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Part Four

Ororo smiled as she swept through the mansion's main hall. Spring had arrived, at long, long last, and after much toil and many whispered blessings she'd entered her garden this morning to find the Goddess had finally rewarded her efforts. Almost overnight everything seemed to blossom, so much so that for the sake of pruning she could excuse clipping off a few blossoms - daises, roses, sunflowers - and currently was depositing them in every available bowl and vase she could find. On an impulse she tucked the very last daisy - a vibrantly purple bloom - behind her ear, which made her feel surprisingly girlish.

The truth was, there was an ulterior reason for her exceptional good mood this weekend day. A plan - a thank you, of sorts - had recently come to fruition, and the subject of that plan was just beyond the front door.

With a flourish she opened the front doors, stepping out into the warm sunshine and allowing herself a quick spin in the lazy breeze, her long prairie skirt brushing her bare legs. Goddess, it felt wonderful out here ... every season held its own unique magic and she reveled in each one, but she doubted there was any feeling more transcendent than that of the few true weeks of spring, as it chased away the last of winter's icy grip.

"Good afternoon, Logan!" she called out, almost instantly spotting him across the lawn. Or rather, she spotted the car he'd been working on every weekend for ages now. Its massive hood was up, again, and Ororo had little doubt as to who was hidden behind it. Honestly, it seemed to her that it might have been easier to build a vehicle from scratch than to spend any more time on this helpless cause. She had little knowledge of cars - or any reason to acquire such knowledge - and to her, this vehicle seemed nothing more than an oversized, outdated, barely moving scrap heap, regardless of how often Logan and Scott tried to convince her otherwise.

"Just a sec, 'Ro." His deep voice was muffled, punctuated by the suspicious sound of metal banging against metal, and she was forced to amend her initial thought. A helpless cause it might be, but for whatever reason Logan clearly loved working on the thing. His own personal garden, she mused, only this one grew oil spots and gear shifts.

"Somethin' you find amusing?" Ororo glanced up to find a deliciously sweaty, grease-stained Logan peering out at her, one eyebrow sharply arched, as he wiped his hands on an equally stained rag.

"Not at all," she replied, bare toes curling in the cool grass as she made her way over to him, offering in hand. "Merely enjoying the beautiful day. And since you have been out here since breakfast, I thought you could use a break."

"Ya read my mind, darlin'." With a genuine smile he swiped the cold beer from her and swallowed most of it within seconds. She smiled, pleased that she'd managed to find one of his favored Molsons from the basement refrigerator. Kurt must have made a point of stocking up.

"Can you stop for a few minutes?" Logan lowered the beer and squinted at her in the dazzling sunlight, but didn't answer. "There is something I wished to discuss with you."

He studied her for a moment, but she did her best to appear completely innocent. "Least I can do after you brought me this, eh?"

"The very least," she agreed, throwing him an impetuous wink as she turned on her heel and started toward a more private area, safe from wandering, eavesdropping students. She didn't look back, trusting him to follow. Exactly when that instinctual trust came to exist between them, Ororo couldn't have said, but it was there nonetheless and was something she had come to treasure.

When she found an open clearing far from the mansion that she was satisfied with she abruptly sat, turning as she folded her legs beneath her billowing skirt. Ororo tilted her head into the warm sun, closing her eyes briefly as she waited for Logan, grunting with feigned annoyance, to lower himself to the ground beside her.

"I'd think this was some sorta bad news, 'cept you look way too happy for that." He leaned back on his arms, comfortably close, and Ororo couldn't help noticing that he seemed almost as pleased with the day as she was. Perhaps he didn't sense the changes in air pressure or the delicate sheen of moisture clinging to the air around them as she did, but Ororo had no doubt that the breeze whispered to him of freedom, the sunlight beckoned with possibilities. And perhaps, even, hope ... though of course, hope for what was partially the reason she had sought him out this day.

"Oh, no, not bad news at all, thank the Goddess. At least, I do not intend for it to be." Now that she was about to speak it aloud, she was beginning to wonder at the wisdom of it. In making the plans she'd thought her idea absolutely perfect, fitting for who he was and what he'd given to her, but what if he found it too intrusive? Ororo pressed her lips together, suddenly nervous, but did her best to push it away. What's done was done, and even if Logan didn't appreciate or accept her offer, ultimately that wasn't the point. She wanted to help him, yes, but it was the gesture that was the important thing - as long as it didn't insult him in the process.

"So ... you gonna tell me what's goin' on, or just sit there with that ... " Logan narrowed his eyes at her, then smirked playfully. " ... blissed out look on your face?"

"I apologize. I did not mean to offend you with all my inordinate amount of 'bliss,' " she sniffed indignantly, but Logan wasn't buying it and she didn't have it in her today to even pretend to be in a bad mood.

"All right, Logan," she conceded after a moment. "Here it is."

Ororo shifted on the grass to face him more fully, skimming her palms across the soft blades - a bit of a stalling tactic. Her knees brushed against his jean-clad leg as she looked down into his face, marveling at how young his hardened face appeared in the natural, bright light. Neither one of the flinched from the contact. "There is a ... project I have been working on. I did not mention it before because I couldn't be sure it would come together, and now that it has, I am not certain you will welcome it."

"Can't welcome it if I don't know what it is, darlin'." He smirked at her again, and she rolled her eyes.

"A while back, you told me something," she continued, her smile turning into something more thoughtful. There was no one around to hear, she was certain, but still she lowered her voice. "Confided something in me, more specifically. Just as I did with you."

"Yeah, I remember," he said slowly. He hadn't moved and his tone had not changed, but Ororo sensed a tension in his words, almost a thickening of the air. She could hardly blame him. "What about it?"

Ororo licked her suddenly dry lips. "You have helped me a great deal in the last few months, Logan. I'm not sure you know how much. And it is more than just the claustrophobia. You have taught me how to trust again, something I would not have thought possible. You have given me a safe place to open my heart, to be true to myself - even if that was not your intention." She offered a gentle smile, and could have sworn the corner of his lips turned up in response. "And while I know you would never expect it, I have been trying to find a way to show you just how much that meant to me."

"Not lookin' for some sort of payback, 'Ro." He didn't seem offended, but his eyes seemed to darken somewhat.

"I know that," she said quickly, reaching out to lay a hand on his thigh. She was tempted to linger there, the material warm from the sun and his body. "I do not mean to imply as much. But nevertheless, I wanted to make some sort of gesture."

She sighed deeply, gathering her courage. No turning back. "I have an ... acquaintance, from my time before I met the professor. Her name is Yukio. We crossed paths for the first time while I was still living in Cairo as a girl. She moves frequently and contacts me from time to time, always unexpectedly, and usually to tell me of the grand adventures I am missing out on." Ororo smiled again, though this was less for Logan and more for the memory of her outrageous friend. "Out of nowhere she called me last week, and as it turns out, she currently has business in Japan. Her homeland."

Ororo paused, allowing that information to sink in, but Logan showed no outward reaction. "She is a ... well, a thief and an adventurer, among other things. No one knows Tokyo better than she does. Her connections are impressive and discretion is of the highest priority with her. I did not tell her anything specific, but on an impulse I asked whether she could provide a place to stay, and perhaps a guide, if a friend of mine needed to spend some time in the area. She agreed."

Still Logan said nothing, but Ororo had a hard time believing he hadn't made the connection himself. The silence was unnerving, however, so she barreled on. "The friend I am referring to is you, as you have probably concluded. Of course, whether you take her up on the offer is completely up to you, and there is no problem or inconvenience to Yukio if you do not. And ... there is one more thing, if you think you might be interested. If not, believe me, I understand. But I thought that if you decided to take Yukio up on the offer you might want some company. Some help, perhaps." No reaction. Ororo stopped rambling and took a deep breath. "I spoke with the professor, and he said they could spare me for the summer as well. Right now he thinks I am simply requesting an extended vacation."

Continued silence, and Ororo had to bite her tongue to keep from pouring more words into it. She had given him a great deal to absorb, certainly a lot more than Logan had been expecting, and she must give him time to process.

"Let me get this straight," he finally said. Ororo could read nothing from his voice, which was flat but not laced anger, or disappointment, or anything else she could discern. He might as well have been reciting a grocery list. "I tell ya about a few memories I think may have something to do with Japan, about people I may or may not have actually known there - people I may not even want to remember - and from that you take it on yourself to set up some sort of reconnaissance mission, just the two of us, with the help of some woman I've never met, all without my agreement. That right?"

Put that way, the entire thing sounded patently ridiculous. Deflated, Ororo merely nodded, eyes lowering to her lap. It had sounded like such a wonderful opportunity in her head, and she'd actually managed to convince herself that he'd welcome the chance, possibly even thank her for it. But clearly she hadn't thought this through properly. She had made a great many assumptions, and while she hadn't betrayed his confidence it still might be too close for comfort for a man like Logan. How could she have been so -

Her thoughts were cut off, driven away by the sudden, unexpected feeling of fingers snaking into her hair followed a hearbeat later by lips pressing against hers, soft but insistent. Ororo froze for an instant, startled, but instead of stopping like the fantasy or momentary lapse of sanity she assumed it to be, the kiss only deepened ... tentatively she began to return the gentle pressure, ignoring her confusion as her eyes slid shut in undeniable pleasure ...

This was the very last reaction she could possibly have anticipated - the very last thing she could allow herself to even contemplate, now or ever. It had been so long since anyone had touched her like this ... Logan's thumb stroked the pulse of her neck, just barely, and Ororo couldn't stop herself from curling her fingers around the taut muscles of his arm, sighing in rare contentment. Oh, in fleeting moments she'd wondered what it might be like to kiss the mysterious Wolverine, more often as they grew closer, but never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd ever have the chance to find out. Never thought she'd come to know how his barest touch made her stomach clinch, her breathing erratic ...

... everything's full of fire ...

And while it was truly the furthest thing from her mind at the moment, she couldn't help but wonder, distantly, why was this happening now? Just a moment ago she'd been so certain that he was furious with her.

His hand cradled her head and he pressed the tiniest bit closer, opening his mouth to taste her. Ororo welcomed it, unable to stop the soft cry that slipped from between her lips. Though she could still feel the sun warming her, taste the ever-present flavor of tobacco and alcohol and smell the impossibly intoxicating scent of sweat dried against his skin and clothes, Ororo still half-believed that she was dreaming, that any moment she'd open her eyes to her familiar, empty room. And after an endless, blissful moment it did end ... but she did not come back to reality to find herself alone.

Logan pulled away, slowly, only far enough so she could see into his eyes, his fingers still tangled in her hair to keep her close. Ororo drew a shaky breath and had the good grace to be somewhat embarrassed at how obviously he had affected her, but there was nothing to be done about it. Instead she met his intense gaze without wavering, searching their dark depths for some sort of understanding but finding none.

Ororo would have called it passion that she saw in his eyes, but she was afraid to believe that. She could feel it in herself, burning in her soul and charging the air around her almost against her will, but she was not foolish enough to assume there was anything more to it. All she could do in her confusion was wait for some sort of explanation, whether or not she really wanted to hear it ... and as she waited, file away every glorious detail.

"No one's ever done anything like that for me before." It was more a growl than a whisper, and this close she could feel his voice roll straight through her, warming her. "Why would you do that?"

"I - I told you," she stammered, uncertain of how to answer. Absently, her hand began to stroke his shoulder. "You have given me so much, I just wanted to give you something, too. But I did not mean to invade your privacy, and I would not be insulted if you don't want to go ... "

"Oh, I'm goin'." And this time, when the wicked smile touched his lips there was no denying the intent. Ororo still felt lightheaded with surprise and sudden possibilities that were unthinkable just five minutes ago, but she managed to smile in return, fingers touching his jaw, his mouth, in something like wonder. "And you're comin' with me. Unless you wanna leave me alone with this Yukio chick."

Mentioning Yukio somehow made this whole thing suddenly seem real, and an almost giddy laugh bubbled up from her chest. Ororo reflexively covered her mouth but Logan pulled her hand away, pressing a kiss into her palm as naturally as if this was a habit between them. And the thought that it actually could be just made her laugh again. This had not been her intention - none of this had been her intention. She cared about Logan - and yes, she loved him. He had become her best friend, her confidant. And yes, she could admit to feeling drawn to him in unexpected, even decadent ways - as had most women in the mansion, if one listened to gossip. But romance? It was a notion she simply did not entertain for herself, with Logan or anyone. It was an unattainable ideal. Beyond her.

But all that rationalization didn't change the fact that she was currently curled in the warm grass on a glorious spring day with Logan's lips mere inches from her own, his fingers grazing her scalp and eyes blazing with a private mischief. Did either of their intentions really matter now? Maybe this hadn't been her plan - or his - but she had trusted him and their relationship this far. What if he was giving her one more thing ... and what if it was within her to return the gift?

"Not a chance," Ororo whispered. Her breathing was more or less under control now, and she gave Logan a bright, genuine smile. "Yukio may be my friend, but I do not think she has any idea how to recognize a boundary."

"So we got boundaries now? Huh. Don't know how I feel 'bout that, darlin'."

Ororo thought he was joking, but nothing seemed certain anymore. "Oh, no, Logan, I just meant - "

He leaned in, lips brushing her and capturing her protest between them. "You gotta learn how to take a joke, Ro," he murmured, kissing her again, swiftly, then pulling back. His hand left her hair to take hers, and his eyes dropped to where they were joined. "Look, that was ... I was just bein' impulsive, I guess. 'Thank you' seemed kinda stupid to say. Not big enough, maybe. But I can't say I haven't thought about doin' it before. And I wouldn't mind doin' it again." He lifted his head again and gave her a crooked grin. "But I'm not tryin' to scare ya or push anything, just so ya know. Not that you seemed to mind too much."

Instinctively Ororo stiffened at the challenge and made a valiant attempt to steel her expression, but it was hopeless and they both knew it. There was no pretending she hadn't enjoyed that kiss, and Logan would know if she was scared or uncomfortable without her having to say so. And on top of that, she found that she didn't want to pretend ... which in many ways was the most frightening thing of all.

"There is nothing wrong with being impulsive," she said, diplomatically. "If I had known that would be how you would respond, I might have done something like this ages ago. And I think it fairly obvious that I was neither offended nor repulsed by your actions." Logan snorted laughter and she had to smile. Gently she shifted her hand so she could hold on to him, and squeezed. "I cannot say how happy it makes me that you like my idea ... and that you want me to go with you. Whatever ... whatever it may lead to."

The deeper meaning was blatantly obvious to them both, but Ororo didn't care. She felt oddly ... powerful all of a sudden. She watched as Logan moved, pushing off his arm and stretching a leg to one side of her, elbow propped on his knee. He traced his knuckles along the column of her neck, leaving a trail of fire along her skin. "Well, then." His voice sounded like a purr as he leaned in, and Ororo parted her lips in anticipation at the feel of his warm breath. "Sounds like we have a date."





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