(Chapter 1?)

Ororo sighed, digging through the freezer for the pint of Ben and Jerry’s she had hidden way in the back. Spotting the brown and green label of her Dublin Mudslide, she smiled, leaning forward a bit more, wrapping her fingers around the icy cardboard package. She remembered when Jean took her out for her first taste of Ben and Jerry’s with a sad smile, closing the freezer door.

Flashback

“Jean, it’s just ice cream,� Ororo said not understanding the red head’s excitement. She was used to her friend dragging her off to the mall for a sale, but a special trip for ice cream was pushing it.

“You did not just say that! ‘Ro, it’s Ben and Jerry’s!�

“So it’s ice cream with some guys’ names across the label.�

“Tsk, tsk,� Jean shook her head, “You have been deprived my friend.�

“Sometimes I wonder how you fit into your uniform with all the junk food you stuff into your mouth.�

“Scott keeps me in shape,� Jean replied with a snicker.

Ororo stopped, staring at the back of her friend’s head, “Keep you and Scott’s sexploits to yourself please. Ew.�

Jean shrugged, reaching back to grab Ororo’s arm, dragging her along, “Not like you’re a virgin, ‘Ro. I didn’t even tell you any of the fun stuff.�

“And again, ew, Jean, ew.�

The red head giggled, “You’re such a prude sometimes ‘Ro.� Jean turned into a brightly decorated shop with giant cartoon cows plastered over the walls. Jean steered Ororo towards a table near the front counter. “I’ll be right there.� Ororo took a seat, shaking her head as Jean bounced over to the counter not bothering to look at the choices inside the ice cream cooler. She listened as Jean ordered two double scoops of something called Dublin Mudslide and paid.

Ororo still thought all this fuss over ice cream was absurd. There was no way this ice cream could be worth it.

Soon Jean was headed over to Ororo, with the teenage boy running the register staring longingly after her. Jean didn’t seem to notice.

“Here it is ‘Ro,� Jean said taking her seat across from her friend and placing the cups of ice cream in front of them, “The ice cream you’ve been missing out on. Really, what would you do without me?�

“Have way less pairs of shoes in my closet and more money in my bank account?� Ororo suggested eyeing the ice cream that was placed in front of her. All the fudge and chocolate swirls were making her think this would be much too sweet for her.

“Ha ha, very funny,� Jean said with a roll of her green eyes. “What are waiting for? Go on try it!�

With a small sigh, Ororo lifted the bright red spoon to her mouth having scooped out a tiny taste of the ice cream. Instead of the overpowering sweetness she was expecting, the ice cream was rather mild but very, very rich. What she thought was just plain vanilla ice cream with too much chocolate was something else entirely.

“Wow,� Ororo mumbled, staring down at the ice cream in front of her.

Jean giggled as Ororo took a bigger spoonful “Told ya so.�

“What is in this stuff?� Ororo asked, digging through the mounds of chocolate to break them apart.

“Irish cream liqueur ice cream with a lot of fudge,� Jean replied, digging out a spoonful from her cup. “Scott prefers Krispy Kremes to this. Crazy man.�

“Krispy Kreme?�

End of Flashback

Normally, Ororo would just scoop some out into a bowl, but it was much too late to go through the hassle. So instead she grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and hopped up on the counter, wrapping her cream colored silk robe around her. As she took her first spoonful of ice cream she was sure Jean would laugh if she could see her now sitting up on the kitchen counter at one in the morning sneaking ice cream.

With another sad smile, Ororo focused on her ice cream. She missed her friend. As far as she was concerned, her friend Jean died in Alkali Lake saving them from the rushing water. She didn’t know the woman that had caused so much destruction and death a few months ago. Ororo couldn’t think about her; she had a school to run and a team to lead now.

She almost couldn’t believe that it would be a year soon. With a slight shake of her head, Ororo slid down from the counter, heading towards the sliding glass doors, pint of ice cream in hand. Even though she was having trouble believing a year had nearly passed since the events leading up to Alcatraz and that battle itself, she believed she had done well running the school. Of course at first it took a few calls and calling in a few favors from old friends but the teaching staff was full, offering all the classes that were available before Charles’ death. Marie had returned and was offered a teaching position with the younger students, which she accepted after her initial shock. Henry also accepted a teaching position, lecturing his English Literature and Biology students through webcam when he was away on government business. Even Logan volunteered to teach a few classes, though few students were willing to take his wilderness survival class.

Logan. He was the reason she was up so early. That dream of hers was back and had been for weeks now. She thought keeping busy would keep it away as it had been before, but chaos is a different kind of busy. Things had been quiet for months compared to the problems created with the cure and the Phoenix. A few minor anti-mutant groups sprang up every now and again, but it had become pretty stable around the mansion. And once that stability was firmly in place the dream came back even more graphic as if it had been slowly building itself up piece by piece until it seemed to be something ripped from one of those supermarket romance novels.

Ororo took another bite of her ice cream, heading outside. Spring was coming; she could feel it even with the light snow that seemingly blew in from nowhere. She took a few steps out into the lawn, the melting snow tickling her bare feet. Twirling her spoon in the half empty container, Ororo looked around at the grounds. Everything was covered in a light layer of snow, even as the warmer breezes that occasionally came through threatened to send it away.

“Snow and ice cream. Interestin’ combination there ‘Ro.�

Ororo glanced over her shoulder, looking back towards the patio. She could barely make out a darker shadow in one corner.

“What are you doing up so late, Logan?�

“Could ask you the same question, darlin’.�

“I believe I asked first,� Ororo replied, turning her attention back on her ice cream.

“It ain’t really that late fer me. I’m usually still in the danger room at this hour,� She thought heard the faint click of his lighter as he paused for a few moments. “Yer the mornin’ person out of the bunch.�

“I was just having a little trouble getting back to sleep is all,� Ororo replied, turning back towards the mansion, keeping her eyes glued to the carton. “I thought maybe some ice cream and fresh air would help clear my head a bit.�

“An’ did it?�

“Nor as much as I had hoped it would,� She reached the patio, but refused to look in Logan’s direction, “but perhaps enough. Good night Logan.�

“’Ro, why are you avoidin’ me?�

Ororo put her hand on the open glass dorr, “I’m not avoiding you, Logan.�

“Yeah ya are. You have been fer weeks now.�

“I’m not avoiding you,� She repeated, her grip on her ice cream container tightening slightly. She knew she had been avoiding him, but not on purpose. .She had just been keeping herself busy so she wouldn’t have to see him or any other staff member any more than necessary. Ororo had done it this way on purpose so it would not appear as if she was avoiding anyone in particular. And it had been working well, or at least she thought it had been.

“Then way are you in such a rush ta get away from me?� He asked, leaning against the door near her. She jumped, moving away slightly in surprise. “See?�

“Goddess, don’t do that!� She scolded, glaring up at him. “Are you trying to get me to avoid you by sneaking up on me like that?�

He shrugged, “You knew I was here and yer already avoidin’ me.�

“I am not,� Ororo said walking into the kitchen and heading over to the refrigerator to put her ice cream away. Before she could open the freezer door, Logan snatched the container out of her hand. “Hey!�

“Tell me why you’re avoidin’ me an’ you can have it back,� He said holding the carton out of her reach.

“Logan.�

“Why?�

“I’m not avoiding you.� She reached for her ice cream, “Now give that back.�

“Liar.�

“I’m not!� Ororo crossed her arms, waiting for him to lower the container.

“Ya are.�

“I am not.� She frowned as he grunted, obviously not believing her and took a bite of her ice cream. “Hey!�

“Hmph, this stuff isn’t half bad,� Logan said ignoring her protest and eating another spoonful. Ororo raised a snowy eyebrow. “What? Never said I didn’t eat ice cream,� He pointed out around another mouthful.

Ororo rolled her eyes, pushing past him on her way out of the kitchen, muttering to herself about the purchase of a mini-freezer for her room.

Chapter 2 – Beer and Oranges

Logan didn’t believe a word Ororo had told him. He knew she was avoiding him and he didn’t like that one bit. But that didn’t mean he had feelings for her or anything. It wasn’t that he didn’t find Ororo attractive; you had to be blind not to find her easy on the eyes. It was just bad for the team since they were supposed to be working together.

Or at least that is what he kept telling himself.

As Logan thought about it, he realized this all started a month or two ago when everything had pretty much calmed down. If he didn’t know better he would think that Ororo missed all the chaos. But that couldn’t be right. From what he knew about ‘Ro she preferred peace and all that.

Shaking his head, he walked towards the kitchen, passing by Ororo’s –closed – office door. He knew she was in there. It seemed like she always was these days, working till she thought everyone – excluding Artie of course – was asleep and getting started before most of the other staff members had even slammed the snooze button in their first attempt to ward off the work day ahead.

He paused a little past the door, noticing that it was a little too quiet beyond the walls. He knew she was in there, but he couldn’t hear any of the normal signs of work. The keyboard keys clicking as they were pressed down, her voice discussing some important matter over the phone, the scribble of a ballpoint pen over paper. That’s what he was used to hearing. Logan back tracked a bit until he was standing at her door.

“’Ro?� Logan called. He heard a murmur from within the room. He called again only to hear her mumble what sounded like his name.

Why wasn’t she answering him? Was she hurt? A quick sniff ruled that out any injuries. He couldn’t smell any blood. Logan tested the doorknob, surprised to find that it was unlocked. Peeking around the door he was even more surprised at what he saw.

Ororo was at her desk like she usually was, but she wasn’t doing any work. Her head was nestled in the crook of one of her elbows with the other arm draped across her desk. Ororo was fast asleep.

Logan walked in the room, closing the door behind him. He continued over to the desk and looking down at her. Logan knew she’d throw a lightning bolt his way if she knew what he was thinking, but he couldn’t help it. Right at that moment Ororo looked the complete opposite of the goddess image she usually up held. She looked cute.

He reached down and brushed away the long white strands of hair that fell over her face, his fingertips grazing over the soft brown skin over her cheek. Logan noticed the unusual amount of heat radiating off her skin and frowned. He ran his fingers over her hair, slightly curious about the heat.

“Logan?� She murmured. His eyes watched her lips move. She started shifting and mumbling what could only be described as gibberish.

“Shh, go back to sleep darlin’,� Logan whispered, not sure if she was awake enough to hear him. He grinned to himself as she mumbled again, visibly settling back into a deep sleep. His gaze went back to get hair. He was secretly glad she had given up the black highlights and let her hair grow back out.

He pulled his hand away from her snowy locks and headed back out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him. Logan went back to his original plan, to head to the kitchen to grab a beer.

And that’s exactly where Marie found him about an hour later when she walked in the kitchen to grab a snack. She almost didn’t see him sitting at the kitchen table staring out the glass doors, beer in hand. Marie had grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl near the fridge and turned to make her way out before she even noticed him.

“Logan?� She asked.

He glanced back at her and raised a hand in greeting. She joined him at the table curious about why he was just sitting there staring. Marie knew he would usually go someplace more secluded to think or ignore his thoughts all together in the danger room.

“You feelin’ okay?� Logan grunted in response.

Frowning, Marie peeled her orange, waiting to see if he would open up. She wasn’t that hopeful and she could no longer rely on the piece of him in her head to give her some clue.

Marie ate her orange segments as quietly as she could, hoping he wouldn’t tell her to get lost.

Suddenly, Logan’s attention turned away from the window and towards the main doorway. He seemed to forget that Marie was even sitting there as he stared out the doorway, a grin forming on his lips. Marie turned and looked back to try to see what caught his attention.

The hallway was empty, save for one of the new professors, Danielle Moonstar down near the foyer. She looked like she was talking to someone. Leaning forward a bit, Marie saw the other new professor Sofia Mantega. She wasn’t sure what Danielle taught, but she knew Sofia was the Spanish teacher. Glancing back at Logan, she wondered if they were what caught Logan’s attention.

Marie doubted it though. She never saw him even look in their direction any other time, even during staff meetings. To be honest, she doubted if he even knew their names. Just as Marie was about to ask what was so interesting, Miss Monroe walked out of her office and stretched.

Logan’s eyes traced the arch of Ororo’s back, the line of her neck and the outline of her breasts pushed out beneath the white cloth of her blouse.

“Have a nice nap, ‘Ro?� He called as she turned towards the kitchen, her eagerness for a cup of coffee almost visible. Logan nearly laughed as she hesitated, noticing the slight flush of color crawling up the earthy skin of her cheeks. Seconds later the embarrassment was gone and her professional calmness was back.

“Yes, thank you,� Ororo responded as she walked through the doorway. Immediately she went over to the coffee machine. Logan watched her passage with a smirk.

Marie looked between Miss Monroe and Logan and grinned to herself.

“Ya like her!� Marie whispered quietly enough that only Logan would be able to hear. He sent her a glare that could easily make grown men piss themselves, but Marie only giggled. “Aw, ya do! That’s so cute!� He shook his head, taking a swig of his beer. “Ah think you should ask her out, sugah.�

Little to the duo’s knowledge, Ororo had turned her attention away from the coffee machine and was watching them, one snowy eyebrow raised. She couldn’t hear Marie’s whispers, but watching the exchange was enough. A few minutes later, she left the kitchen, Logan’s low growl following her out.

Dream: Part 2

Chapter 3 – Coffee and Ice Cream

Ororo sat in her office sipping her coffee. This time she left the door wide open, hoping some sort of catastrophe would occur so she would have an excuse to leave her office before Logan left the kitchen. Or perhaps some part of her decided to leave the door open in case Logan did walk by.

Did she want him to stroll past, see her sitting behind her desk and possibly walk in? Or would it be better for him to see an empty office? He couldn’t possibly think she was avoiding him then. But if she was sitting there, would he even bother coming in?

Ororo shook her head at that. Of course he would walk in if he caught her. He knew had a reason to tease her and she knew the man would take advantage of that. She couldn’t believe she left her door unlocked when she decided to take a short nap. Did she talk in her sleep? Was her mouth open?

…His hands ran down her side, before gripping her hips tightly, pulling her back against him. Silently he had crept up behind her while she stood in front of her desk on the phone. She felt his breath tickling her ear.

“You should hang up now, darlin’.� His voice against her ear sent shivers down her spine.

Before she had the chance to politely end her phone call, he ripped the receiver from her hand and slammed it down onto the cradle. Quickly he spun her around to face him, grinning down at her. She opened her mouth to tell him off, but his hands pulled her close again before she had the chance to begin.

Gripping her hips tighter, he lifted her up so she was sitting on the edge of her desk, knocking a few things over and hiking up the skirt of her suit in the process. She felt him running his hands along the exposed skin of her upper thighs, prying her legs apart so he could stand between them, which he did a few moments later. She felt him pressing against her through the material of his jeans as he lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist.

She murmured his name as he leaned closer, whispering hers. She felt his hands running through her hair as he kissed her…

Ororo shook her head in an attempt to clear the flashes from her latest dream from her head. She needed to get out of this office and away from her desk. She stood, straightening her black suit skirt and smoothing her hands over the sides of her white blouse. Images of his hands ripping apart her blouse flashed in her mind.

It would probably be a good idea for her to change her clothes as well.

Ororo closed her eyes, reaching up to rub her temples as if erasing the dreams from her memory. How was she supposed to get any work done with all these distractions? She groaned lowering her head, squeezing her eyes shut. Perhaps she could find a telepath that would be able to rid her of the dreams. Or maybe Henry could come up with something to help.

She felt hands on her shoulders, thumbs kneading the muscles over her shoulder blades. Ororo shook her head again, sighing. Would she ever be able to stop these flashes from breaking her concentration?

“Goddess!� She shouted, realizing that those hands were not dream induced hallucinations and pulling away to see Logan standing behind her.

“Must you sneak up on me like that?�

He shrugged, grinning in a way that should be considered a threat to womankind everywhere, “You seemed tense. Thought I could help ya out.�

“A warning would’ve been nice, Logan. Really.�

“Maybe I just like gettin’ a rise outta ya.�

“I would prefer if you found your amusement elsewhere.�

“You sayin’ you don’t like me bein’ close ta ya?� Logan replied inching closer to Ororo who had moved toward one corner of her desk. He nearly smirked when she took a step back.

“No, Logan, I am not saying anything like that.�

“Seems like ya are,� He pointed out, taking a sideways step towards her, hoping to block her from heading towards the closed door. She took a sideways step opposite him, putting herself closer to the wall without realizing it.

“I am not going to stand here arguing with you,� Ororo crossed her arms.

“Then prove yer not,� Logan took another step in her direction, causing her to unknowingly trap herself in a corner. Before she had time to realize what had happened, he blocked her in with his arms, moving closer and pressing his palms flat against the walls. She frowned, glancing around herself.

“Logan, this is not funny.� She wasn’t happy with what had just happened. Even worse, she was barely stopping herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him closer. When did her dreams start taking over her life?

“Never was one fer makin’ jokes, darlin’,� He moved closer, inhaling her scent. He could smell the soft floral scent of her shampoo, the smell of sandalwood and rain coming off of her skin and her… arousal.

Logan stared down at Ororo. That couldn’t be right. He moved even closer, forcing Ororo to press back against the corner so they wouldn’t touch, and tested her scent again. It was still there, slightly stronger this time. Her heart rate had also increased.

Well, that was certainly new. Logan was sure he would’ve noticed that before. Ororo cleared her throat. He moved back, dropping his arms to his sides, watching her.

“Guess you proved me wrong.�

“Yes, I did,� Ororo moved back to her desk, refusing to look at him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.�

Logan nodded, even though she wasn’t paying him any attention and headed out the door, pausing only when he heard her sigh as he pulled the door closed. He stuck his head back in, seeing her sitting at the desk, reaching for her coffee.

“Hey, ‘Ro?� She looked up at him, fingers wrapped around the handle. “Let’s go out for ice cream ya like so much tonight.�

A/N: Continue?

Dream: Part 2


Chapter 4 – Ice Cream and Lollipops


‘What am I doing?’ Ororo asked herself as she searched through her closet for something to wear. She still wasn’t sure why she was actually going through with this. Logan hadn’t given her a chance to refuse, closing the door right after suggesting they go out. “Just for ice cream,� Ororo reminded herself, moving away from the flirty dresses neatly hanging in the back of her closet.

She could always refuse to go with him. It wasn’t like he would force her into this outing, but what would she do if she didn’t go? Sit at her desk grading papers until she fell asleep. And sleep wasn’t something that Ororo was looking forward to at the moment. Maybe she should just go and make the most of it. At least she could have some sort of control over what happened this way, unlike in her dreams.

With a small sigh, she pulled out a pair of dark jeans and a simple, long sleeved white top. There was no need for her to dress up. It wasn’t as if this were a date. Ororo nearly laughed out loud at the thought. As if Logan would actually ask her out on a date. Tugging her light blue top over her head and tossing it on her bed, she considered the idea. Did she want him to ask her out? Perhaps it wasn’t as crazy as she first thought. They did get along well when he wasn’t teasing her about one thing or another.

Ororo shook her head, pulling the white top on. Who was she kidding? The man was too unstable for her to even think dating him was a good idea. Although he had taken on many responsibilities within the school and he did stick around when he could have easily gone off on his own.

Maybe…

“No,� Ororo muttered to herself, slipping out of her black skirt and into the dark, clingy denim. “This is just for ice cream and nothing more.� She glanced at her reflection in the mirror hanging from the wall and straightened the crooked sleeves of her top.

Her hand reached for the lipstick resting on the dresser top, but jerked away as her fingertips grazed the metallic tube as if she had been bitten. “No, no make up.�

Loud knocking pulled her attention away from her make up to the door.

“’Ro, ya ready?� Logan called through the door.

“I only need to put on my shoes, and then we can be on our way.�

She heard him chuckle. “You won’t need shoes where we’re goin’ darlin’.�

Ororo stared at the door a moment, nearly expecting it to be forced open.

‘I am awake, right?’

When the door stayed closed, she took a step towards it, pinching her arm to make sure she was really awake. “I thought we had made plans to go out for ice cream?�

“Never said we weren’t, just had somethin’ a little different in mind,� Logan replied, opening her door, a slight grin on his face. “If yer up fer it of course.�

“I suppose,� Ororo said crossing her arms. She was a bit hesitant. What was he up to?

“Good,� He took a step into her room, “but there’s one thing ya gotta do.�

Ororo raised an eyebrow, “Which is?�


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I cannot believe I actually allowed you to do this,� Ororo muttered as Logan led her down the stairs from her attic room. She heard him chuckle beside her. He hadn’t answered her when she asked what she had to do. Instead he pulled out a black bandana that he must have stolen from Jubilee and used it as a blindfold.

The idea of Logan having her blindfolded would be stuck in her head for at least a week.

“We are we going?�

“If I could tell ya that ‘Ro, then I wouldn’t need the blindfold.�

“I could always remove the bandana.�

Logan looked over at the woman he was leading through the halls of the mansion. She had her arms crossed over her chest and she was frowning slightly as if she were really thinking about snatching off the blindfold. He leaned close to her ear, “Now ya wouldn’t want ta do that an’ ruin the surprise.� He chuckled again when she leaned away from him. “I’m not gonna have ta cuff ya am I, ‘Ro?�

Ororo tensed. There was another image to add to the growing list. It was almost as if he knew he was putting ideas in her head. Ideas she would never admit she was enjoying.

As he led her down the last set of stairs that ended in the main foyer, she tried to focus on something other than his arm around wrapped around her back. Ororo could feel the beginnings of a storm forming in the distance. Smiling slightly to herself, she nudged the storm clouds apart knowing that the storm would still rain down on them later in the evening. Perhaps she’d join the winds tonight.

Logan caught the sudden scent of ozone and glanced back at the large glass window above the front door. The sun nearly set, the red and purple glow slowly fading to black over the miniature forest surrounding the mansion. He turned back to Ororo, noticing the small almost mischievous smile gracing her full lips. Logan wondered what she had just done or what she was thinking about doing. He hoped she wasn’t planning on proving her accuracy since he had teased her about her “way off� energy blasts in a danger room session last week.

He knew that she wouldn’t risk letting loose anything remotely dangerous if there was a chance that one of the students could be hit. As he continued to lead her through the halls of the mansion toward the kitchen, he watched the little smile tugging at the corners of her mouth out of the corner of his eye.

“You should smile more often,� Logan said quietly, carefully walking the blindfolded woman around the kitchen table and chairs.

“What?� Ororo asked a little startled by the comment. Logan was almost relieved as the unique smell of ozone that accompanied her powers dissipated.

“Smile more often,� He repeated as he slid open the glass doors leading to the patio. It was a little chilly, but he knew that wouldn’t bother either of them. Logan was used to colder weather and he knew the chill might as well just be a light breeze to Ororo.

“What are we doing outside?� Ororo asked, ignoring his comment.

“Can’t ya just be patient, darlin’,� She sighed and he could almost feel her rolling her eyes at him behind the bandana, “or next time I’ll just hafta gag ya too.� Logan felt her tense at the last comment and smirked to himself.

The last few yards of their walk were silent.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“We’re here,� Logan announced, unwrapping his arm from around Ororo’s back.

She reached up to pull off the bandana, but his hands caught her forearms. Once he let go, she felt him tugging at the knot he had tied at the back of her head. Slowly the black cloth fell away from her eyes.

There in front of her was a scene she was not expecting.

Spread out over the grass was a deep green blanket between two of the numerous young trees that had been planted by the students in the past year. Christmas lights that were never removed twinkled down at her from the thin branches, mimicking the stars dotting the inky blue sky above. Placed right in the center of the blanket was an average sized blue cooler; the absence of its lid revealing pints and pints of various Ben & Jerry’s flavors on ice.

Ororo looked back at Logan, surprised clearly written across her face. He merely shrugged and took a seat on the blanket, pulling out a pair of spoons from behind the cooler. Ororo followed suit, still a bit in shock at the whole set up. She took the spoon that he offered her and glanced down into the almost overflowing cooler.

“Did you have to buy so much?�

Logan shrugged again, “Didn’t know what kind ta buy, so I grabbed one of each.�

“We could have just gone to the shop.� She laughed when Logan gave her a look suggesting that she was out of her mind for even hinting that he go anywhere near a mall. Ororo picked out the nearest container to her and lifted it up to eye level. She saw that Logan had done the same, but she recognized the colorful tie dye pattern decorating his before she even read her own bright yellow packaging.

“Phish food?� Logan asked, tugging off the cardboard lid. “Who comes up with these names?�

Ororo chuckled and returned her gaze on her own pint. “Chunky Monkey sounds a bit more fun,� She said, pulling off the top. As she started scooping out a small spoonful of the ice cream, Ororo glanced back up at Logan and laughed.

He was holding his spoon in his mouth and peering down into the carton, one eyebrow raised.

As she laughed, Logan looked up at her. “Wha…� He started before taking the spoon out of his mouth, “what are you laughin’ about?�

Ororo shook her head, lifting her spoon to her mouth, grinning to herself, “Nothing at all.�

“Hmph,� He grunted, clearly not believing her. “I got ya somethin’.� Before she could finish the spoonful of ice cream and comment, Logan pulled out a brightly colored handful of something that glittered in the twinkling lights above their heads and handed them to her. She put down her ice cream pint and spoon, taking the handful of clear plastic sticks with shimmering tops.

In her hand Ororo held a beautiful bouquet she had never seen anything like before.

A bouquet of vividly colored lollipop flowers.

~Continue?

Chapter 5 – Strawberry Jam

Ororo woke to the soft rays of early morning sunlight breaking through her curtains and spilling across her face. She turned away before opening her eyes so she wouldn’t be blinded by it and looked up to see the candy bouquet winking down at her through the clear plastic wrappers from the slim glass vase she had set them in. In the sunlight they looked more like polished gemstones than pieces of confectionery. As she gazed at them her thoughts went back to the night before.

She and Logan’s unusual Ben & Jerry’s picnic had been the most fun she had had in a very long time. With a small smile on her face, she got out of her bed and made her way to her bathroom. As she turned on the hot water for her shower Ororo realized that she had had a peaceful and dreamless sleep for the first time in months.

Perhaps all the sugar sent her thoughts rushing through her mind too fast for any one idea to stick around long enough to become a dream. Or maybe since she had already spent real time with Logan, there was no need to conjure him up in her head.

Ororo decided it must have been the first as she stepped into the shower.

Thirty minutes later she was walking down the main staircase, smoothing out the fabric of her burgundy knee length pencil skirt while mentally going through the list of things she needed to do before the end of the day. Students ran by her, smiling and waving in quick greeting. She returned the hellos with a small shake of her head.

‘So much for no running in the halls,’ Ororo thought making her way to the kitchen. She didn’t need her usual coffee this morning, but she wanted to make sure that the kitchen was in at least decent condition.

As she passed through the doorway, muffled giggles and whispers reached her ears. Ororo glanced around, expecting to see a group of students. Instead she saw Rogue, Danielle, Sophia and Betsy sitting at the small table, huddled together. Raising an eyebrow, Ororo cleared her throat. They turned around, looking more like guilty teenagers caught out after curfew than teachers.

“Don’t you all have classes and a Danger Room session to get ready for this morning?� Ororo asked, glancing at the wall clock.

“We were just on our way, luv,� Betsy said as the group stood, grins forming on all of their faces. They looked as if they were going to be on their way, only Rogue turned snatching a piece of paper off the table, folding it quickly.

“Not so fast you four,� Ororo said, holding out her hand. “Let’s see what had you in giggles.�

The four young women took quick glances at each other, before Rogue held the folded paper to Ororo.

She unfolded the paper, scanning its contents slowly a frown forming on her full lips. Once she was finished, she re-folded the paper and looked up at the lined up young women.

“You were writing something like this,� Ororo held up the folded paper for emphasis, “while so many young students were running by? What if one of you had dropped it and one of them picked it up? We are supposed to be their role models and this should wait until after hours and behind a closed door. Understood?� They nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. “Good.�

Rogue reached for the paper, but Ororo pulled it out of her reach. “You four will just have to make a new one or get this from my office at the end of the day. Just be more careful with these kinds of things in the future, alright?� They nodded again, before quickly running off so they would not be late for their classes.

Ororo shook her head, chuckling to herself a bit as she headed to her office. The things people came up with in their spare time.

As she opened the door to her office, she remembered the long day ahead of her. Maybe she should have grabbed a snack from the kitchen before she walked out. Sighing, she decided she would make time later and walked into her office.

The sweet smell of jasmine tea reached her nose as she neared her desk. She had been so distracted thinking of work that she hadn’t noticed the cup or small plate of toast sitting in the center of her desk. Or the folded paper beside the cup.

Ororo took a quick glance over her shoulder and out into the hallway before moving to sit in her chair. She set down the folded paper in her hand, quickly replacing it with the smaller paper by the teacup.

‘Ro,
Thought ya could use a little something to get through your day.
Logan

P.S. Leave your door open.

With a small smile, Ororo turned in her chair, unlocking her window before opening it. She waved her hand in the direction of the door sending a little breeze to push the door shut.

Settling back into her chair, she lifted the cup to her nose, inhaling the sweet scent of her tea before taking a sip. The toast she would save for later.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

…She looked up from the tall stack paperwork in front of her as her door swung open, hitting the wall with a dull thud. Logan walked slowly into her office, frowning at her. His worn brown boots silent the hardwood floors.

“I thought I said ta leave the door open,� He said, reaching back and forcing the door shut with a slight flick if his wrist. After a brief hesitation he half turned back towards the door for a moment, flipping the lock into place. With a few long strides he was at her desk, his dark eyes staring down into her bright blue ones.

“What’s the matter darlin’, cat got yer tongue?� Logan asked, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

She opened her mouth to reply when Logan reached to his back pocket pulling out a slim pair of metal handcuffs…

Ororo blinked, rubbing her temples trying to get the last images of Logan standing in front of her holding a pair of handcuffs out of her head.

‘I supposed I spoke to soon,’ She thought, sighing to herself. Now she had to worry about daydreams interrupting her as well. Her desk clock caught her eye and she realized her class would be starting in five minutes.

Swearing softly under her breath, Ororo gathered her class folders that she set on the corner of her desk and moved as quickly as her pencil skirt would allow.

She glanced back over her shoulder at her desk, to make sure she didn’t accidentally leave anything behind as she opened the door and collided into someone standing right outside her office. Her folders – and the papers inside – went flying.

“Woah there darlin’,� Logan said grabbing her forearms as she stumbled a bit. “What’s the rush?�

“Oh, I’m sorry Logan,� Ororo said pulling away and quickly gathering her papers. She would sort them out later. “I have to get to my class,� She added as he crouched down to help her.

“I’m sure they won’t mind ya bein’ a little late,� He said with a grin, handing her the handful of papers he had gathered.

“You are probably right,� Ororo replied with a slight chuckle, taking the papers from him.

Logan caught her wrist before she could pull away, looking right into her eyes. He must have imagined the tiny spark he felt touching her skin. He leaned closer, watching as her pupils dilated. He noticed that her pulse had increased under his fingertips.

“Ya busy tonight?�

Ororo laughed, “I do not think my stomach could handle anymore ice cream.�

“Not exactly what I had in mind fer tonight, ‘Ro.�

“Then what did you have in mind?�

He leaned closer, breathing in her scent and still grinning, “I could tell ya, but then yer class might leave.� With a quick glance at the grandfather clock nearby she stood quickly, clutching her papers to her chest as she rushed down the hall behind him.

“Thanks for the surprise this morning,� She called back over her shoulder.

Logan stood, turning to watch her walk away, admiring those hips and legs of hers wrapped so snugly in wine colored cloth. Once she disappeared into her classroom, he turned to head down to the danger room for a short work out, but paused as a folded piece of paper in ‘Ro’s doorway caught his attention. Crouching again, he picked it up, unfolding it as he stood.

Quickly skimming the page, he chuckled. “The things women do in their spare time,� He muttered, tucking the paper into his back pocket and headed off to his work out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Luckily Ororo didn’t have any conference calls after her class as the discussion went on much longer that she had anticipated. But seeing as though none of her students had a class after hers, she didn’t see a problem with letting them stay and discuss the topics if they were alright with doing so.

She did feel proud that she had managed to get history to stir such passionate responses from high school students. But as Logan predicted, they didn’t care one bit that she was a few minutes late.

As she walked back to her office, she absentmindedly rubbed her wrist where Logan had grabbed her. She still felt funny little tingles there. Ororo wondered what he had planned for tonight, even though she didn’t accept the invitation. Images danced across her mind of light gleaming off shiny silver handcuffs, but she pushed them away.

Ororo walked into her office, sighing at the stack of paper work still left on her desk. She walked over, sitting in the tall chair. She then noticed that the top sheet on her stack wasn’t part of her work. She recognized it as the paper she took from the girls only more writing had be added.

Grinning to herself, she read over the responses, wondering what possessed him to actually take the time to come up with answers.





Ororo saw more writing through the paper and flipped the sheet over. One the back, Logan had left her another note.

Do me a favor and destroy this would ya? And meet me by your greenhouse after dinner.

P.S. Remind me to have a little chat with Rogue about what she does in her spare time.

A/N: Continue?

IF YOU DID NOT READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE GO BACK AND READ IT BEFORE CONTINUING. Thanks.

---

Chris walked through the sliding doors, shaking off the light dusting of snow from his jacket as he passed through the wall of wonderfully hot air blown from the heater above and sighed. Another shift in the awful red and khaki, smiling at the soccer moms and directing the same customers to the same aisles he’d shown them twenty times before. At least he was scheduled for the quiet department of groceries this week. Far away from both the noisy electronics and constant cleanup of toys. The Target gods must’ve felt pity for him and he certainly was grateful.

On his way back to the staff room he decided to take a quick pass by his department to see how deserted it was this afternoon. He quickly walked by the tall, fully stocked shelves, shadowed by his foggy reflection in the freezer doors lining the back wall. He grinned, continuing on to the staff room. Not even a snot nosed kid was there trying to sneak a sweet or two from the dispensers. He hung up his coat in his locker, saying a brief hello to his coworkers who were on their break. Chris knew what he was assigned to do this shift, but he paused at the staff chart reading it just in case he had been reassigned last minute. He let out a little sigh of relief as he saw that he was still set to the new grocery-only check out. With a real smile on his face, he walked out of the staff room, straightening his uniform polo shirt.

Chris was all but whistling as he reached his still quiet section. He was looking forward to this easy shift. Maybe he’d even grab a book from the entertainment department to help pass the time. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the movement of a bright red cart down one of the aisles.

He slowed his walk down to a stroll, leaning forward to see if there was a customer or if this was just a stray cart he would need to return. He guessed it would be the latter as he hadn’t heard any footsteps or the typical one sided conversation of a multitasking customer on their cell phone. To his surprise he saw a man in a leather jacket and cowboy hat standing in front of one of the freezer doors, one hand gripping the cart and the other on the handle to the freezer as if he was about to open it. Chris waited at the end of the aisle for the man to open the door, but he didn’t. Was he looking for something in the wrong section? He took a step towards the man, to ask if he needed any help, taking a quick look to see what freezer section he was in. All Chris could make out were various sizes of ice cream cartons and the slightly irritated expression on the man’s face in the reflection. He thought he heard the man swear under his breath as he yanked open the door.

Sighing, Chris turned away, heading towards the cash register. “What was wrong with regular chocolate and vanilla, ‘Ro?� He heard the man mutter, followed by the metallic ringing of items being dropped in the cart and few muffled curses.

It was almost possible for Chris to forget where he was, staring out of sliding glass doors. If it wasn’t for the background noise of screaming kids, customer chatter and other store noises he could spend his entire shift zoned out.

“Hey kid,� a voice called, snapping Chris out of his thoughts. He turned to see the man from before staring at him.

He blinked a few times, before forcing the fake smile on his face, turning towards the cash register. “Good afternoon, sir, did you find…� Chris glanced down at the belt and saw a pile of Ben and Jerry’s containers.

“Just ring it and bag it kid, I got things ta do.� Chris nodded and started swiping the items across the scanner as fast as he could. He tried to keep his gaze on his hands, but he couldn’t help but take a glance between the remaining ice cream and the customer who noticed, much to his embarrassment. “You got somethin’ ta say?�

“No, sir,� Chris replied immediately. “Awful lot of ice cream,� He mumbled to himself as he started bagging it all up.

“Yer tellin’ me,� the man muttered.

Chris paused and almost looked back. He barely said that loud enough for his own ears to hear, how did… Chris shook his head and finished bagging.

The man paid, grabbed his bags and stalked out.

Chris returned the cart and shook his head again, laughing to himself, “No one’s ever going to believe me.�

Chapter 6 – Bittersweet Truffles


Ororo wasn’t sure if she should take Marie and Jubilee volunteering to do the dishes after dinner as a good sign or not. They usually did everything in their power to get out of dish duty. The sugar-coated smiles and attempts at reassuring innocence were more than enough to make Ororo suspicious. She was sure they knew something about what Logan was up to. Although she wasn’t sure what was going on or if she even wanted to know, she at least owed him a thank you for getting them to willingly clean. That is, if their whispers and hushed giggles didn’t get to her first. Pursing her lips and cutting a glance back at the giggling duo; she left the kitchen and headed to her room to change her clothes. Maybe she would run into Logan on the way and he would give her some sort of idea about his plans for the evening. She highly doubted he would do any such thing, but a little wishful thinking never hurt anyone.

No such luck. She made it to her room without seeing anyone, not even one of the students running through the halls. She hadn’t seen Logan since their run in earlier in the day and he hadn’t given her the tiniest of hints of what to expect tonight. She could only hope that he would not provide anymore ideas for her dreams. What more could he taunt her with?

“No, don’t start thinking about that,� Ororo mumbled to herself heading toward the back doors leading to the backyard. If she allowed her overactive imagination to consider new ideas, she was sure it would come up with something. Ororo shook her head as if it would shoo away any forming ideas. Instead she tried to think of some – clean – activities Logan could have come up with for the evening. She was having trouble coming up with anything but hoped the Xavier School tracksuit and comfortable tennis shoes she had changed into would be suitable for the evening.

As she walked through the grass to her greenhouse she continued to try and figure out what he could be planning and why he was being so secretive about it. Although, she couldn’t be sure he was really being secretive, she hadn’t been able to even attempt to ask what his plans were. She shook her head again, deciding to just wait and see.

The scent of cigar smoke reached her nose and she looked up to see Logan leaning against one of the trees beside the greenhouse, his Stetson pulled down low over his face. Ororo paused watching the clouds of smoke swirled away from his lips, drifting up into the branches. He lifted his head slightly, turning to look in her direction. Plucking the cigar from his mouth, he shot her a grin.

“No blindfolds today, ‘Ro.�

“I’m glad to hear that.� She ignored his chuckle, and walked over to him.

“Not sure how much I believe that darlin’,� He replied, stubbing out his cigar. “Ready ta go?�

“Where are we going?�

“Ta the garage,� Logan replied simply, moving away from the tree and starting off.

Ororo rolled her eyes, but followed, “And once we reach the garage, what will we be doing?�

“Dunno, thought we could go fer a little ride if yer up fer it,� he glanced back over his shoulder, sending her a wink.

Refusing to give what he said anymore thought than necessary, Ororo nodded determined to keep her thoughts clean.

Once they reached the garage, Ororo saw that Logan had moved his motorcycle to the front and that a shiny black helmet had been placed on the seat. She knew Logan didn’t need a helmet, but she couldn’t bring herself to even consider it was for her. There was no way she was going to get on the back of that motorcycle.

Ororo was too busy distracted helmet to notice that Logan was staring at her. “Yer not scared are ya, ‘Ro?�

She crossed her arms, “No Logan, I am not afraid of riding a motorcycle. However, I do not see why we cannot take one of the cars instead.�

“Hmph, ya sound chicken ta me. The Wind-rider can’t handle it?� She frowned, glancing back at the bike. She knew she’d have to deal with his taunting for weeks if she refused. With a sigh, she reached for the helmet.

“Wait a sec,� Ororo looked over to see him shrugging out of his leather jacket. “That ain’t going to do much good,� He said handing it to her. He watched as she slipped out of the tracksuit jacket and into the worn leather. It was too big for her, but he had to admit it looked good on her.

Real good.

Ororo had said thank you while putting on Logan’s jacket and then picked up the helmet, almost expecting him to make a joke about how ridiculous she must look in the too big coat, but the look he was giving her suggested he didn’t think she looked ridiculous at all. She cleared her throat, chuckling to herself.

“Did you change your mind?� She asked.

“Not sure ya wanna hear my other ideas darlin’,� he replied grinning at her. Ororo shook her head, grabbing her jacket and going to hang it up by the garage door. As she did this she heard the roar of the bike starting. She turned and took a deep breath.

“Too late to back out now, ‘Ro,� Logan said from his seat on the bike. Frowning slightly, she walked over and climbed onto the back of the motorcycle putting as much space between her and Logan as possible. Ororo slipped on the helmet and hesitantly put her hands on Logan’s sides.

She felt more than heard his chuckle.

“Ain’t gonna do much good holdin’ on like that,� Logan said, grabbing her arms and wrapping them around his waist, pulling her closer behind him. “Now hang on tight darlin’.�

They were off before Ororo could even attempt to rearrange herself on the seat. She tried to focus on the roar of the engine or the slight bumps in the road, but as the first turn Logan made forced her to tighten her grip she found it difficult to think of anything but the feel of him underneath her hands. She was barely fighting back the urge to run her hands along his stomach.

As Ororo relaxed, Logan felt her fit herself against his back and her thighs shift against his. He glanced down at her hands pressed against his stomach and slowed the bike down slightly before returning his attention to the road. He could’ve easily gone way above the speed limit down the back roads he was taking like he usually would, but he didn’t see the harm in extending the ride. ‘Ro wasn’t complaining and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying her being so close.

Eventually, Logan turned down what was little more than dirt path just off the road. He felt Ororo shifting behind him and assumed she was looking around even though there was much to see other than the trees on either side of the pathway. Soon he stopped the motorcycle, much to Ororo’s confusion.

“You can let go now ‘Ro,� Logan said with a chuckle.

Almost reluctantly, Ororo let go and climbed off the bike. As Logan nudged the kickstand into place, she removed the helmet and shook out her hair with her free hand not noticing Logan’s eyes on her.

“Where are we going?� Ororo asked after Logan got off of the bike.

“That way,� He replied pointing further down the path. She frowned, putting the helmet on the bike seat and ignoring the smirk he sent her way.

They walked down the path in silence, Ororo looking around her, while Logan stared straight ahead. She jumped slightly when he took her hand.

A slight breeze brought the smell of fresh water through the trees as Ororo caught glimpses of shimmering blue between the trunks and branches. A few more steps took them through the tree line and to the bank of a wide lake. It spread out before them like in a slanted ‘S’ with the remaining sunlight tinting the blue surface red gold. Trees surround the banks, leaving only a thin strip of grass littered with rocks and fallen trees as a border.

With a slight tug on her hand, Logan led her over to a nearby fallen log and took a seat, Ororo followed suit.

“How did you find this place?� Ororo asked quietly, glancing over at Logan who shrugged.

“Just happened ta come across it one day.�

Ororo nodded and turned back in time to see a hawk soar by before disappearing into the tree tops. They were silent for a moment, simply watching the gradual changes come over the scene as the day faded into twilight.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Logan.�

“You needed ta get away from the mansion for a while. Seems like yer always locked up in that office or runnin’ off ta some class or another. I didn’t want ya ta turn into Summers.�

Ororo looked down at the rocks by her feet, a sad smile forming on her lips. “There is just so much to be done and Charles…�

“Chuck wouldn’t want ya workin’ yerself to death. Ya don’t need ta do everythin’ by yerself.�

“I suppose you’re right,� Ororo sighed, looking up into the darkening sky. “Logan?�

“Yeah, ‘Ro?�

“Why did you stay?�

“Did ya want me ta go?�

“No, but after all the… arrangements were finished I would have thought you would want to go off on your own. I do not mean that I am not grateful that you stayed, I’m just curious.�

“I wasn’t gonna leave ya to deal with all that alone. With Hank runnin’ back and forth to Washington an’ all those anti-mutant groups springin’ up… I couldn’t leave like that, darlin’.�

“And now?�

Logan looked over at Ororo who was still gazing skyward. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned, meeting his eyes. He reached forward, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear and cupping her cheek.

“I can think of a few reasons ta stick around,� he replied, leaning close. He inhaled her scent, now mixed with his, as she leaned closer. “Unless ya want me ta go.�

“No, I don’t,� Ororo whispered.

“Good,� Logan said before pressing his lips to hers.

The kiss was nothing like she’d imagined. Instead of rough and demanding it was gentle and almost testing. It was surprising, but she didn’t hide her disappointment when he pulled away a few moments later. He laughed quietly, placing his Stetson on her head.

“Looks good on ya, darlin’,� Logan said, before pulling her in for another kiss.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Logan woke early the next morning, planning to fit in a quick danger room work out before preparing for the surprise outing he had planned for his class. It was his version of a pop quiz. He hoped his students had been paying attention – for their sake’s.

As he neared Ororo’s office, he noticed that the door was cracked open. He didn’t think she’d be in her office this early on Saturday, but he wasn’t that surprised. As he took another step towards the door he caught a scent he didn’t recognize. Frowning, he pushed open the door with one hand, extending his claws on the other. The back of Ororo’s chair was facing the door so he couldn’t see whoever was calmly waiting in the office, but that didn’t matter. He’d get a good enough look when he threw them head first through the window.

Logan had just taken a step into the office when he caught the scent of rain and sandalwood coming towards him. He glanced to his right, seeing Ororo coming down the hall carrying a stack of papers. He saw a smile starting to form on her lips before she noticed his claws. She put down her paperwork and came towards him, her eyes clouding over.

“What is it, Logan?�

Before he could tell her to get back, he heard the faint squeak of a chair turning. Logan looked back to see a tall, dark skinned man looking back at him in surprise.

“Who the hell are you?�

“None of yer damn business, bub,� Logan replied, extending the laws on his other hand. He heard Ororo gasp behind him.

“T’Challa?�


A/N:Continue?

Chapter 7 - Cookies n’ Cream



Of all the things Ororo has planned for the day, sitting in her office with one of her exes was not one of them. Certainly not T’Challa, who should be an ocean away ruling his country or off with the Avengers. She’d almost expect something like this from Forge, but T’Challa? How did he even get past the front gates?

"You still haven’t answered my question, bub. How’d you get in here?"

Ororo stole a glance at the man leaning against the front of her desk, arms crossed. She couldn’t quite see his face - he had placed himself almost directly between her and T’Challa - but she knew the expression that went with those tense shoulders.

"I don’t see why that is any of your business," T’Challa replied coolly, tilting his chin up like the arrogant royal he was. Ororo barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. How dare he come to her school and act as if he was in charge?

"Answer the question, T’Challa. Even though we have every right to escort you off the grounds for breaking into private property, we’re giving you a chance to explain yourself," Ororo folded her hands on her desk frowning at the man in front of her. "So tell us, why have you shown up here unannounced and uninvited?"

Surprised, he frowned back at Ororo. "Xavier would have never welcomed an old friend this way."

"It may have escaped your notice, but I am not Charles." Ororo leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Do you deny that you broke into the school?"

"Well, no, I do not deny it," T’Challa admitted still frowning. "But..."

"And are you here on Royal business or Black Panther duties?" Ororo interrupted.

"No, I am not here for either. Not exactly."

Ororo narrowed her eyes. "Then why are you here?"

"And how did you get in?" Logan added.

Barely glancing at Logan, T’Challa sighed. "Is it so unusual that I would want to see you, Ororo?"

"Yes."

T’Challa frowned, "It shouldn’t be. Not considering our," He shot a smug glance in Logan’s direction, "history. It has been so long since we have seen each other. Have you not missed me?"

Ororo barked out a laugh. "Missed you? No, T’Challa, I have not. I have moved on with my life quite happily without you in it."

"Moved..." T’Challa took another glance at Logan who was still standing between him and Ororo. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh."

"You got a problem?"

T’Challa shrugged indifferently, "I just did not realized Ororo’s tastes had shifted so... dramatically. Or that she was spoken for."

"So what if she is?" Logan growled, planting his feet firmly and dropping his arms.

"I do not believe it is any of your business if I am or not, T’Challa." Ororo spoke up, hiding her surprise at Logan’s words. "And despite your rude arrival, I have work I need to get to." She moved the closest stack of papers to the center of her desk. "I expect an honest answer to why you are here this evening, when I have a few minutes to spare." She nodded her head towards the door before turning her attention to her work. "You may show yourself out."

"But Ororo..."

"Now. And close the door behind you." Ororo kept her focus on her work until she heard the soft click of the door. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. This was going to be a long day.

"Who is that guy?" Ororo looked up to see Logan staring down at her.

"Would you like the short version or the long?" Ororo asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Short. I ain’t looking ta pick curtains with the guy."

Ororo chuckled. "I cannot imagine you wanting to pick out curtains with anyone, Logan." He only shrugged in reply. "T’Challa is king of a small country in Africa called Wakanda and works with the Avengers as the Black Panther. We were friends when we were young and dated briefly."

"Didn’t want to be Queen ‘Ro?"

Ororo rolled her eyes. "If I wanted to rule anything, I would have remained in my village as its Goddess." She waved her hand dismissively. "T’Challa was not a good match for me. He had his charming moments, but his ego and lineage make him arrogant and manipulative."

"So why hear the guy out?"

Ororo shrugged. "He may be here on Avengers matters or have heard rumors on anti-mutant issues in Wakanda. I would like to know why he took such a risk breaking into the school. And how he managed to get past the security."

Logan grunted crossing his arms as Ororo glanced at the ornate clock on her desk. "Aren’t you supposed to be setting up a survival test?"

"I’m going. Mind helpin’ out later?" Logan asked, his lips twitching up in a small grin. "A bit of rough weather or some rain?"

"I believe that can be arranged. "She returned her focus to the stack of papers in front of her. "Now, I really must get to work. Assignments to grade and a storm to plan."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You have four hours ta set up yer base camp, including a shelter" and a fire, gather food and locate a water source, Logan said to the group of 10 students gathered in the middle of the mansion’s expansive woods. He had picked a spot far enough from the lake as well as any man made shelter to make sure his students would really use what they had learned. "Split into pairs and each pair take one of these backpacks." He gestured to the bags behind him containing a basic survival kit - two different sized knives, a good length of rope, a compass, a large canteen, a mini first aid kit and keychain sized fire steel.

As they split, the wind began to pick up. Logan grinned, "And ya better hurry. Looks like a storm’s rollin’ in.

Once they were all set, he sent each group off in a different direction, reminding them that they were not to depend solely on their powers, not to steal anything from another pair, but that they may share a found resource.

Three hours into the test, Logan was preparing to make his final checks. The steady rain Ororo had provided was just beginning to let up, but he hoped his students were already set into their bases. The remaining hour would not give them enough time to gather and prepare. And if they were set up sufficiently when he came to inspect – as they should be – then they could return to the mansion. If not, well they had another hour.

In the end, all but one of the pairs were sitting somewhat dry underneath various versions of lean-to shelters and rough teepees covered with leafy branches with covered fires and small stores of fire wood nearby to dry. Some groups had set up their ponchos to gather rain water to boil while others had cut wide trenches in nearby fallen logs to store water. The final group was in the process of moving their fire out of their lean-to when Logan arrived at their base. Most had small piles of dark berries and cattail roots ready to be roasted. Two groups had managed to get a few strips of tree flesh and dandelions as well. One pair looked to be in the process of practicing trap building.

All in all, Logan was impressed. Sure their shelters could have been sturdier, but adequate for the time limit. He critiqued each base and made suggestions – mostly rock walls to support shelter frames and smaller fires inside a shelter before dismissing them. Making sure they cleaned up their bases first, of course. The students seemed surprised that he was sending them back to the mansion. It seemed like they all believed he was going to leave them out there overnight.

He shook his head as he made his way back to the mansion. Of course he was planning on an overnight test, but not for the first one. He would have to talk to ‘Ro about taking the kids off site for a few days.

Logan cut through the kitchen, chuckling as he saw his entire class crowded around pizza boxes. Dodging around the teens, he headed into the den. Then he caught a familiar scent coming from the direction of the classrooms. And she wasn’t alone.

‘Guess he thought he’d get to her early’ Logan thought with a frown. He didn’t like the arrogant prick. And he was glad that ‘Ro didn’t seem to be buying his crap either.

He rounded the corner to see Ororo and T’Challa standing together in the hallway in front of her classroom. She looked ready to walk away from the guy, but he grabbed her arm before she could.

Logan growled low in his throat, missing what T’Challa said, but he clearly saw him hold out a box to Ororo.

A small black box.