Three Years and a Promise
Ororo Monroe was nervous. She, the weather controlling goddess, one of the most powerful mutants on earth, leader if the X.S.E. mutant police task force – was nervous.
No….Not nervous. She was afraid.
It wasn’t the fear of Magneto.
It wasn’t the fear of the Shadow King.
It wasn’t the fear of any other enemy.
It wasn’t even the fear of closed spaces.
It was much greater.
It was the fear of a promise.
She had been like this for a week, counting down the days.
‘Two more days’ she told herself.
Two more days and then it would be time.
A part of her was afraid that it would happen.
Another part – a larger one was afraid that it would not.
And that scared her even more.
Two more days and then she would know.
She would know if the promise meant as much to the one she made it to as it did to her.
-------
Two years, three hundred and sixty two days ago
“Oh I am so happy for you,” Kitty Pryde gushed, hugging the redheaded doctor. “Just think….this time tomorrow you will no longer be Ms. Grey but Mrs. Summers,” she declared. “Oooh…I am so happy” she hugged Jean again.
“Thank you Kitty” Jean smiled at her, her own heart bursting with love and anticipation. She had been waiting for this day for years. Scott Summers, the love of her life and soul mate had finally proposed to her and tomorrow would be taking her as his wife, to love and to cherish for eternity.
Ororo sat next to Jean, smiling serenely at the enthusiasm of the young teenagee. She was happy for her best friend and for the happiness, she was going to achieve. A happiness, which she herself had almost attained.
‘Almost’ she thought ruefully. It felt like a lifetime ago. When the love of her life *her soul mate* – that’s what she had thought him to be – had proposed to her. She had been ecstatic – going higher than she had ever gone before – trying to reach the *cloud nine* her heart felt itself on.
And then…
Then, he had withdrawn his proposal and left with the blue skinned, redheaded bi…..woman – Mystique.
She had blamed her. She had blamed him. She had even blamed herself.
Later she had realized, that it was just not meant to be. They had loved each other passionately…at least she had. But it wasn’t enough. They were lovers, but they weren’t best friends. Not like Jean and Scott.
Scott was Jean’s other half. Incomplete as themselves, they completed each other.
She was incomplete. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
She was incomplete and she would always be like that.
Alone and incomplete.
-----
She found him sitting under the tree overlooking the cliff, watching the sunset over the horizon.
Smoking his cigar, he looked ageless. As ageless as the setting sun, which given his healing factor he probably was.
She knew he would be here. It was his place. It was their place.
They had spent countless hours there, witnessing hundreds of sunsets, taking shelter in each other’s company.
She calmed him, just as he freed her.
With him, she could be herself. Not the super powered mutant, not the goddess, not the team leader, not even the teacher.
With him, she could be herself. She could be…the woman. The woman who was hidden inside all her incarnations.
He brought that out in her. Like none other. He – her best friend. A feral mutant who had forgotten more than what most people would learn in their entire life.
‘NO’ He had not forgotten. It had been taken away from him. Taken away – by the same monsters who put that metal in him. A metal, which made him unbreakable, but took away his life – his past – his memories.
-----
She knew he would be here. Especially today. He would be here.
He came here to find peace. Just as she did. It was their safe haven– their sanctuary.
And even though she was in pain, she knew that his pain was much greater.
Especially today.
He loved her redheaded friend.
He loved her like no other. Maybe even more than her fiancé.
And tomorrow he was finally going to lose her.
-----
“Ya just gonna stand there darlin’” he said aloud, scooting to the side – a silent invitation to join him.
Smiling, she lowered herself next to him, his hand coming to rest on her thigh. She laid her hand over his, tracing his knuckles. Knuckles that hid the world’s most dangerous weapons.
“I was thinking” she offered an explanation for her actions.
“Hmmm” he murmured, taking deep puff of his cigar. “Me too” he breathed out, smiling lightly as she used her winds to gently blow the smoke away from her.
They sat in silence, hands intertwined in each other’s.
“Are you ok?” she asked softly, feeling him go tense under her fingers.
“No” he answered her truthfully.
He didn’t lie. Never to her. He did to others, but to her, he could tell the truth. With her, he could open up and be himself.
“I understand” and she did. “It must be difficult for you.”
He nodded his head, taking another deep puff. “It is. But not as difficult as I thought it would be.”
“It isn’t” she was surprised. She had expected him to act out his anger, his hurt…..his loss.
“Yes” he turned to her, his hazel eyes filled with pain, slightly lighting up as he gazed at her. “’cause I’ve got ya” he smiled a little.
“Always my friend” she hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Always”
Then sat that way, supporting each other – healing each other.
-----
“We are a fine pair…aren’t we,” she said, clutching his free hand with hers.
“One of a kind” he chuckled.
“When do you leave?” she knew he would need to go away. Just as she knew, he would return once he had purged himself of his anger and pain.
“Tonight”
“When?”
“Once ya let me go,” he answered frankly, bringing a smile to her lips.
“What if I never let you go?” she asked lightly, trying to raise his spirits.
“Then I’ll never go” his conviction stunned her. It was as if he wanted her to…stop him.
-----
“You know what” she began, trying to sound calm. “We should get married?” she joked, patting his hand, which still rested on her thigh.
“Just tell me the time and place” he sounded equally light.
“Hmmmm….” she mused. “Three years from tonight.” “If neither of us is married or with someone else, we will get married to each other. Then we’ll take a long break and retreat to your cabin for the winter.”
“Ya got yerself a deal,” he replied, gently kissing her on the lips. They had kissed before, but it had never been so chaste.
It had never carried so much meaning either. That was something she didn’t realize.
Until Later.
-----
He left that night, not returning for six months.
Everyone was worried, it he would ever return. Everyone except her.
She knew he would return. When he cleared his thoughts and his heart….he would return.
And finally, one night he did. Almost ten months after the night on the cliff-side, he returned.
He found her clothes under the same tree, as she danced on her winds, her naked body glowing in the rising full moon. She looked like the goddess she was.
“Darlin’ if I’d known ya would welcome me like this I woulda ‘ve come sooner” he called out to her.
She smiled down at him, slowly coming towards him. “Dance with me” she offered her hand.
Taking his jacket, shirt and shoes off, he joined her in her aerial dance.
They spent the rest of the night in each other’s arms, discussing about the past ten months.
In the morning, they returned to the mansion. To their lives as colleagues….as x-men.
Everything was the way it had been earlier. Everything was normal.
Until now
------
Present time, (Two days later)
Today was the day.
Her mind told her that it wouldn’t happen. That it had been a joke. Two friends trying to comfort each other.
He was seeing someone. Someone who was not her.
Another redhead, she chuckled. He had a real weakness for red-haired women.
Her smile dropped. It was a redhead who had taken her love the first time.
And another redhead taken her love again.
‘Love’ it hit her. She loved him. Above all else – she loved him.
She had always loved him – as a friend. Now she loved him as something more. Now she wanted more.
The realization almost broke her heart into a million pieces.
Almost.
-----
“Ya ready darlin’” came the familiar voice.
“Logan” she tried to hide her tears. But she couldn’t. Not from him.
“’Ro….” he was at her side. “Yer crying” his statement demanded a reason.
“Nothing” she brushed her tears away. “Just remembering the past.”
“When did you come back?” she asked, her smile brightening at his close proximity.
He had been gone for almost three weeks. ‘With her’ most probably.
“Just needed ta get somethings done,” he offered his hand for her to rise. “Come with me”
She took his hand. She didn’t ask where he wanted to take her. She knew he would have told her if he wanted to tell her. It was a secret. Her heart beat increased with anticipation.
Reaching outside, he hugged her and asked her to close her eyes and rise into the air. He said he would be her navigator….her eyes.
She smiled and complied with his request.
----
Five minutes later, they touched solid ground. Her eyes still closed.
“Open yer eyes ‘Ro” he whispered into her ear.
She gasped at the sight before her.
They were at their spot.
But that wasn’t all.
In front of her, she saw a table ready for two. The moon and the two candles one the table illuminating the dark night.
Her heart stopped beating.
----
“Logan” she looked at him.
“Three years darlin’” he smiled at her. “Today’s the day”
He remembered.
‘He remembered’ her heart cried out.
“But you were…”
“Not anymore” he answered her unspoken question. “Ended” “Three months ago”
“Why?” she asked innocently. The friend in her sad for him – for another loss. While the lover in her, overjoyed by her gain.
“It was time,” he answered, his hand going into his pocket. “It is time…fer us” he completed, withdrawing a small velvet box and offering it to her.
“Whatdya say darling”” he grinned. “Want ta do true on yer promise and give this Canucklehead a chance.”
“Aren’t you going to get on your knees?” she joked, barely containing herself from flinging herself on him.
“Not until ya get down with me,” he quipped, stepping closer to her.
“Well” he looked up at her. His pose suddenly tense at the chance of her refusal.
“Yes” she murmured, lowering her lips to his. “Yes” she whispered into this mouth. “Yes…yes…yes…a thousand times yes…..always yes”
He pulled her tightly, crushing his lips to hers.
Her wait was complete. She had found her Warrior.
----
“When did you buy this?” she moved her fingers over the ring, snug on her ring finger, its diamond shining magnificently in the soft candle light.
“Remember the night we danced” she nodded her head, smiling as she recalled the night he had finally come back.
“A week before that” his simple answer stunned her.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” she asked touched and slightly miffed at his patience.
“We had a deal” “Three years” he reminded her. “So I waited fer the three years ta end.”
She blushed at his love and thoughtfulness.
“And I didn’t forget the rest of it” she raised her eyes at him. “The rest of it?” she asked.
“Yeah” he smirked. “Yer cabin is waiting fer ya.”
Another thought came to her. “That’s where you had been the last three weeks. At the cabin.”
He nodded his head, his eyes never leaving her. “Had ta stock up for the winter.”
“And what if I had refused?” she asked impishly.
His expression turned grave. “Then it would have ta last me a life time. I would’ve gone alone – ferever.”
“Oh Logan” she hugged him, kissing him passionately, her heart overflowing with love. Her love for him and his love for her.
-------
Jean Grey-Summers was roused by the deep sound of a motorcycle.
Opening her room door, she found a note stuck to it.
Dear Jean,
I am leaving. Don’t look for me. I will return with the returning spring.
Tonight I leave to fulfill a promise.
Tonight I am finally complete.
Your friend and sister,
Ororo
Smiling, Jean made her way to the first floor windows, just in time to see the motorcycle cross the mansion gates.
The motorcycle – she knew it well. Almost as well as she the feral rider and his white haired passenger.
They were riding away into the night. Her head flat at his back, her hands over his heart, covered by one of his own.
At that instant, they were finally complete. They weren’t two separate people anymore.
They were one.
They had fulfilled their promise to each other.
And in doing that, had completed each other with everlasting love.
**End**
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