt flooded her eyes and was gone in a heartbeat. Rage and lust came back over her and her smile turned into a scowl.

SMACK!

Ororo’s delicate hand struck him with the force of a hurricane wind. Even through his adamantium skull, he felt his brain rattle. His head snapped to the side and when he brought it back up he realized his hand had gripped her thigh to keep his balance. She would have bruises come morning.

She was glaring at him, anger and lust coming through in her scent until it surrounded him. He shouldn’t have provoked her, not when he remembered – too late – that Ororo in full on elemental rage was the biggest turn on in the world.

Her hand gripped his and she yanked it from her flesh. Her eyes were cold as Artic ice when he met them again.

“You know,� she said easily. “That is a damn good idea, Wolverine.�

To his utter shock, she turned to leave the room. Just the vague idea that she might take his “advice�, the mental images of some idiot boy groping her, making her moan…

Logan snapped.

Before she reached the bedroom door, he was on her. He grabbed her arm, spinning her until she faced him. He growled, low and dangerous, his face only centimeters from hers. He saw, too late, the understanding in her eyes.

She’d called his fucking bluff.

“You want me,� his wife whispered in that taunting tone he loved and hated equally. “Make up your damn mind, Wolverine.�

His hand shot up to fist in her hair, dragging her head back roughly. “My fucking name is Logan.�

He was lost and he knew it. Her challenge, the dominance she had so easily asserted over him won over his better judgment. When her hands came up to grip his shirt, he pulled her closer to capture her lips.

She was not pliable and willing, instead hard and demanding. Her lips parted at their first contact with his, but it was she who thrust her tongue into his mouth. She traced every inch of his mouth, stealing his secrets and laying him bare, raw to her.

Hands groped and pulled at his clothing. He fitted her against his chest eagerly, rocking his hard cock into her stomach until she groaned into his mouth. The need to devour her, to remind her of his status as her mate was blinding.

Her dress came apart with two tugs of his hands. He shoved it from her shoulders, not surprised to find she was completely naked beneath it. Ororo tugged his shirt from his chest, her nails scraping his flesh until he growled.

Their hands fought over his sweat pants, the two of them succeeding in shoving them down until he could step out of them. He wanted to take her right there, in the middle of the room that they had once shared. He needed to feel her, to remember.

Anger still filtered through and he pulled his mouth from hers without any hint of tenderness.

“You know,� he grunted, cupping her ass so he could lift her effortlessly. “This don’t change a damn thing. Its just sex.�

Her eyes seared him like liquid fire. “Barely.�

Oh, she was paying for that one.

Without any warning, Logan shifted her. His eyes stayed on hers while he slammed her down on his aching cock. Her wet body enveloped him quickly, her heightened lust making it easy to bury himself to the hilt.

She wanted to be fucked, he’d give her that. His hands gripping her backside roughly, Logan lifted her again. Ororo gasped when he slammed her back down. She fell into rythym with him, arching her hips and using her heels on his thighs to rock up and down on his cock.

Logan caught one of his swaying nipples in his mouth, flicking his tongue over the coffee colored peak. She groaned, arching her back to offer him more. He swirled his tongue around each pebbled nipple in turn, slowly backing her toward the bedroom wall.

Their thrusts were hard, furious, screaming with rage and hurt. He didn’t know what would happen come morning, but just being inside of her again was driving him wild. For all his posturing and lies, he still loved her. She was still very much his wife.

And now she knew that.

He shoved those thoughts aside, pinning Ororo to the wall so he could move faster. Harder. Deeper. His hands, no longer occupied with keeping them upright, fell to her thighs and lifted them, opening her to him completely.

Ororo’s hands smoothed up his arms, slipping in the sweat now coating them both. Unable to stay passive, she dragged her nails through his hair, making his hips jerk at the contrast in sensation.

“This what ya wanted?� He demanded before claiming her lips in a bruising kiss.

“No,� she denied half-heartedly, tearing her mouth from his.

“Bullshit,� he thrust hard, punishing her for her venomous words.

A gust of wind and Ororo’s sudden weight shift landed them both on the carpeted floor. The impact broke them apart and for several moments they fought one another, rolling over and over until she had effectively pinned him.

She took him back inside of her on a moan, her hands clutching the bare skin of his chest until he swore she drew blood. He, in turn, grasped her hips, stabbing upward into her as she rode him without mercy. Logan watched her move above him, in rapture at the sight of this enraged goddess working his body so completely.

Her mouth fell open a scant second later, her entire body shivering with the onset of climax. Logan growled, wanting to join her.

“Come on, girl,� he rasped, that telltale tightening pooling in his belly. “Finish it. Go on. Finish it!�

Ororo screamed into the howling winds, her body clamping down on his and forcing him over the edge into bliss.

“Flamin’ hell!� He shouted, almost howling into the night as he came inside of her, holding her still to ride out the waves of it.

Unlike the other nights together, she did not collapse onto his chest and snuggle as close as she could. Ororo, her eyes still rimmed with frost, swatted him cheekily on the stomach, making him flinch.

“Thanks.�

With that, she stood, leaving him bereft and gathered her shredded clothing. Logan could not even stand as she gathered the winds around her and left their home the way she had come.

Logan lay back on the carpeting, surrounded by her scent. He lifted his head, then slammed it into the floor.

“Fuck.�

Chapter Five: Consequences

Typical and hardly
The type I fall for
I like it when the physical
Don't leave me askin' for more
I'm a sexy mama
Who knows just how to get what I wanna
What I wanna do is bring this on ya
~Pussycat Dolls


He wasn’t prepared for her. Not like this. Ororo smirked, blinking the sweat from her eyes.

Music blared from the mansion’s sound system. It pumped into the practice room loud enough to rattle the windows. The throbbing beat moved her sinuous body without the aid of a dance partner.

The Pussycat Dolls were normally not her first choice of music. Today, however, she felt like a great cat on the prowl. Self-confidence had been jolted through her previously waning system at Logan’s buckling the night before. Only that man could make her feel like a goddess and sex kitten all in one fell swoop.

She rolled her hips in a way meant to set a man’s blood on fire, using the chair she’d confiscated from the kitchen for balance. Ororo hopped onto it, dropping into a provocative crouch. Her hands fell to her knees, yanking her legs apart unhindered by the tight Lycra covering her thighs.

Lip synching with the music in the solace of her practice room, she jumped from the chair after swaying to a stand.

Her husband was in for it. He knew it. She knew it. All that was left to do was wait to pounce again. She threw her body back, curving around the back of the chair. Sweat slicked over her entire body, making the thin material of her clothing cling to her curves.

When she flipped the chair around, she tossed it somewhat haphazardly. It landed with a heavy wooden clunk in front of the door.

That happened to be the exact moment Logan, Warren, and Betsy were walking by. The trio was discussing school business, from the glance Ororo caught as she turned. She shimmed down into another crouch, bending to show off the curves she worked so hard to keep.

She wondered how long they would stand there, watching, before Logan snapped again.

~**~

His mouth hung open in complete and utter shock as his mug hit the floor.

There was his former wife, showing him exactly what he’d just walked away from. Coffee soaking into the hardwood floor, glass scattering, he had to blink several times. Aware that Angel and Betsy were just as dumbfounded, he continued to stare into the open practice room as Ororo seduced him.

She moved toward the chair – and them – with a challenging strut. The music pounded in his blood, but the words were lost on him. Ororo twisted her hips around just so, making him nearly grunt with restraint. She all but humped the chair as she slid onto it.

“Mother of God,� Angel whispered, crossing himself when Ororo pulled her thighs apart and yanked them back together, her torso moving in an inviting ripple.

Her hair fluttered in a tantalizing way as she ducked her head before bringing it back up sharply. One thing he had always loved about her was the play between that prim, proper lady and this demanding, borderline violent minx. She set his blood on fire even further as she spun on the chair, dropping down sharply and crooking a finger to whomever she was dancing for at the moment.

“I have taught her well, I see,� Betsy said with obvious amusement.

Angel’s coffee cup crashed to the floor at that particular mental image.

Ororo continued her seduction, the smile on her face and fire in her eyes making Logan’s teeth hurt. Wench knew exactly what she was doing. He’d let it slip the night before. By giving in, he had told Ororo all she needed to know. Now that she was confident he still wanted her – as though anyone in their right mind could not want that-- she held all the power.

Yes, he wanted her. As her song finished and she kneeled into a challenging yet submissive posture, all he could think of was stripping that tight black material from her legs and burying himself inside of her. Whatever had possessed her the previous night now took him and lust sang through his body.

“Very nice,� Betsy applauded Ororo.

“Um…I have to…right.� Angel made his stammering excuses and beat a hasty retreat down the hall.

Betsy giggled. “I think you’ve gone and made him blush, ‘Roro. Hell, I almost want to shag you against a wall.�

Logan turned sharply to her as Ororo’s smoky laughter bounced around the practice room.

The violet haired mutant shrugged, indicating to the coffee spilled on the floor. “Might wanna take care of that, Logan.�

As she moved away, Ororo came up to the door. She’d pulled on a light hoodie, black to match her revealing Lycra. “Yes, I think you’d better.� She brushed against the bulge in his trousers as she squeezed past him.

Logan had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning. His hands clenched and released, wanting to drag her beautiful body back to him, to take her right there on the practice room floor.

When his former wife turned down the corridor leading to her office, he gave in to the pull. He was already screwed, why not get something out of it?

~**~

The office was filled with bright afternoon light when Ororo stepped into it. She left the door open, humming to the music now stuck in her head. Logan’s reaction to her daringly seductive dance left her with the giddy feel of feminine power.

No matter what he said, the man was still hot for her. The previous night still played havoc on her system, flooding her with heat when she thought of his body so vigorously claiming hers. She had gone there for sex and came away from it with more than that.

It was no surprise that she had gone to him. Ororo still thought of the man as her husband, her mate. When the prodding of desire began to inflame her, seven months of celibacy weighing in, she had gone to him. She felt, no matter what he said, that he would want her.

How right she had been.

So lost was the wintry mutant in her thoughts that she did not notice when Logan appeared at her door. She stuffed her hands into the high pockets of her hoodie, moving around her desk to glance at the schedule Marie had placed there some time during her…workout.

Only when the door slammed, and locked, did she look up.

“Wolverine?�

He came across the room in two strides, knocking over the lamp perching innocently on the edge of her desk. Ororo felt the flicker of fear and the siren call of lust when he shoved her high backed leather chair out of the way. His eyes were aflame with swirling emotion, each deep and so consuming she could hardly name them.

Not a single word passed between them. He took her by the front of her hoodie, drawing her close. When she was flush against him, his mouth claimed hers with little tenderness. Ororo responded eagerly, taking her hands from the hoodie to grasp his hair a little too tightly.

A low, feral growl erupted from his throat and he pushed her away from him. Annoyed, Ororo opened her mouth to protest, only to find that Logan had divested her desk of half it’s contents. He’d made them some room.

“Just sex.� He snarled to her, yanking her closer. “You’re just a good fuck.�

Ororo knew better, so the words did not hurt her. She allowed him to lift her, placing her ass on the edge of her desk. “No, Logan. I am a great fuck.�

“Cocky bitch.�

“Asshole.�

He silenced her with another kiss. His tongue forced itself inside of her mouth, his teeth clashing against hers as they fought for dominance. Ororo wondered, somewhere in the back of her mind, if perhaps this wild, uninhibited side of her was not Wolverine’s influence.

Perhaps it was just hers.

She pulled at his tee shirt, not bothering to take it off. The second his skin was revealed, her hands dove in to touch, scrape and tease him. Logan peeled the Lycra from her legs, tossing her sneakers over his shoulder when he found he was forced to remove them.

Her panties, on the other hand, got caught around one ankle and stayed there. Ororo unzipped her hoodie, nipping at Logan’s chin hard enough to make him growl. Like her, he only revealed enough of her skin to get the treat inside.

Ororo fought with his stubborn belt buckle, wrenching it off with the resonating clash of leather snapping together. His worn denim jeans came down just passed his backside, until his already engorged cock sprang free of its confinement.

As she took him in her hand, stroking him with the familiarity of a wife, Logan threw his head back, groaning loudly. His fingers parted the wet folds at the apex of her thighs, dipping inside to collect the already gathering beads of moisture that betrayed her lust.

Without warning, he pushed two thick fingers inside of her, making the woman hiss and squirm on her desk.

“Ow,� she grunted reproachfully.

Logan smirked down at her, pulling his hand back before thrusting it forward again. Hard. “Stop complainin’.�

“Shut up.�

He drew her legs apart roughly; one hand holding her hip while the other plunged inside of her again and again. Ororo’s hips thrust into his hand in time with his movements. She bit her lip, feeling the wetness pool between her legs.

A glance at Logan nearly made her come by itself. She quickened her strokes along his hard cock, making his hips rock into her hand. They both panted and sighed, each enjoying the bout of delicious torture they had not engaged in the previous night.

When he seemed to have had enough, Logan eased her back on the desk, taking her hands so she would release him. Ororo arched her back against the cold, polished wood of her desk, displaying her body for his feasting eyes. Her former husband captured one hard nipple through the thin material of her workout bra, the rough cloth making her tingle as he wet it thoroughly.

He stepped between her thighs, leaning over the length of her body. Ororo brought her legs up quickly, offering him the full pleasure of her flesh. Logan took her in one instant, seating his thick erection inside of her without pause. Ororo’s head fell back, falling over the edge of the desk as he set an immediately bruising pace.

Clenching around the cock inside of her, Ororo groaned, careful to not say his name yet. Such vulnerability too soon would undo all of her hard work. Logan’s jaw clenched when she reached up to drag her tongue along its whiskered edge. His thrusts were punishing, making the woman beneath him writhe and squirm like some wild thing. He’d always feared the beast inside of him, but she reveled in it.

Her questing tongue finally located the hollow of her love’s ear and she whispered huskily.

“Did you think you would find someone else? You cannot replace me, husband.�

Logan shook his head, as though trying to drown out the truth of her words.

“No one in this world will ever feel as good to you. You fit inside of me, honey. I was made to wrap around you.�

“Stop,� he nearly pled. “Shut up.�

Ororo squeezed her inner muscles, intentionally making him groan with pleasure.

“We mated for life, Logan.� She admitted, throwing caution to the winds. “We are still mated.�

Something snapped inside of him then.

He flattened Ororo to the desk, taking her hands in his and shoving her thighs up to her chest. She clawed at his shoulders when he reared up, moving more deeply inside of her. Logan’s face was twisted in pain and pleasure. He seared his mouth to hers, taking her breath away with the sheer, animalistic ferocity behind it.

There was the sense of familiarity in his sudden, consuming passion. Logan thrust his hips with the grace of the primitive and the fury of a man possessed. Ororo’s breath was pushed from her lungs with every forceful stroke, her nails digging into his slick shoulders until she drew blood.

Logan’s hands gripped hers to the point of pain, his every thrust dangerously rocking the desk beneath them. Ororo felt the heavy wood shift as Logan’s cock delved deep inside of her again.

The sound of flesh striking flesh melded with Logan’s feral grunts and Ororo’s throaty moans until the room was filled with it all.

Glass shattered on the hardwood floor. Logan’s vicious thrusts had caused a paperweight to topple to the floor. When he released her hands, she reached out for something, anything to hold on to.

She succeeded in dropping mounds of paperwork to the floor along with her stack of messages and container of ballpoint pens. Logan brought his hands to her breasts, massaging them brutally until she panted her husband’s name.

He swallowed her cries with another hot, wet kiss a beat later. The winds screamed outside, the temperature of the room jumping several degrees as Ororo’s abused body reached its inevitable climax. Shivers ran the length of her body, centering on the place where her body joined with Logan’s.

Strong, masculine arms stretched with taut muscle as he gripped the edge of the desk and shifted his weight. Ororo dragged hungry hands over his familiar flesh with all the insatiable lust of a starving succubus. She pulled her head up, meeting Logan’s hot gaze with one of her own.

“Look,� he growled.

She needed to explanation. Her eyes, as though drawn by his guttural voice, drifted down body until she could watch his slick, hard cock slipping in and out of her. She tightened around him at the erotic image, thrusting her hips up in a desperate plea for more.

He pushed into her harder, as though trying to get deeper. Ororo tore her eyes from the image of their joining to fall back against the desk as her climax crashed over her without warning or remorse. She gave in and whispered his name as though it were a prayer.

Ororo thought she heard him whimper as he exploded just a beat later. He crushed his mouth to hers, taking as much from that instant as he could while his body stiffened and flexed into his former wife’s.

When the need to breathe overrode anything else, Ororo reached up to touch her husband’s face. His dark eyes glittered in the afternoon light, but she watched as he covered up his emotions. A quick, lopsided smirk came over his beautiful mouth.

“Always a pleasure, Storm.�

Too shocked to actually respond, Ororo was left on the desk, half naked, while her whistling husband gathered his things and left her office. He had the decency to not slam the door behind him.

“Oh, you bastard.� She muttered, half-amused by the situation. Ororo shrugged at her decimated office before pulling her panties up.

At least she’d given him something to think about.

~**~

In the night, a lone woman tossed and turned on her bed. The sheets became tangled in her sweat-soaked legs, her face a mask of pure pain.

Lost in memory and dream, she could not find her way back to the real world. It was as though something were keeping her under the water, unwilling to let her breathe.

She was somewhere unfamiliar, in a place that filled her with fear. There was blood covering the steel beneath her feet, the echo of an animal’s primal scream.

A voice so filled with fear that it sounded alien called out for her missing friends.

“Storm? Wolverine?�

Gnashing noises came to wafting toward her, through the bodies of dead men slashed by an impossible foe. She slipped around the corpses, fear tearing her heart asunder. Whatever had happened here would not be allayed any time in the near future.

As the mutant rounded a corner, she came upon a horror unlike any she had ever seen.

“Oh, my God!�

He paid her no mind, crouching over the limp, bloodied form at his feet. She moved cautiously toward them, wondering what in the name of hell had happened. The man before her snarled loudly, a warning to stay away.

Worry, though, clutched at Psylocke’s heart.

Wolverine made a mad dash, coming at her on all fours. Psylocke gasped, terrified of the feral look in his eyes. She erected a psi-shield at the last, possible moment, repelling the Wolverine easily. She exhaled sharply, centering her mind so that she could reach out for his.

Rage and pain had taken his mind completely, reverting her dear friend to the beast he always feared. Psylocke covered his tortured mind with his, knowing what pain he would truly feel when she brought him out of this.

She wondered, for a moment, if it was more merciful to simply leave him this way.

Deciding it was not, she prodded his mind gently. He allowed her in, recognizing the feel of her psychic presence. Psylocke flooded his wounded mind with the sense of himself, reminding him of who and what he was.

“Bets?�

Smiling at the growling, slightly animal voice, she continued. After several, long moments, she felt her Logan snap the Wolverine back into his cage.

“Welcome back,� she greeted as he stood up from that primal crouch.

To her dismay, the first thing he did was look around. “Hey, where’s my wife?�

Betsy did not have the heart to tell him. Her eyes, however, cut to the body lying so helplessly on the floor.

Logan whipped around, his hands shaking with the terrible truth as his eyes found the crumpled form of his beloved wife. A scream of unbearable pain tore from his throat, the utter pain nothing compared to what she could feel was soul-crushing guilt.

“What have I done?� He shouted to the echoing room.

He rushed to the fallen form of Storm and pulled her close. “Oh, God. Baby, wake up.�

At the sound of his voice, Storm began to flinch away, trying to weakly fight him back. Betsy stepped in, then, encouraging Logan to get the Blackbird. His wife would need a doctor.

She tried to not notice the way his eyes had hollowed as he rushed from the room…


“We can’t leave her like this.�

“I can’t. I won’t.�

Logan took her arms, meeting her eyes with his. “We have to. She can’t hardly breathe without reliving it.�

“She has to work this out on her own, just like you do.�

“I almost fuckin’ killed her, Betsy. How’d you work that one out?�

“You have to let the mind heal itself,� she countered. “If I go in there and start erasing things, I may do more harm than good.�

Logan turned away from her, staring at the woman lost in her own mind. Her face bore the unmistakable grimace he wished he could wipe from her face.

“Betsy, please. I can’t…she looked at me like I was evil incarnate.�

“She’s just afraid…�

“I’m beggin’, Bets.� Logan pled. “She can’t live with this. Hell, I can’t, but I will.�

She regarded him silently for a few moments, knowing what this was doing to him. Their minds were still linked, which she had explained was to keep him from returning feral before they got home. All of his self-loathing and fear was coming to her in waves.

Psylocke turned to Storm, delving into the surface of her mind. There was fear and sadness and disbelief in her mind. Betsy wondered if, perhaps, this would end her dear friends’ marriage.

The romantic in her would not allow that. She moved to the bed, placing one hand on Storm’s forehead.

“I’m only doing this because I love her. This is unethical and just plain barmy.�

Logan’s relief came to her in a flood. “Thanks, Bets.�

“Don’t thank me yet,� she muttered, dropping her consciousness into Storm’s. “I’m pretty sure this’ll come back to bite us in the arse.�


~**~

She woke up with a start, breathing heavily with a sob caught in her throat. These memories did not surface often, but they hurt her deeply when they did. She could still hear the screaming in the back of her mind, what she and Logan had done bringing about the guilt she carried since that terrible day.

Betsy looked forlornly around the room, aching for the comfort of a man’s embrace. She wished, for what seemed like the millionth time, that she had the courage to go to Angel’s room, to plead with him to hold her.

…the screaming wasn’t in the back of her mind.

“Blimey! Storm!�

She was off her bed in an instant, not bothering with her bathrobe. The door banged against the wall of her room as she fled through it. She noticed Logan rushing toward his wife’s room at the same instant, the two of them nearly colliding with Piotr and Kitty when they reached the master suite’s door.

It wasn’t unusual for Wolverine to be found prowling the grounds at night, usually when he was restless. Betsy wondered, as they piled into Storm’s room, if he had known something was about to happen. He was a little too prepared sometimes.

Storm was sobbing like a brokenhearted child on the floor beside her bed. Her delicate hands held her face as she wept, the blankets torn from the mattress as though she had tumbled from the bed.

Logan was the first to reach his estranged wife. “Storm?�

The wintry mutant threw herself in her husband’s arms, wetting his tee shirt with her tears. Betsy held the others back, surprised that Ororo reached so easily for his comforting embrace.

“I had such a terrible dream. It was so real.�

The violet-eyed telepath froze as though ice had been poured into her veins. No. It wasn’t possible. It was just a coincidence. Yes. That was it.

“Shh. It’s ok. It was just a dream.� Logan soothed the trembling figure in his arms.

“You had gone feral and attacked me. Psylocke had to bring you back and…you were heartbroken.� She sniffled loudly, clutching at Logan’s shoulders. “There was so much blood…you begged me to wake up.�

Betsy felt the tears fall from her eyes. Somehow, in the dead of night, Psylocke had linked her mind with Storm’s, sharing that awful, hideous memory with the one person they tried so terribly to protect.

Logan turned to look at her, grief and fear naked in his eyes. She knew, in that moment, what was to happen next.

“You…you begged Psylocke to wipe the memories. You told her I couldn’t live with it…� Storm, trailed off, pulling away from her ex-husband.

Psylocke was close enough to them both to see the sorrow in Logan’s eyes when he caught his wife’s cerulean gaze. Storm paused, her tears still spilling down caramel cheeks. Her mouth parted slightly and one hand came up to cover it, as though shocked by whatever she saw in Logan’s eyes.

Psylocke closed her eyes, stepping backward hesitantly until Angel caught her. He rubbed her arms soothingly, but said nothing.

When her eyes opened again, Logan was clinging to his former wife as though she would vanish before his eyes.

“I’m sorry.� He whispered, paying no mind to the others. “I’m so sorry, ‘Ro.�
The other woman scooted back, leaving her ex-husband’s arms as realization dawned on her.

“No. Goddess above. No.�

Chapter Six: Pretending

I can't hide the way I feel about you anymore
I can't hold the hurt inside, keep the pain out of my eyes anymore
My tears no longer waiting, my resistance ain't that strong
My mind keeps recreating a life with you alone
And I'm tired of pretending that I don't love you anymore
~Travis Tritt


She backed away from him, leaving his arms cold and empty, until she hit the open terrace doors. Those healing hands covered her face as the heavens screamed betrayal for her when words refused to come.

The assembled mutants all seemed too stunned to so much as breathe. Ororo’s eyes were locked onto Logan’s, stealing every lie he’d carried with him these last eighteen months. He couldn’t look away, though he wanted desperately to hide from that penetrating stare.

Her destroyed face reflected what the winds and pelting rain were screaming at him.

“How could you?�

Logan swallowed hard, fighting his tears. “I…�

But his wife turned on the violet-haired telepath, her eyes swirling with white as she fought for control of her mutation. Betsy’s tears coursed down her pale cheeks even as Angel almost absently soothed her. His wings fluttered out from his back, encircling the trembling mutant as Ororo’s pain flooded the room.

“I’m sorry, Storm.� Her voice broke. “I didn’t know what else to do.�

“You could have trusted me!� Ororo screamed with the howling winds. “Both of you!�

He looked down at his hands, blinking when he thought he caught the red haze of her blood still spilled onto his flesh. His eyes slammed closed, fighting with the images of that terrible day.

“Remove it.�

At his wife’s demand, Logan shook his head. “No. God, don’t.�

“Now, Elizabeth,� Ororo shouted, scrambling gracefully to her feet. “Take the block off. I want those memories back.�

“Please…� Betsy pled. “I can’t. Not right now, I’m not prepared for it.�

“Then prepare yourself,� Ororo demanded, drawing up to her full height. It would never cease to amaze Logan how intimidating she could seem, even when emotionally wrecked. “By the Goddess, Elizabeth, not even Charles would tamper with my mind.�

“I’m sorry,� the British woman tried again.

“Do it,� Angel whispered into the woman’s ear. “I’ll be here.�

“You don’t understand,� Psylocke turned to him. “If I go into this with no protection, I’ll relive the entire thing through her eyes.�

“That is the price you must pay,� Ororo insisted.

The two women locked gazes across the dimly lit room. Psylocke looked ready to bolt, but Logan knew her better than that. Her quivering chin tilted upward and she gestured to the bed.

“We’d better lie down. This won’t be pleasant.�

~**~

Eighteen Months Ago…


“Everyone still got their knickers on?� Betsy asked as she finished the post-flight checks.

“Not me,� Ororo whispered as she passed her husband, heading back toward the hatch.

He growled playfully, catching her before she could reach the hatch to open it. Heedless to Betsy miming violent vomiting in the cockpit, he pulled his wife closer, hands firmly grasping her leather-covered backside.

Ororo smiled, giving in to his entreating mouth when he leaned down for a kiss. He brought her flush against him, their bodies almost instinctively fitting together as though they were more comfortable that way than apart.

“Ya tryin’ to make us late, darlin’?� He whispered huskily against her lips.

“Of course not,� Ororo replied, all innocence.

“Vixen,� he murmured, wrapping her in another searing, pulse-pounding kiss.

Five years into marriage and the man still made her blood boil. Just a heated look across a classroom could make her hot and bothered. When he backed her into the bulkhead of the jet, she grinned against his lips.

He leaned on the bulkhead, taking his time about kissing her until she felt thoroughly snogged, as Betsy would term it. There were times she still felt like a newlywed in his arms, as though that giddy, heady thrill would never quite leave her. Her husband grinned against her lips, their conversation the previous night coming back to her.

So, what if I wanted kids?

You would need a new wife.

Liar.

Uh-huh.

Can I convince ya?

You may try.

“My God,� Betsy said as she opened the hatch and came to join them. “You two are like a couple of teenagers. Shaggin’ and snoggin’ every time I turn round.�

“Can you blame me?� Ororo said against Logan’s lips, causing him to chuckle quietly.

“No.� Psylocke laughed. “But we’ve work to do. Come on, kids.�

Wolverine and Storm broke apart reluctantly, Logan’s squeeze of her backside telling her she was in for an athletic evening when their work was completed. The trio of X-Men filed out of the jet, looking around them cautiously for any signs of danger.

It was supposed to be an easy trip to Tokyo. A young mutant was displaying awesome powers, which they felt could be harnessed and controlled with proper teaching. Logan’s contacts had already told them that the girl was orphaned and in need of a decent home.

“Wait.� Logan, whom had taken point, thrust his arms out to halt both women. “Somethin’ ain’t right.�

“Scanning…� Psylocke closed her eyes and Ororo felt the faint, gentle caress of her mind reaching out around them.

Wolverine was crouched low to the ground, sniffing toward the dense forest they had landed in. The mutant lived in a remote village, or so they were told. It was somewhat out of the way from anything resembling civilization, though she knew Tokyo was only a few dozen miles to the south.

“I’m picking up people.� Betsy’s voice was detached. “But not a single mutant. It’s weird, though, the village is dead head, but most of what I’m picking up are American blokes.�

Snikt! Logan released his claws even as Psylocke conjured herself a psi-blade and Storm cloaked them with thick, smoky fog.

“We must investigate,� Storm said in a tone filled with command.

“I knew she was gonna say that,� Wolverine murmured. “You?�

“Predictable, as always.� Psylocke replied.

“Do shut up, both of you,� Storm cut in playfully.

“Ok, I’m goin’ low an’ right,� Psylocke offered.

“Wolverine take the left, I will be aloft.�

As Ororo gathered the wind, careful to leave her fog undisturbed, she heard Logan comment to Psylocke.

“You know anyone else that uses the word ‘aloft’ like she does?�

Psylocke laughed before the two of them broke up into separate directions. Storm rolled her eyes, good-naturedly taking the ribbing. It was, after all, a form of playing and Logan happened to be a very playful creature.

For several moments, Ororo flew over the nearby forest, her eyes trained on the ground. She caught sight of several wild creatures, passing them with a respectful nod. Trees filled with bright green leaves thickly populated the ancient forest. It beckoned her, this primitive nature all around her. She wanted to get lost in it for a while.

Ororo knew Logan was feeling something similar. She tapped her comm. badge quickly.

“Report.�

“Um,� Psylocke replied a moment later. “Lots of trees, a few serpents, and a whole lot of dirt. Wolvie?�

Silence crackled on the comm.

“Wolverine?� Storm asked again, pulling herself up short in mid-air.

“Storm?� Psylocke answered. “I lost my feed on him!�

“Damn it! Rendezvous back at the jet. Something is terribly wrong.�

~**~

“Still nothing,� Psylocke reported hours later. Her eyes were tightly closed, her lovely face coated with sweat from the efforts of her psychic powers. “Its like he just…�

“He is not dead,� Ororo cut in from the cockpit of the jet. She was scanning for his GPS locator on every channel she could think of, hoping he would activate it.

“We can’t just sit here on our arses doin’ nothing.� Betsy cut in. “We should go look for him.�

Storm chewed on her bottom lip, not turning toward her friend. She wanted to go tearing through that forest, ripping up trees one by one until her husband returned to her, but that was not the X-Men way. One never embraced danger without gathering as much information as possible.

At the moment, they knew nothing save that Wolverine had been missing for three hours.

“All right,� Storm gave in to the primal pull that ordered her to go locate her husband. “We stay together. Continue scanning and we will head in the direction he was.�

“You know how to track, luv?�

Storm smiled wanly. “I married Wolverine, of course I know how to track.�

They left the jet together, moving as one seamless unit. Their hours of training together in the Danger Room made them a perfect team. Storm’s eyes darted through the underbrush, one hand reaching out to caress a thick, white and yellow serpent as it dangled gracefully from a tree limb.

The serpent brought its broad head up, staring at her as though curious. Ororo tilted her head, amazed when the serpent mimicked her movement. It blinked at her, its scales rasping together as it shifted positions on the wide tree branch.

“That is completely disgusting,� Psylocke whispered. “Are you communing with a bloody serpent?�

“He is beautiful, isn’t he?� Ororo said, somewhat distracted.

“Ew,� the warrior said comically.

Ororo stroked his lovely head once more, pleasantly surprised when it nuzzled her hand. It truly was an odd serpent.

The world behind the serpent came suddenly into sharp focus. Ororo’s carefully trained eyes noted several human figures moving through the underbrush. Many of them were covered in military camouflage.

“Betsy…� Ororo kept her hand on the serpent, not betraying that she had seen anything.

“I see them,� the other woman confirmed.

“Go!�

One mutant darted into the air while the other threw her body into the nearest tree she could find. Gunfire tore through the peaceful forest as both women took shelter. Psylocke leaped from tree to tree, making her way toward the military men.

“Weapon X,� Storm called over the gunfire into her comm.

“The wankers after Wolvie?� Psylocke called back on a grunt.

“The very same,� Ororo replied.

“Go find Wolvie, let me play hide and seek with these right bastards.�

“Betsy…�

“I’ll be careful.�

Storm propelled her body in the direction the men had come from, draping thick fog over Betsy without prompting. The woman would need all the protection she could get. The white-cropped mutant searched the area for anything that could resemble a base of operations for the Weapon X project.

Hating that they had been led directly into a trap, Ororo dropped out of the sky like a bomb when she found several human guards loitering aimlessly in the remains of an old village. Catching them off guard, Ororo was able to take one out before the others knew she was even in the area.

Her hand-to-hand skills deadly due to extensive training with her husband, Ororo ducked several blows, using a nearby two-by-four to knock one into a heap on the ground. Two more went the way of the first via a low voltage lightning strike.

The final, however, was shoved into the ground and straddled. Ororo, eyes glowing white, grabbed him by the uniform, bringing his face up to within an inch of hers.

“Where is my husband?�

He stammered. Ororo banged his head into the dirt. “Where is my HUSBAND?�

“T-There…� he pointed behind her, fear naked in his eyes. “D-Down.�

“Thank you,� Ororo said sweetly. She pulled one leather-covered fist back before effectively breaking the man’s nose. He slumped into the damp earth, unconscious much to her satisfaction.

It took only seconds for Ororo to discover the steel trapdoor hastily covered in the floor of one abandoned hut. She wrenched it open, not bothering to alert Psylocke. The mental link they kept open told her the telepath was amused, which meant she was playing with her foes and in no danger.

“Logan?�

Ororo called for her husband, rushing down the thick, steel corridors. The construction of the small, underground holding facility looked slapdash, as though it had been hastily slapped together at the last moment. She had no doubt that the secretive faction known as Weapon X had detained the mutant the X-Men had come for and emptied the village.

Bastards.

Her heavy boots echoed with every hurried step. Two rooms were empty, filled with filing cabinets and foodstuffs. Ororo moved past quickly, searching for her husband. She called his name several more times, succeeding in drawing three more guards to her.

Quick punches and well-placed kicks put all three groaning on the floor. She didn’t have time for this. She had to find Logan before they did something to him. His mind was too fragile when confronted with these demons. Precious time had already been lost.

“There.� A relieved sigh left her lips when she spotted the bolted door at the end of the corridor. It was the only reinforced door in the entire makeshift compound.

Her hand flattened against the metal, one glance telling her that it was adamantium. Damn them. Ororo peeked through the window, unable to see very far into the room.

The keycard slot might have proved troublesome, had she not had the foresight to bring her electronic lock picks with her. It took only seconds for the door’s hydraulics to whistle as they opened. Ororo glanced down the hall to ensure no one was following before she ducked inside.

Carnage met her horrified eyes. Blood was splattered all over the silvery metal, soaking through the holes in the floor. Ororo stepped over two bodies, hoping against hope that her husband would recognize her scent.

“Psylocke?� She called into the comm. “I found him.�

A pause. “I’ve got your location. There in a flash, luv.�

“Logan?� Ororo called for her, turning a corner.

He was standing over the bodies of what looked to be several scientists. Crimson covered his shredded X-Men uniform, though they had left his wedding ring upon his finger. Ororo twisted hers nervously as she came closer.

“My love?�

Her feral husband turned to her, but there was no trace of the man she loved in that ferocious gaze. He said nothing, growling low in his throat. For one, terrifying moment, Ororo nearly fled. Instead, she swallowed fear and stepped closer.

Logan would never hurt her.

A beat later, he flew at her. Ororo flinched, falling back. She tripped, the heel of her boot caught on one of the floor rungs. She threw her hands out, but the winds did not heed her call.

“Logan?�

Her voice, filled with fear and disbelief, did not jar him from his primal rage. His adamantium-laced fist slammed into her mouth. Ororo instinctively recoiled from the mind-numbing blow, blood spilling from her mouth. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was thankful his claws were retracted.

That thought was shoved aside as he fell on her again. Her limp body, already disoriented from the first hit, was lifted only to be tossed onto the metallic floor. She felt her body break slightly under the pressure. She lost track of coherent thought, refusing to believe that this was happening.

Snikt! As his claws appeared, Ororo closed her eyes.

She didn’t want to see anymore.

~**~

Now


The house was dark and quiet all round him. He could see in the absent light, outlines of the furniture she had picked out years ago. She’d been so thrilled when he presented her with the house, so overjoyed to decorate it. To make it their home.

It had taken him a year of secrecy to build it for them. He bought a small plot with the money left to him by Xavier, money he had not touched. The rest of it went to building the custom home, filled with windows and light.

When it was finished, he’d brought her here for the first time. There, in the center of the living room where he currently sat, he’d asked her to be his wife. They’d made love on the hardwood, celebrating their commitment.

Now, the entire house brought him a fierce longing. He never wanted her to know. That look of fear in her eyes, the knowledge that he’d beaten and broken her body with his own hands ate at him every day.

She’d woken from that Psylocke-induced coma after the terrible revelation and fled. He didn’t know where she’d gone, but before her feet left the balcony of her room, he was out of the mansion. He couldn’t stay there, not with the accusation in every eye, the barely restrained fury he could feel building all around him.

It was better to hole up here, to gather his wits again.

When headlights bounced up the driveway, he wasn’t even particularly surprised. It would be one of three people. Psylocke seeking comfort. Piotr looking for a fight. Or ‘Ro demanding more answers.

The engine cut off in front of the house, behind his Jeep. The glass in his hand was emptied quickly, Logan hoping it would give him more courage to face this. It was refilled with the bottle resting on the table beside him. He wished, as he had since the day it happened, that Chuck was around. This whole thing would have been easier to take with Chuck around to guide them.

Damn Phoenix for taking him away.

The front door opened quietly, shutting just as softly a moment later. Light footsteps came to his preternatural ears followed swiftly by the unmistakable scent of his wife.

He raised his tortured eyes as she entered the living room from the foyer. Her hand rested on the wall, her eyes unguarded. Ororo was dressed in black slacks and a soft white tee bearing the X symbol.

To his utter astonishment, she was wearing the wedding band he’d left on her dresser.

Quietly, she moved into the room, lowering her slender form onto the sofa across from him. He could see the ravages of tears on her face, which was devoid of makeup. Her hair was pulled from her face in a short ponytail, leaving her open to him.

Logan remained where he was, watching her miserably. He’d not dressed completely, leaving his feet and chest bare with faded blue jeans. Another long draw from his glass filled the empty space between them.

She wasn’t going to talk first, apparently. Logan took that as his cue and said the one thing he’d wanted to for a year.

“I’m tired,� he rasped. “I’m tired of pretending I don’t love you. I do. I never fuckin’ stopped. I just had to get you away from me. I didn’t want you to know.�

Hurt flashed in her blue eyes, but she said nothing.

“I thought if I pushed you away, it would be easier. You deserve somethin’ better than an animal.�

“Logan.� She swallowed audibly. “Stop.�

He immediately halted, dropping his gaze to his glass.

“We have always been stronger together than apart.� Her voice was soft, but hard as diamonds. “We could have survived anything, even this. All you had to do was trust me and trust yourself. Instead…you betrayed me. More than anything, that betrayal hurts the most.�

Logan felt tears sting at his eyes, but he fought them back. He would not cry in front of her, no matter how often she had seen his tears.

“You just…� she shrugged as though hopeless. “You didn’t have the balls to stand up for us. You discarded me the moment something you felt we couldn’t handle appeared.�

“The balls?� He stood, throwing the nearly empty glass against the wall. It shattered into a thousand pieces, oddly reminding him of his heart.

“Yes, the balls, Logan.� She seemed entirely unmoved by his display of temper. “You just walked away.�

“I didn’t just anything, darlin’,� he growled, turning away from her. “It killed me, a little more every day, to wake up without you.�

“You did this to us, Logan. Not the attack, but everything after.� He heard her stand. “Playing with my mind, breaking my heart, how did you think this would end?�

Logan’s head dropped forward, some of the fight leaving him. His deadly hands clenched before releasing several times. He could feel the dangerous tips of his claws beneath the skin, claws that had nearly taken his wife’s life.

“I was trying to protect you.�

“You foolish man,� she spat with venom. “Did you not think I would fight for you back?�

“I hoped you’d be too pissed off.� There was slight amusement in his tone.

“You may have given up on me, but I had fight in me yet.� Ororo sighed. He heard the unmistakable sound of her sneakers on the floor as she moved to her favorite western window.

“I’m not proud of this,� he admitted, letting his armor crack slightly.

She did not speak for a long, tense moment. Out of the corner of his eye, if he turned his head just slightly, he could see her form bathed in moonlight. Ororo turned her face up to the moon, her arms crossed over her chest and a broken look on that beautiful face. Logan’s heart twisted violently in his chest. She didn’t have the right to be so beautiful, so easy to love and hard to protect.

“We’d been talking about children,� she admitted after several minutes. “We were going to strengthen ourselves again.�

Twist the knife again, darlin’, he thought miserably.

“How could you walk away? Why don’t you trust me?� Her voice caught, the desperate sound making his knees want to give out.

“I don’t know,� he answered honestly. “But when you woke up in the hospital…you screamed at the sight of me, you pulled away. The docs said it was the fever…�

“But it was your second worst fear realized,� she finished for him. “I feared you.�

He nodded with a grunt.

Her fingers danced over the slender scar on her forehead. “This? I don’t remember.�

Logan cradled his right hand with the left. “You ducked. Caught the edge.�

“Oh.�

The air between them was cold, charged with fear and doubt and hurt. Logan continued staring at his hands, feeling the weapons tucked away beneath his flesh. She didn’t say anything for several minutes. He could almost see her drawing everything inside of herself.

“I meant what I said,� she spoke softly, turning to him finally.

Logan followed her cue and met her eyes, his body facing hers. “When?�

“We mated for life,� she repeated her whispered words from the romp on her desk. “We are still mated. I am not ready to let go of that.�

Hope springs eternal and it sprung up in Logan’s chest at her words. She knew his deep, dark secret, had exposed his deception. She still wanted him?

“Unlike you, I do not give up easily.�

At that verbal slap, Logan cast his gaze back to his hands. Ororo crossed the room quickly. Her hands grasped his cheeks, the cool metal of her wedding band almost searing his cheek.

“I don’t care what the papers say, husband, we’re still married. I need some time, but I am not giving up.�

With that, she turned on her heel and marched out of the house. Logan slumped back onto his chair as the engine of her car started and headlights faded from his view.

She was crazy. Completely nuts. Too bad it was something he adored about her.

~**~


He came up behind her, landing on the wide branch and letting his wings instinctively encircle her. The woman was quiet, watching the mansion from her warrior’s crouch. He’d followed during her mad run from the mansion, as though she could outdistance the demons waiting there. He knew, without a knowing why, that she would need him before the night was through.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with pain, with tears she would not shed. Uniquely violet hair danced on the breeze, her revealing lilac uniform showing off a physique many supermodels would kill for.

She reached out with the hand not keeping her precarious balance on the branch, touching the downy feathers of his wings. Angel blushed slightly, letting the muscles twitch so his wings fluttered. That brought a small, beautiful smile to her lovely face.

“You’re so beautiful,� Psylocke whispered in the darkness. “How can someone so pure exist in this world?�

“Well,� he began, inwardly giddy as a schoolboy at her praise. “I like to think I’m here to remind people that there is beauty in this world.�

“I don’t usually see it,� she admitted, her eyes still trained on the twinkling lights from the far off mansion. “I’m a warrior. I see power, weakness. Blood, victory. But you…you show me this other side of things.�

“Good,� Angel said, drawing his wings closer around her until her vision of the mansion was blocked. “I’m doing something right then.�

Still in her graceful, almost catlike crouch, she turned to face him. His heart stuttered helplessly in his chest, as it usually did whenever she turned those enormous violet eyes on him.

“How can you be so bloody nice to me? I tampered with Storm’s mind, nearly drove her barmy. And here you are, covering me.�

Angel shrugged one shoulder, his wings moving slightly with the gesture. Time to bit that bullet. “I think I’ll be spending a lot of time covering you.�

Astonished by his bold words, Psylocke looked down at her hands. Her hair trailed over her cheek in the light summer wind, so Angel reached forward to brush it back behind her ear. With a small smile, he watched as she looked back up at him.

“Don’t act like you don’t know, Elizabeth,� he whispered. “You’ve known for some time that I’m falling for you. My poker face is…�

“Absolute shite,� she answered for him. “Angel, is this really the time?�

“We only have the time given us,� he said, brushing a thumb over her cheek as his wings tightened, bringing her closer. “We’ll deal with everything else tomorrow. I just want this moment for us.�

Psylocke smiled, touching his feathers with soft, exploring fingers as she gave in. The warrior and the angel, the irony didn’t escape him. He thought, however, that every warrior needed something to hold on to.

He wanted to be that something for her.

When their lips met for that first, tender kiss, his heart soared. He took her slender body into his arms and propelled them off of the branch. They lunged into the starry sky, arms locked around one another as if their lives depended on it.

In some way, perhaps, they did.

Chapter Seven: Better Days

When you love a woman
You see your world inside her eyes
When you love a woman
You know she's standin' by your side
A joy that lasts forever
There's a band of gold that shines
Waiting somewhere
~Journey


It wasn’t every day that a young man had the distinct pleasure of holding an overly gorgeous woman a little too closely. Though he tried to remind himself that she was his teacher, that she was still sort of married to a man that could gut him with a look, Artie couldn’t help smirking triumphantly when he caught sight of them in the mirror.

Miss Munroe was dressed for their lessons, like always. Her tight black trousers and form-fitting white tank kept distracting him as he tried the complicated ups and downs of a traditional waltz.

“Artie?�

Suddenly aware that he’d been caught daydreaming – again – he snapped his attention back to the slender beauty in his arms. She had her eyebrow up, but said nothing about his wandering mind.

“You are not going to break me,� she continued, stopping their movement. “Piotr?�

The massive man looked up from where he’d been watching the waltzing pair. His serious eyes danced with amusement as he reached them. Piotr pushed Artie closer to the female mutant, adjusting his arms until they were in a perfect waltz pose.

“She is rather distracting, isn’t she?� Colossus teased in a low tone to Artie. The younger boy blushed, chewing on his amphibian tongue.

“That will be all, Piotr,� Storm said frostily, though there was humor in her smile.

“All right,� she turned her eyes back to Artie. “Let us try this again.�

Artie closed his eyes, listening intently to the beat of the music. Storm was so slight that it was something like dancing with air. In addition to her slender frame, the woman was drop dead gorgeous. He got all tongue-tied whenever she turned those big baby blues on him, his neck suddenly hot whenever she tossed him a wink.

He refused to think of Bobby’s constant ribbing. It really wasn’t funny to say someone was hot for their teacher. Well, Storm wasn’t even his teacher anymore, but that wasn’t really the point! She still felt like his teacher, even if that perfume of hers always smelled so damn good…

“Artie!�

Snapping back to reality, Artie found Piotr laughing against the mirrors and Storm shaking her head with that slightly silly smile on her face. The young man blushed to the roots of his hair, wondering how much of his internal monologue had reflected on his face.

“Again!� Storm said, biting back laughter without much success.

“One, two,� she counted the steps. “Rise…three, four, fall.�

Unfortunately, Artie’s feet decided to do exactly the opposite of what the woman said. He released her hands as he tripped, barely saving himself from falling in a heap on the polished wood floor. He swore violently, which only made the chuckling Russian laugh harder. Sometimes Piotr could be a real pain in the back end.

“All right,� Storm said, silencing Piotr with a single, deadly look.

“Lets face it,� Artie muttered miserably. “I’ve got two left feet, two left arms, and two left brains.�

“Ororo,� Piotr cut in, still fighting a tide of laughter. “Perhaps we should show it to him again.�

“Oh, yeah,� the younger mutant snapped. “Cause the fact that you two are professionals makes me feel better. I feel like a lump.�

“Ok,� Ororo said, stepping between the boys. She took the stereo remote from her pocket and silenced the soft, symphony music. A beat later, something that sounded like it belonged in World War II flooded the room.

“What the…� Artie stopped when Storm crooked a finger at him in a beckoning manner.

Artie may have been young, but even he knew no man resists that “come hither� from a woman like Storm. He moved across the room to her swaying body.

“Lets relax,� she said, holding her hands out to him as the warble of some woman he couldn’t quite place flooded the room.

“Huh?� the boy asked, blinking when he saw Piotr jamming in the mirror.

“Let Aretha carry your worries away,� Ororo said with a fond smile.

He stared at her blankly even as she spun her body into a tight circle. “Who’s Aretha?�

Both elder mutants stopped dead in their tracks. Ororo put a hand to her forehead and promptly mimed fainting, trusting her nearby partner to catch her. The enormous Russian stepped up behind her, easily swooping the dark beauty into his arms as though she were but an extension of his own body. Damn, they looked good together.

“His gross lack of education is appalling, Professor Munroe,� Piotr admonished.

Ororo, fluttering the spray of long white lashes against her cheeks in dismay, nodded. “Come, my darling, we will teach the young pup.�

They split apart, twitching their shoulders and hips in a rendition of something he’d seen in a John Travolta movie. Oh yeah, that’s where he’d heard that song. Artie shrugged, watching them carefully.

“Stop thinking,� Ororo ordered him. “Dance is not only in the steps. Just…move.� Her dreamy smile nearly stopped his heart altogether.

Artie made a face, then swooped into some kind of weird dance maneuver that both Piotr and Ororo seemed to like, for they copied his movement. Deciding, what the hell, they would never make fun of him in public, he fell into step beside his tutors.

It took only seconds for the three of them to fall into synch. Artie noticed Storm lip-synching and relaxed completely. Piotr had his eyes closed, lost in this old music that they seemed to think was more important than guys like Linkin Park and System of a Down.

They moved as a sinuous unit inside of a minute, each of them parroting the others’ movements until they had a short dance routine made up on the spot. Artie, quite suddenly, was having one hell of a good time.

He grabbed Storm by the hands, forcing her to dance with him. She continued mouthing the words, even when Artie pushed her out into the spin she had taught him last week. The slight woman spun out expertly, looking as though she were made to move that way. Artie tugged on her hand, bringing her back into his arms.

They slid together, her back to his chest, easily finding a niche in the music. When Ororo flipped around to face him again, they fell into step quickly. It felt so much more natural that the structured waltz.

Though he wanted to learn from his teacher so that he could dance with his mother for her fiftieth birthday. She had always wanted to waltz like they did in old black and white movies, so Artie thought his learning could be her birthday gift.

He hadn’t realized it would be so damn hard!

“Artie?� Storm asked as the song switched on the player.

“Yeah?� He gave her a grin.

“You’re waltzing,� she pointed out gently.

To his great pleasure, Artie turned his head to the mirror, finding he was indeed holding his teacher in a perfect ballroom pose. He released her quickly, jumping toward the ceiling with a whoop of joy. His enhanced amphibian cellular structure landed him softly on his feet in front of his brilliant professor.

“Ok, I see what you were saying now!� He grinned at him, kissing her cheek nosily. “It does all fit together! Man, Mom’s gonna flip! Can we try it again?�

Through her amused laughter, Ororo nodded. “Piotr, play some Charles. He’ll like that.�

“Charles?� Artie asked as the music changed and he took his teacher back into his arms.

“Ray Charles.� Ororo explained, then sighed heavily when he continued to look at her blankly. “I see we have miles to go with you yet.�

“It’s a good thing I’m cute, then, huh?�

Storm’s silvery laughter filled the room as they began to move again. Some days, he couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be than this mansion.

~**~

Then


Madness reigned at the mansion for the week leading up to the wedding. Decorations were in order and food brought in. The ceremony and resulting party were to be small, but there was something to be said about a glimmer of happiness after such darkness.

Logan stood with his best man and groomsmen in a small tent erected beside the lake. Being outdoors types, Wolverine and Storm had opted for a ceremony completed lakeside. The students and teachers living at Xavier’s School, would stand around them, or sit on wide wicker benches.

As he fought with his tie, he glanced at Scott looking out of the window. “You ok, bub?�

Though the ruby-quartz lenses of his protective eyeglasses obstructed his face Logan could read his friend’s regret in the wrinkle of his chin. Most probably thought Cyclops would marry long before Storm or Wolverine. But after the death of Jean and his subsequent exile at Alkali Lake, the man was ever altered. He spoke little, pulling so far inside that many of them worried for his sanity. To this day, he only spoke when he had to and usually only with Storm or Logan.

“Just thinking,� Scott replied.

“About Jean.� Logan offered, watching him carefully.

“About Jean,� the other man confirmed.

He turned back to the mirror, fussing with the tie yet again. Why had had he let Rogue and Kitten tag team him into this damn thing? He finally tossed the tie away, deciding that if he had to wear the damn tux, he would make it his own.

Unbuttoning the first few of his shirt, he tossed the jacket aside and wrenched the shirttails from his trousers. Feeling immensely better, shoes were tossed across the room, making Bobby jump out of the way.

“Hey,� he said, standing quickly. “We don’t match now.�

Logan shrugged. “So, take your coats off.�

Piotr smirked wickedly as both boys threw their coats away and kicked off their shoes. “The girls may kill us all.�

“Actually, I heard Marie say Storm wouldn’t even buy shoes. Apparently she’s going barefoot.�

Wolverine grinned at them. “Yeah, sounds like her.�

Leaving the younger men to their discussion, Logan moved toward Cyclops, whom had obviously decided that “when in Rome…�

“You gonna be able to get through this day?� Logan asked in a low tone.

Scott gave him a brief, heartbreaking smile. There was something in the twitch of his lips and the set of his jaw that made Logan briefly afraid that his friend would break down. He didn’t mind the mental collapses usually, but on his wedding day, it was somewhat annoying.

“I’ll be fine, Wolverine.� Scott said as he yanked the tie off. “I’m just glad you two found each other.�

“I’d be jealous as hell and twice as pissed off.�

“Yeah,� Scooter chuckled meekly. “But I’m not you.�

Logan accepted this, turning back toward the mirror. His heart sped up a little, as it had all morning. In an hour – barring the usual X-Men interruptions at the last, possible moment – Ororo Munroe would be his wife. All his. For as long as they could stand each other.

“She would have wanted to be here,� Scott said quietly.

Without turning, Logan grunted. “She is. So is Chuck.�

Scott smiled. Logan nodded. Talk officially over.

~**~

Hours after the ceremony, the party was still in full swing. Bobby and several other students had replaced the exhausted disc jockey some time ago, thrilling the young wedding revelers with grinding guitar riffs and throaty vocals.

Ororo gently unpinned her veil, shaking her hair down with a small smile on her face. Logan, his shirt completely unbuttoned and wedding band shiny on his hand, was laughing with Marie as they tore the makeshift dance floor up together.

Bobby crooned about longing and want into the microphone, his hands flying over the strings of his guitar. Artie slammed on the drums, keeping the beat masterfully while Kitty manipulated a keyboard.

Music was offered at Xavier’s School, but only recently did the students partake in it. She thought, perhaps, that the competition win she and Piotr had brought home ignited a creative fire in her students. They had painters, sculptors, musicians and dancers here at their school. It was rather refreshing.

“Hello, Mrs. Munroe.�

Ororo let her smile curve her lips, reaching up to take her sweaty husband’s hand. He plopped into the chair beside her, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. She chuckled softly, letting him sneak in for a quick, promising kiss.

“Hello, husband,� she replied, rolling his new title over her tongue. “I do enjoy the sound of that.�

“Hey, so do I, wife.� He grinned foolishly at her. “Damn, you look beautiful.�

Inwardly, she preened like a well-fed cat. Outwardly, she felt her cheeks heat at his praise.

“Logan…�

He kissed her again, grinning against her mouth when she reached up to run her hands through his unruly hair. “You know you’re beautiful, stop bein’ all modest.�

“Mmm,� she hummed, tugging on his hair playfully. “If I don’t?�

Her new husband growled, clutching her knee to tug her closer. “I’ll have to spank you.�

“Promises, promises.�

“You’re gonna get it, girl.�

Ororo smirked, nipping at his lips softly. Her heart felt swollen enough to burst, the day having been as perfect as any woman could imagine her wedding day. From the soft sprays of white flowers covering the arbor Logan made for the ceremony to the perfect tent for the reception, complete with dance floor.

She wished Jean could have stood beside her, and in a strange way she felt her dear friend’s presence through the day. The feeling of Charles’ benevolent gaze watching from above as she married her soul mate lingered even now.

“Guess what?� Logan whispered as Bobby’s song came to a close.

“Mmm?� She hummed, still dizzy from his addicting kisses.

“I love you, Ororo.�

“Oh, good,� she replied cheekily. “Because I like you very much, Logan.�

“Wench.�

He tugged on her hand, pulling her from her seat and letting the veil fall onto the chair, forgotten. Ororo let him drag her to the dance floor, pressing their bodies close together as Bobby belted out a rather good cover of Journey’s Lights.

She noticed a few moments into the dance that he seemed to enjoy toying with her new wedding band. Ororo smiled, admiring the ring as well.

“Mine?� He asked, raising a brow.

“Until the sky falls down,� she replied, wrapping both arms around his neck.

Logan pulled her closer, drifting into a soft, slow dance. The world fell away and for a moment, she was just a woman, holding onto the man whom held her heart.

~**~

Now

With his paperwork tucked under his arm, Logan moved into his office. Tossing his things onto the cluttered desk, he moved to his record player. Selecting a vinyl copy of Travis Tritt’s Greatest Hits, he set it gently onto the turntable and moved the needle into position.

In this generation of iPods and electronic music, Logan was pleased to see that vinyl was making a long-overdue comeback. Nothing compared to the luxury of a record, of the smooth music playing from high-definition speakers.

His current favorite tune wafted through the room, mirroring the turbulent feelings rushing through him. Several days after Ororo’s gruesome discovery, the mansion was still buzzing with the news. Many were shocked when he returned to work, believing he would tear off into the night on his motorcycle.

It had taken everything in him to face the accusing eyes, but he did it. He would not shame his wife by hiding away from the world while she dealt with his demons. He owed her more than that, to say the very least.

Softly singing along with the record, he moved back to his desk, settling in the chair to go over class schedules and placement tests for new students. Even the new additions to the mansion’s teeming brood were well aware of what had transpired in Storm’s bedroom.

Though he should have been working, his mind was too caught up in things he could no longer control. His unwilling partner in crime, Psylocke, had retreated into herself as much as she could without missing classes. Angel seemed to hover over her perpetually. He wondered if they had finally stopped dancing around the elephant trampling through their living room.

Logan reached into his desk, taking out the ring box he’d set there that morning. Giving Ororo back her rings, only to see her put them back where they belonged weighed heavily on him. She still had hope for them. There was no stopping that woman and her damned faith. He loved her for it; he loved so much about that woman.

Taking the solid band of gold from the black velvet box, he held it up to the light. It needed a good cleaning and light repair for scratches. He’d only removed it the day they signed the papers, hoping that would make the realization of what he was doing settle into his reality.

It hadn’t worked. He still felt as married to her as the day he said “I do�.

Clutching the ring in his hand, he dropping his head forward, feeling the weight of all that had happened on his shoulders. When she hadn’t known, it was easy to avoid dealing with everything. Now, however, he was face to face with his sins. Nothing was all right anymore.

A soft knock brought him from self-destructive thoughts.

“Yeah?� He called, clearing his throat and hiding his wedding band in his palm.

The furry, indigo form of Hank stepped through his office door. Logan felt the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention. Gentle Furball looked pissed off enough to chew steel and spit bullets.

“We need to talk.�

Logan nodded, waving him inside without pause. He’d been waiting for this visit. Whenever Ororo needed a friend, Hank was the first phone call she made. The bond between the two mutants was unbreakable. Logan had nothing but respect for that.

Hank came inside, closing the door with an audible snap. His enormous form moved with predatory grace toward the chair across from Logan. He sat, folding clawed hands in his lap and stared at Logan across the wide expanse of his oak desk.

“She told you.�

“Yes, she did.�

A long, weighted pause followed this exchange. Logan waited patiently for Hank to give him the verbal ass-reaming he deserved.

“What in the name of hell were you thinking?� Hank said suddenly.

His anger was palpable, filling the room and sucking the air from it. Logan brought his hands together – wedding band still clutched therein – and dropped his forehead onto the clenched fist.

“I was trying to protect her.�

“You failed.� The unkind words lanced Logan’s already bleeding heart, but it was nothing he felt he did not deserve.

“I know.�

“No one can blame you for the physical attack,� Hank continued. “You had control over your actions. We are lucky, indeed, that Ororo was not killed outright. I believe, in light of that revelation, that a part of you knew she was not the enemy.�

“Thanks,� Logan said, raising his head to glare at his friend. “That makes me feel a lot better.�

“Let me finish,� the other mutant said scathingly. “You had no right to coerce Psylocke into mentally manipulating Ororo. Above all else, Ororo fears mental attack. You know this. You deliberately harmed her.�

“I…�

Logan never got the chance to finish. Hank leapt to his feet, slamming his enormous hands onto the desk so forcefully that it cracked. Wolverine jumped back in surprise.

“You selfish fool,� the ambassador growled. “You wanted only to spare yourself pain. You have destroyed two women with your actions.�

Unable to respond in the heat of Beast’s enraged stare, he only blinked at him.

“And as if your actions were not bad enough, you leave her in the wake of this.� Hank snarled, pushing away from the desk. “You divorced her to protect your lies. Is there no end to your insanity?�

Logan stood, watching as Hank tensed, as though expecting attack. “I didn’t…You can’t understand.�

“Oh, I understand.� Hank shook his head. “No one should have to live with that kind of memory, that pain. I understand, completely, what your intentions were. But the way to hell is paved with good intentions, Wolverine.�

Shaking his head, Logan looked away. He inhaled deeply, expelling the breath sharply.

“I knew it was wrong, Hank,� he began, fighting the emotions swelling inside of him. “But I couldn’t live with it. I thought that I could work past it, I couldn’t face it, though. I kept seeing her bloody body, the marks of my claws.�

He stared down at his hands as though they were alien things.

“Logan,� Hank said with a touch more kindness. “You should have trusted her, trusted your marriage.�

“I know, Hank,� Logan agreed softly. “I wish I had.�

“She loves you,� the furred mutant said almost desperately. “Don’t make the same mistake twice, Logan. Trust her now. If you hurt her again, I will not be responsible for my actions.�

Logan gave his friend a small, lopsided smile. “I understand.�

It was surprising when Hank moved closer, taking Logan’s hand. He pried Logan’s fingers apart gently, raising a brow at the ring he found there. The feral mutant had been clutching it so tightly, there were angry indentations in the shape of it covering his palm.

“Before you put that back on, ask yourself if you can weather this tempest. It will not be easy, but nothing worth fighting for is.�

With that, the furry Beast left Logan’s office.

Alone with the hearty croon of Tritt, Logan stared down at this symbol of eternity, of promises made for love. He had taken vows that day and in the wake of terror, reneged. He didn’t want to be that man; he was tired of pretending to the entire world that he was exactly what they had always painted him.

Taking a deep breath, Logan placed the wedding band in its rightful place. He looked down at it, enjoying the familiar weight of it on his finger. He could get through this. They could get through it.

He hoped he wasn’t lying to himself.