Twenty minutes had gone by and Logan was ready to gut himself if he had listen to Kitty one more minute about stuff he had no interest in.
Kitty dropped by his office to upgrade his new computer with all types of technical shit she said he needed. When Logan continued to show absolutely no interest in what she was trying explain, Kitty thought may be she was being too technical for him. So she started from the beginning. Logan gave up. He held up his hands kissed the top of her head and told her to have a good time.
“Do what whatever needs to be done kiddo. I gotta do my rounds. So, lock up when you're done.”
“Ok, Logan. And don't worry, I'll have this filled with so many firewalls it'll be too hot for Bobby to touch.” Kitty giggled.
He nodded then started to head for the door when he remembered something.“Hey kid! Don't be peekin' at my private files.”
“Why? Are there nudie pics on here?” she asked groaning.
Logan wiggled his eye brows up and down then gave her his famous lopsided grin as he left his office without another word.
He waited outside his door and counted down. It took all of 30 seconds before he heard her scream.
“Ewwww! Logan you are so gross!”
Logan opened back his office door laughing. “Told you not to snoop. That's what you get. Now quit mess'n around in my files or that “gross” picture you found will be the least of your worries.”
“Alright, alright. Message received.”
“I'll be starting my rounds in the lower levels. See ya Kitten.”
He left his office and could hear Kitty mumbling something about washing her brain out with bleach.
__________________________________________________________
What was today's selection? Logan thought as he got off the elevator to the lower levels.
He could hear the music playing through the Danger Room doors. Most people wouldn't be able to pick up the music through the thick doors but Logan wasn't most people. With his acute hearing he could hear every word of the angry tune as if he were in there himself.
For several months now, Logan would pass by the Danger Room knowing full well who was inside at this time of the day playing what the kids called “Music to kick ass to”. Everyday was a different song, with a different singer, and different lyrics. Even though the songs were different they all shared a common theme. They all were about being hurt by the one they loved and the rage that came along with that unrequited love.
Unrequited love and rage where two things Logan knew all too well. It was the story of his so called life. A reoccurring theme that seemed to never end. Ya know the story. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Girl is usually in love with another guy. Girl finally falls for boy after boy chases girl relentlessly. And just when boy and girl are finally able to be happy, girl then meets gruesome death at the hand of boy's enemy. Sometimes his life sucked like that.
He wouldn't wish most of the shit that happened in his life on his worst enemy. God knows that list was a long one. No one should know that kind of pain. It made him sad and pissed off to know that on the other side of those doors that a person dear to him had a glimpse of what it felt like to be him. They deserved better he thought to himself.
It was a small comfort to him to know that at least they were getting that pain out. Not sitting locked away in their room for days on end. Not keeping it in and letting the hurt fester like he usually does. Letting some of that aggression go was good. Right?
He did it all the time when shit just got too heavy for him and the rage inside demanded that he rip something or someone apart. It was his thing. The Danger Room was Logan's equivalent to time on the couch. Was it healthy? Maybe not, but it sure as shit made him feel better to knock some heads together. Yeah, he thought. A good ass kicking always clears the head.
He was about to walk past the Danger Room when something made him stop. Something would not let him take one more step. His already heavy adamantium legs felt like they had double in weight. An uneasy feeling started creeping up his body and he could hear his gut screaming at him as if it were right next to him that he was missing something. Then realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
“It may be your thing to go all ape shit and Hulk smash in the Danger Room but it ain't their thing bub. Time to open your fuckin' eyes and stop being blind to what's been going on.”
He cursed several times underneath his breath. How could he be so stupid he thought. How could he have missed the signs? How could he not see that something was amiss with his friend? His mind quickly recalled some of the major things he had over looked since his friends return.
First clue. It had been too long since they sought him out. In the past they always found each other, even when they didn't know they needed one another. Logan remembered many nights of sitting by the lake or walking in the woods with his friend. Sometimes they would talk about any and everything that happened since the last time they saw one another. Other times, they would say nothing. They would just enjoy each others company in companionable silence while soaking up the nature that was around them. Now, he couldn't remember a time when they spent more than five minutes with each other outside of school functions. Each time he asked about joining him for a stroll they politely declined or said maybe next time. Only next time never came.
Second clue. Bit and pieces. That's all they would give whenever someone tried to ask them about what happened that brought them back. He never got the full story or the real reasons for their sudden return to the fold. And whenever the question popped about why they came back all the person would ever say is “The details are not important. All that matters is that I am where I need to be.” That answer never seemed to satisfy the others but it did Logan. And why was that?
Truthfully, it was because he didn't care why. When he learned his friend had come back he didn't care what the causes were. Fuck the reasons why he thought. He was just happy they were back at the school teaching and.....for more selfish reasons he was just glad to have their presence around him. He missed it more then he would ever admit to anyone. Even himself.
Third, and this was a biggest clue, the persons demeanor. Sad, reserved, and closed off. That was not his friend. His friends had a true zest for life. Now, that zest was replaced with apathy. He always found that no matter how much his life was going to shit, five minutes being in their presence brought him the peace he and his animal desperately sought. This new indifference that was being displayed for the people and things around them made his friends emotions erratic. It was no secret that emotions were key to their mutation. It took great restraint and concentration to not let the weather be affected by them. He may have been blind and deaf to what was going on but mother nature was not.
It tried to warn him. He missed clues the weather was trying to pass on to him about the true mood of his friend. He should have paid more attention to when smiles didn't bring sunshine. To when laughter didn't cause rainbows to appear across the sky. And to when the rain actually was more like tears from a dying tortured soul needing release than the natural cleansing and purifying sounds that come with it.
So why did he ignore all these signs? Because he trusted the bond between them. It had been forged over the years through blood, sweat, and tears. Logan trusted in the fact that if they needed something, anything, all they had to was ask and he would deliver.
That's what he kept telling himself when they hadn't come to him all those months ago. “Maybe, today's the day.” It became his daily mantra when he saw them and the fake smile they plastered on their face for his sake. Or was it for their own?
Damn it! Fuck! Deep down he knew something was going on with them but never once did he stop and make sure they were was alright. Again, he justified his doing nothing by thinking there was no need really to check on them. Not when they are the most leveled headed person you've ever met. People like that don't need baby sitters or some one constantly up their ass asking if they're OK. Their pride would not allow that. They were far too private and independent for all that. He wanted to give them some time to work whatever problems they had on their own. The professor used to tell him “Time heals all wounds, Logan.” He smirked as he remembered his mentor and his friend fondly. He used to tell Charles that his time on earth told him different. “No it doesn't Chuck. It just dulls the pain. Some wounds, can never heal.”
Willing his legs to move, Logan quietly made his way to the control room and was shocked at what he saw. He stood there mesmerized, unable to take his eyes off the scene before him. It was chaos. It was terror. It was glorious. A beautiful symphony of carnage that sang to the darkness in soul. He could feel his animal clawing at him to let it out and join in on the fun. He would have been all too willing to let it loose in the hell that was before him if not for what was standing in the center of it.
“Sweet Jesus. No!”
In the middle of what looked to be the burning remains of a village.... was Ororo.
She was wearing her signature X-men uniform. God, he loved that uniform. It left little to the imagination and boy did he imagine a lot. On any other women, the cape, the thigh high boots, and the barely there uniform, would have looked more like something you found in a porno movie but, when Ororo wore it on the battle field, she looked more like a warrior goddess that descended from the heavens then a me so horny sex kitten. No, when she engaged the enemy she was a sight to behold. Something that demanded you both fear and love her at the same time. Lord knows there were plenty of times that the sight of her made him want to kneel down and worship the ground she walked on and gut anyone that dared tried to defile this goddess while in his presence.
Now, what he was seeing before him was about to mare that beauty and ruin any memory he had of her before this moment.
He looked at the scenario Ororo had programmed and realized that he should have known from the beginning where she was.
Ororo was not just in any village. She was home. In Africa. In Wakanda.
“Shit!” he said out loud.
He knew the exact day she called up and what happened on that day.
This has got to stop. She shouldn't be doing this. He had to stop this.
“Computer, override Danger Room Program. Authorization: Wolverine Alpha, Gamma 571 Zulu.”
“Unable to comply. Access Denied”
Logan stood there dumbfounded. What the hell was going on? Why the hell wasn't his voice command working?
He grabbed the chair behind him and sat down in front of the control console and manually input the code. Once he again he heard unable to comply.
“What the fuck do you mean access denied? Why?!”
“All other access codes have been suspended.”
“Who's fuck'n commands can open those doors?!” Logan yelled.
“Ororo Monroe.” the life less voice said back to him.
Now Logan was livid and wanted in more than ever.
He was about to turn on the mic and tell Ororo to open the god damn door when he heard a voice yell from somewhere in the smoke.
“You shouldn't have come here!”
He heard the words but did see not who it came from. The voice was muffled by all the screaming and yelling and what ever other shit was blowing up down there.
Ororo for her part stood there waiting. Not saying a word. Just waiting.
He could see from the look on Ororo's face that she had played this little scene before and was all too ready for the mysterious voice to appear.
He waited with baited breath to see who it was. His gut
knew, but his heart begged for it not to be true. It was hard to see who it was with all that the smoke and ash in the air but soon the air started to clear and that's when he got a glimpse of who it was and dammed if his gut wasn't right. It was T'Challa.
Damn it. This is not going to be good he thought.
Without tearing his eyes from the view before him, Logan hit the intercom button to his office on the computer console.
God, he hoped she was in there.
“Kitten, you still there?”
“Yeah, Logan. I'm almost done. And no I didn't peek any where else.”
“I need you to drop what you're doin' and get down to the Danger Room.”
Kitty heard the panic in Logan's voice and started to get worried.
“Logan, what's...”
“Kitty, I don't have time to explain just get the fuck down here!” he snarled.
Kitty knew that tone. She had heard it many times before but never towards here. That told her no questions just mover your ass. “On my way.”
Logan felt bad yelling at Kitty. Normally he would never raise his voice towards her but nothing about this was normal. He just needed her to be here now.
And as if on cue, Kitty dropped through the floor next to Logan.
“OK, I'm here. Where's the fire?” Kitty said with her hands on her hips.
“There.” Logan pointed to the Danger Room.
Kitty walked over to the window, looked down and was horrified.
“Is that?”
“Yeah.”
“Is she where I think she is?”
“Mm Hm.”
“Is that who I think it is with her?”
“Yup.”
“Why is she doing this?”
“I don't know.”
“We have to stop this.”
“I know. I tried to shut down the program but somehow she shut down my command code.”
“She what?!”
“Shut them down. I can't get in manually or by voice command. That's why I called ya down here to see if you can get in.”
“I'll try my codes. Computer: Override Danger Room Simulation. Authorization: Shadowcat Beta Foxtrot 724 Hotel.
“Unable to comply. Access Denied. Voice Command Only.”
“What!”
“That's the same shit I got. Now, what?” Logan said frustrated.
“Can you cut through the doors?”
“Sure, it'll just take me a couple of hours. Which is time we don't got.”
“Ok. Let me try and see what she did here. You just keep an eye on our girl and see what she's up too. I got a bad feeling about this Logan.”
“Me too, kid.”
Logan quickly got out of the way so Kitty could work. He moved over to the window and watched as Ororo and T'Challa argued. He felt like he was intruding on a private moment but he couldn't turn away. He wouldn't leave her alone. He felt like even in this small way he was there for his friend. He listened on as the words became more heated and angry between them.
He watched as T'Challa viciously verbally attacked Ororo. And although she gave as good as she got Loagn saw the words still hit her as hard as fist.
How many times? he said to himself. How many times has she put herself through this? How many times has she heard that bastard that calls himself her husband say that shit to her? How many times has she had to stand there and take it? How many?!
Logan felt his heart get ripped out each time he heard her sob. Each time she pleaded for T'Challa to hear her out. To not make her choose between her marriage and the X-men. To see that she could be both Queen to their people and Storm to the X-men. But T'Challa would hear none of that. His pride would not allow him to. Then, T'Challa said the words that Logan never thought he would ever hear come from T'Challa's lips.
“The High Priest of Wakanda has annulled our marriage.”
“But you are the High Preist.” Ororo said through tears in her eyes.
“Yes, I am. And by sacred laws of this land, I here by decree that you are no longer Queen of this land. You are no longer welcome in Wakanda. You are no longer my wife. This marriage is over. We, are over.”
Logan felt his knuckles start to itch. His claws were begging to be let loose. He wanted to get down there and gut that fucker and watch his insides spill to the ground for what he just said.
What happened in Wakanda wasn't 'Ro's fault. It was Scooter's and those other Phoenix Five assholes that did the damage. They were to blame not 'Ro.
Ororo wasn't with the Avengers at the time of the attack on Wakanda. She was with the X-men because that was were she thought she needed to be. She left because she thought it was the right thing to do. Never in a million years would she have left if she knew the destruction that would follow because of Namor.
He knew that part of the story. That was all Ororo would tell him when she came back. What just was said about the annulment she hadn't shared. And what happened next was a part he didn't know either.
T'Challa turned and walked away from Ororo and when she tried to stop him he turned and punched her in stomach.
Now, Logan knew why Ororo had kept this all to herself for so long. Now it was clear.
If he had known that that motherfucker had put his hands on her he would not be standing here right now. He would be in Wakanda with his claws buried so deep in that pussy Kings chest that his ancestors would feel it.
Logan's blood was boiling. His animal was screaming to kill. Howling to be let loose and defend what was theirs. He turned to Kitty who looked up and saw murder in Logan's eyes.
Her mouth went dry. She hadn't seen that look in Logan's eyes since Jean died. She heard him speak through gritted teeth.
“How. Much. Longer!”
“I'm trying Logan. She's changed the codes and has really done a number on the system. She must have learned a lot about computers during her time in Wakanda because the Storm I remember wasn't that tech savy. I'm having a hard time hacking in. She's good.”
“You say'n you can't get in there?”
“Hell no! She's good but I'm better.”
“Kitten, do whatever you gotta do but get me in there.”
“Is she alright?” Kitty asked. Her voice filled with concern.
“If by alright you mean she and her piece of shit husband are about to throw down then she's just peachy.”
“Oh my god!” she gasp. Her face paled when she saw what Ororo had done.
“What?” Logan asked. He didn't know if he could take any more surprises.
“She removed the safety protocols, Logan. Why would she do that? Why would she do something so stupid and dangerous?”
Kitty could feel the tears start to well up in her eyes but fought them back. Her heart broke for her mentor, her friend, her second mother. Tears right now would do no good. Ororo and Logan both needed her right so she returned to her work setting her feelings aside for now.
“You can ask her when we get in there. How much longer munchkin?”
“Five minutes. I'll have you in there in five minutes.”
Logan only grunted. Then turned his attention back on Ororo and T'Challa.
The two were still circling each other while others in the background were picking up bodies that were either needing medical attention or had died from Namor's attack. There were also other voices that could be heard begging for them both not to fight while other were yelling to kill the her and avenge their dead.
Logan wanted badly to go down there and shut those fuckers up with an adamantium fist to the face. Even though he knew it was a simulation, the sentiment still felt real enough for him to want to defend his friend. No one real or fake talked about his 'Ro like that.
The dance between Ororo and T'Challa continued. Neither one making the first move. They hadn't said a word to each other but the intent in both their eyes was clear. Someone was going to get hurt...and hurt very badly. He could see from T'Challa stance that he was going to make the first move and just before he lunged for Ororo he heard her speak.
“Computer, play My Happy Ending. Loud.”
The song blared from the speakers and Logan covered his
sensitive ears.
He heard a young girl's voice start to sing as T'Challa swung and missed Ororo.
“So much for
my happy ending.”
“Oh
“Lets talk this over.
It's not like we're dead.
Was it something I did.
Was it something you said?”
When Logan saw T'Challa try to go for another hit he let a breath he didn't know he was holding when he saw her Ororo duck and then upper cut T'Challa.
T'Challa seemed surprise at how fast she came at him and the strength behind that blow.
He smiled. 'Ro was fighter. No way she was going to let up on him just because they were married.
“Don't leave hanging.
In a city so dead.
Held up so high.
On such a breakable thread.”
“We don't have to do this.” Ororo said trying again to reach her husband before this madness continued.
“Yes, we do.” T'Challa said. “We have to do this because you and I should have never been. You were a mistake.”
Now, it was Ororo who was on the attack. She used those words as fuel as she came at T'Challa with a series of angry kicks and punches. She knew better than to fight with anger but those words did more than sting, they cut.
“You were all the things I thought I knew
And I thought we could be"
“We were not a mistake!” Ororo yelled.
“Yes! We were!” T'Challa yelled back. “To think that I trusted you with my people. With my heart! Only to have you rip it out. Look what you have done to my home!”
Seeing an opening T'Challa swept Ororo's leg and knocked her off balance. She fell to the floor and barely had enough time to recover before she saw T'Challa foot coming down towards her face. Ororo quickly rolled to the right of T'Challa and was able to regain her footing.
They circled each other again but this time they weren't silent.
“You say that I ripped out your heart? No, dear husband it was you that ripped out mine. You were never in this marriage.”
“I was!” T'Chall said landing a blow to Ororo's face.
“Liar!” Ororo yelled with a right hook across T'Challa face.
“This marriage was never real for you but it was to me. I loved you from the moment I said I do but you never truly returned that love.” Ororo said through another right rook. “I always had to make choices.”*jab* “Sacrifices.” * jab* “I lost myself because of you and why?* jab*
T'Challa grabbed Ororo's arm in mid swing and used her momentum against her. He grabbed her arm pulling her right into his knee hitting her in the midsection. He kept kneeing her in the midsection as he asked her why.
“Why?” * Kick* “You think you were the only one that had to make choices?” * kick* “Made sacrifies?” * Kick * “You have no idea the kind of sacrifices I have made for you as king.” T'Challa yelled as he placed one more kick to Ororo's midsection
Ororo balled up her fist and puched T'Challa hard in the side to get him to let her go. T'Challa let go of Ororo as the pain from his side hit him.
“You were everything that I wanted
We were meant ti be, supposed to be but we lost it”
Ororo was still down on the ground looking up at her husband.
“And that is where we differ. I made those sacrifices for you because I was your wife and I loved you. You made them because you are King not because you were my husband. Not once was anything done out of love.”
“All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away
All this time you were pretending
So much for my happy ending.”
“Logan! I got it. Well partial.” Kitty yelled.
“What do you mean partially?”
“Look, I'll spare you the technical stuff but I got it to where at least I can get the doors open.”
“I'll take it.” Logan ran out of the control room to the doors of the Danger Room.
“I'm here! Open the door Kitty.”
As soon as the doors opened Logan was stunned that in the short amount of time it took him to get from the control room to the Danger Room doors T'Challa and Ororo had started fighting again.
This time they were going blow for blow. Kick for kick. Logan could see Ororo was getting tired and wouldn't last much longer. He needed to get in there.
Ororo saw him out of the corner of her eye. She held her hand out to stop him when she saw he tried to approach her.
“'Ro.” he whispered.
She shook her head no. Telling not to interfere. She needed this.
Logan saw her face and he damn near cried. Ororo's beautiful face was bloodied, bruised and tear stained. Her knuckles were swollen with cuts all over them. Her normally white hair was covered in dirt and matted to her face by the blood on it. Her uniform had rips and tears all over it.
His beast called out to him. “Protect.” “Kill.” “Ours”
It took everything he had not to just end this right now with him gutting T'Challa's hologram but he could see she needed to finish... what ever this was. So, against his better judgment, he nodded and stood back.
Ororo didn't have much left in her and she needed T'Challa to make a mistake. She knew exactly what to do.
“You are right T'Challa. We are done. And I thank the goddess that we never had children.”
Those words words would be his undoing. He was sent into a rage and came right after Ororo like she hoped. In his rage he never saw the roundhouse kick she had waiting for him.
Ororo used the last bit of strength she had left when she saw he was still standing and delivered one last flying kick to his chest, sending T'Challa flying into the nearest wall.
“I will be leaving now dear husband and I will respect your wishes to never come back here again. But I wanted you to know that even after all of this, I will always have a place in my heart for you. For the young man that saved me from the streets of Cairo as a young girl. Your kindness and strength that day helped keep me safe until I was able to find and join my true family. The family that helped make me the person who is standing before. The X-men. They are my home. They are the ones who truly love and except me. There I will find the love and the peace I deserve. Good-bye.”
Ororo looked at the ring on her finger. Her wedding ring. She thought she would never take it off.
She was wrong.
She gave her ring one last kiss then took it off, placed it on the ground, and walked away.
“Computer: End Danger Room Session. Voice Command Storm: Lima X-Ray 652 Golf.”
“Authorization confirmed. Simulation terminated.”
Just as Ororo was about to fall from exhaustion Logan caught her before she hit the ground.
Kitty was about to run inside when she heard Logan yell to her.
“Kitty get Angel. Now!”
“OK, be right back.” Kitty said running towards the Med Lab.
Logan looked back from the door to the woman in his arms who looked like hell.
She looked into face and a small sad smile spread across
her face.
“Hi.”
“Hi? Hi? Is that all you have to say is fuck'n hi?”Logan asked with a hint of anger and frustration in his voice.
“Hurts to much to say more.” Ororo joked.
“I bet.” Logan said moving a piece of blood matted hair from her face.
“Sorry.”
“Darlin' you scared the shit out of me and poor Kitty. I damn near lost years of my life, which you know is pretty fuck'n hard for me to do with my heal'n factor an all. But watch'n you and your holographic hubby go toe to toe against each other shaved damn near ten years off.”
“Had to.” Ororo said then started coughing.
“Easy, honey. I gotcha. Take it easy.” Logan said holding Ororo a little closer to him. “Better?”
Ororo shook her head yes and let out a content sigh.
“I didn't mean to scare you. I...I...was hurting, Logan. I needed to do this or I would go insane with all the pain I was feeling. Do you understand?”
Logan sighed at her words. Then kissed the top of her head. Not caring at all about the dust, dirt and blood on it.
“Yeah, I do. I understand plenty.”
Kitty arrived with Angel and the gurney. Angel was about to reach for Ororo when Logan moved past him towards the gurney. He placed Ororo on it pulled the blanket on it over her.
“Thank you. Logan.”
“You're welcome darlin'.”
“Let's get you to the infirmary so we can clean you up.” Angel said.
Ororo nodded.
Just as she was about to close her eyes she felt a hand slip into hers. She looked down and saw the hand belonged to Logan.
“Logan, what are you...
“What? You think I'm gonna leave you alone after all this? No, darlin. I left you alone for too long. I'm not gonna let you go now. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me. Now close your eyes. You're safe with me.”
Ororo closed hers eyes and smiled. For the first time in months she felt safe because this was home. This was where she would find peace and maybe...just maybe...someone to love.
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