As the grievance tears me apart
Thinking of you and the things you meant to me
My heart is bleeding, I can't go on
If I could unwind the wheel of time
I would have been by your side
If I could turn back time
My precious love would be alive
The empty void inside my heart grows
I have nowhere to turn to ease the Pain
Remembering the smile you used to give me
And your laughter that could light
My way home
If I could unwind the wheel of time
I would have been by your side
If I could turn back time
I never had a chance to say goodbye
I have cried and mourned my loss
My heart keeps beating only for you
Am I strong enough to fight on?
Without your love I stand, I stand empty and alone
So my love watch over me now
My rage catches fire, I will strike them down
I will avenge you, oh, vengeance so sweet
That's my last gift for you
I'm forever walking alone
All of his life Logan had known pain, sometimes he thought that was all he’d ever know. Pain was his longtime companion, but he’d never really known love. That was, until Ororo. Until this spitfire of a woman, hell bent on doing her job, had drug his worthless ass back from the jungle and brought him face to face with the team he’d once betrayed and abandoned and with the man he was supposed to be.
He’d hurt and been hurt on more than one occasion. He’d lashed out, pushed away and ran more times than he could count, but Ororo had stood by him through it all, and made him look past it as well, downright forcing him to feel all the things he’d never wanted, or felt he deserved, to feel.
Nothing in his life had prepared him for her, and no amount of pain he’d suffered before could have prepared him for the grief that was welling up inside of him now as he held her limp, lifeless form close to his chest, willing her to live, wishing he could force his healing factor into her. “Please.” His voice was whisper soft, torn from the very depths of his soul.
“Wolverine.” Jean scrambled to his side, dirt and debris in her hair and on her face. Her emerald eyes glittered with unshed tears. “We’ve got to go.”
He snarled at her, but didn’t look at her.
Jean gave the screeching firebird hovering overhead a worried look. So far the Phoenix seemed content to simply bask in it’s freedom, shrieking it’s displeasure at being confined for so long. Jean had no idea how long their presence would go unnoticed by the cosmic being. Perhaps they were as insignificant as ants to such a creature. She didn’t know for certain, but she wasn’t willing to wait around and find out either. She reached for Logan’s arm. “She’s gone,” she whispered.
Logan heard the words, knew them to be true, he couldn’t hear the steady drum of Ororo’s heart, couldn’t feel her breathing, couldn’t catch a hint of warmth from her, he knew she was dead, but he couldn’t bring himself to let her go. His fingertips traced the smooth line of her jaw, skimming the thin faded scar along the curve left by Sabertooth. His throat closed up, constricting his breathing. He pressed his forehead to her cold cheek. There were so many times he had failed her.
“I’m sorry.” He kissed her still lips. “I’m sorry.”
“Wolverine.” Jean tried again. Then, softer, “Logan.”
He lifted his head, black eyes meeting Jean’s green. “Go on, Red.” He said quietly.
She shook her head, sensing his intentions. “It won’t bring her back,” she said.
He gently laid Ororo onto the ground, adjusting her clothing so that gash in her stomach was covered. He paused, his hand hovering over her silent form, of it’s own accord, unwilling to leave her completely. “I know,” he acknowledged. “But I don’t care.”
Determinedly he curled his fingers into a fist. He stood slowly. His grief and rage were consuming him. A fiery fury that was worthy of any mythological God. Logan’s eyes lifted to the Phoenix. Even that one. -SNIKT-
“Logan, stop!” Jean cried, tears in her voice.
He gave her a long look, full of sympathy, regret, tenderness and good bye, then uncharacteristically his mouth lifted in a quirky little smile. “Make sure to bury me next to ‘Ro.” Without another word he began to stalk towards the Phoenix, slicing apart any still breathing Shi’ar members that he came across.
Jean stared in open mouthed horror, watching as Logan became the living embodiment of fury and rage. If wrath were a physical being, it would be the feral known as Wolverine. He showed no mercy to the surviving congregation members, killing them ruthlessly and brutally. His claws found purchase again and again, becoming coated with blood. “Oh, my God,” Jean whispered.
“Jean!”
She turned, relief flooding her face as she spotted Scott leading the rest of the team towards her. *Scott*
*Did you find Storm?*
Jean swallowed, kneeling beside her fallen friend. *Scott, Ororo’s…we were too late.* She felt his shock and immediate sadness, but like the natural leader he was, Scott pushed it to the back of his mind for the time being and asked the next important question.
*Situation?*
Closing her eyes, Jean telepathically sent him everything that had transpired from the plane crash until his arrival. So much in such a short amount of time, she reflected absently. In less than ten minutes the X-Men’s world had once more been forever changed.
Logan lashed out violently, mindlessly, relying on instinct alone, letting the animal take over. He marched forward, never veering from his course, felling anyone foolish enough to come at him or unfortunate enough to be lying in his path. Blood sprayed his face and arms, soaking the charred ground. A few blades found their mark in his flesh before he could dispatch the men foolhardy enough to wield them, but even that didn’t slow him.
He was nearly directly below the Phoenix when he caught a whiff of something that made him stop mid-stride. He turned slowly, his entire body tense and rigid.
Lilandra Neramani lay on the ground, on her back, staring up at the Phoenix in awe. Her wide eyes and parted mouth bespoke of her wonderment. Her lifelong dream had finally been realized; she had witnessed the rebirth of her precious Phoenix God. The price of her dream be damned, and to hell with the consequences. If a few infidels had to die, then so be it, was her thoughts on the matter.
Wolverine sneered, diverting from his course and making his way towards the cult leader with his natural predatory stealth. She didn’t notice him until he knelt directly beside her.
Still, even then, she didn’t look away from the burning display of the Phoenix, but instead said with joy, “Isn’t she the most beautiful thing you’ve ever see?”
Images of Ororo, smiling, laughing, loving, rose in Wolverine’s mind, flooding him. “No.” He grabbed Lilandra by the back of her head, forcing her to look at him, to meet his tortured gaze and the burning vengeance there.
She seem startled by his actions, her eyes flickering between him and the glowing God above. “You cannot harm me,” she said with surprising confidence for a woman in her position. “I am the Phoenix’s liberator. I am the chosen one. I am-”
“Worthless.” Wolverine provided on a growl. He slowly retracted all but one claw on his right hand. He held Lilandra’s gaze as he jerked her robe apart and tore her thin gown. He placed the tip of his solitary claw against her navel.
Her eyes widened.
“Was this where you started the cut?” He asked with a growl. He nudged his hand forward, piercing the skin, not enough to kill, but enough to cause significant pain.
Lilandra gasped. “She did not suffer,” she spoke quickly, hoping to stave his attack..
“Hnh.” A little deeper. “Too bad you won’t be able to say the same.”
Lilandra groaned, trying to push his hands off of her. “Stop. Stop, you’re killing me.”
He grinned with savage satisfaction. “I know.”
“I…am the Majextrix of the Shi’ar!” she proclaimed as if that would somehow deter him.
“Impressive.” He angled his fist, digging into Lilandra’s internals.
“Ahhhh!” she arched her back and cried out in pain.
“St-stop.” She begged. “We tried t-to spare you. We tried to k-keep you away from her.”
Logan paused, confusion crossing his bloodied, snarling features.
Lilandra took his confused pause and elaborated. “We d-didn’t know Xavier would send her too.”
Sabertooth. Realization filtered through the red haze in Logan’s mind. “You.” He said deadly soft. “You sent that monster.” He leaned down into her face. “You found my son, and used him to hunt me? That sick fuck raped her! My son, you used my SON, to hurt her. You sick, twisted bitch!”
“N-no.” She shook her head. “He wasn’t supposed to touch her. He-he was only supposed to bring you t-to us. But when-when he failed we needed to modify our plans. Victor Creed was not your child,” she gasped in hopes that the news that he hadn’t killed his son would somehow alleviate his rage. “We-we planted the results.”
“Why?” He snarled.
Lilandra gasped as he pressed forward with his hand. “Be-because! She was the only means that we had to find the Phoenix. Her destiny w-was greater than you. You were clouding her mind, keeping, uhhhhhnnnn, her from her potential! If you b-believed that she had been hurt by you, in some way, that y-you would leave.”
It infuriated Logan that she was right. He had tried to leave Ororo. He was willing to let it all go because he thought a part of him had hurt her. It killed him to know that Ororo’s last memories of him were of him trying to leave.
He shook away the pervasive thoughts that made his chest ache unbearably and instead focused on Lilandra and how she had known what his reaction would be. How did she have that kind of insight into his personality? His eyes narrowed. “You have my files, don’t you?” He growled.
“Yes,” she nodded quickly. “I can give them to you.” She gave him a confidential look. “I know things about you. I know who you really are. Even before Weapon X.”
“And you’ll give me everything if I let you live?” he asked.
“Yes, yes,” she assured him. “You can know who you really are. I-I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Logan’s face clouded with a look of unimaginable sadness. “You took away everything I could have ever wanted.”
A choked sound escaped Lilandra’s throat. “She fulfilled a divine purpose! Her death was momentous and beautiful. You must see that!”
“No. I don’t.” He dug deeper.
Tears formed in her eyes, the first real crack in the Shi’ar Majestrix’s armor. She didn’t understand how this could be happening. Why wasn’t the Phoenix aiding her. She was her devoted disciple. Why? “You’re hurting me,” she whispered.
Wolverine’s head tilted appraisingly. “Do I look like I give a fuck?”
“Please. Please, don’t kill me.”
Logan’s face twisted. “Did she beg for her life?”
Lilandra cried out again.
“Answer me!” He yelled. “Did Ororo beg for her life?”
“No.” It wasn’t Lilandra that answered. “Only for yours.”
Not removing his eyes from the woman whimpering in fear and pain at his hand, Logan barked a quick, “Fury.”
Nick Fury approached slowly, guardedly. He had seen Wolverine in berserker mode before and had no intentions of engaging him if it could be avoided. “Look, Logan, I know how you must be feeling--”
“Don’t.” Wolverine’s head snapped up, his eyes beyond maniacal. “You have no idea how I am fuckin’ feelin’.”
Fury nodded slowly. “You’re right, I don’t. Listen, Wolverine, I need you to let Ms. Neramani live.” Fury kept his voice at an even keel.
Wolverine didn’t respond.
“Just back away slowly.” Fury continued.
“One more step, Nicky, and I’ll gut ya.”
Nick stopped.
“Did you know?” Logan asked quietly.
“Did I know…?” Fury repeated.
“What they were going to do to her? That Sabertooth wasn’t mine? Any of it. Did you know?” Each word was measured and weighted. “How much were you in on, Nick? What was her life worth to you?”
“Wolverine.” Fury straightened, prepared to deny and defend, but all that came out was, “I followed my orders.”
“Hnh. The old fall back response.” He jerked his chin towards Lilandra. “Her orders?”
“No.”
Logan studied Lilandra’s pale, sweat dampened face. “Deep pockets,” he muttered. Then, to Fury, “Look away. I know how you hate the sight of intestines.”
“No! Have mercy!” Lilandra screamed.
Logan didn’t. Any clemency he may have had was taken the way of his heart. Mercy was no longer a part of him. It, along with all the good in him, had died with Ororo. With a deft flick of his wrist he sliced up and across, splitting the Shi’ar Majestrix wide open.
“Jesus.” Fury swore.
Wolverine rose to his feet, blood dripping like black syrup from his claws. “We’ve been through a lot, Nick. Too much to recount favors and tabs, but you owe me. You owe me for what you’ve done.”
Nick didn’t deny it. He nodded. “What do you want, Logan?”
“Have the men I hear heading this way help the X-Men get home.”
“What do you plan to do?” Fury asked. He tilted his head back, regarding the Phoenix. “You’re no match for that thing.”
Logan’s lips lifted in a feral and cocky smile. “We’ll see.”
Nick understood. “This is goodbye then.”
“Yup.”
“For what it’s worth-”
“Yer sorry. I know.” Logan waved a hand. “Keep it. I got no use for it.” With that he resumed his steadfast approach to the flaming creature overhead.
Few people were as close to each other as Alison Blaire and Ororo Munroe had been. Ali used to joke that they’d be the two old crones sharing a house with umpteen million cats that everyone talked about but no one dared visit. It never occurred to her that either of them wouldn’t get to see their grand old ages. Her scream of denial when she saw Ororo’s body was heartbreaking.
“Easy,” Kurt’s strong arms enfolded her, but Ali thrashed, breaking his hold. She fell to her knees beside Storm. “Wake up!” She snapped. “Stormy, wake the fuck up!” She grabbed Ororo‘s shoulders and shook her like a rag doll. “Wolverine’s losing his damn mind, and you’re scaring the shit out of me! Wake up!” The last was a shout of pure desperation.
“Alison.” Jean laid a gentle hand on Ali’s bent shoulder.
“Don’t! Don’t touch me!” Ali staggered to her feet, backing away.
“Liebling,” Kurt tried again.
Ali shook her head, holding up a hand to ward off his approach. “No.” She didn’t want comfort. She wanted the pain. She wanted to inflict pain, but she was afraid of hurting Kurt. He was not who she wanted to hurt.
He nodded. Though nowhere near telepath, Kurt could read her like an open book and knew she was not refusing him outright, but was in no mood for solace now. Later, later she would be; and he would be there. Slowly, he removed his jacket, placing it carefully and lovingly over Ororo’s shoulders and face.
As if that one action made the entire thing suddenly too real, all of the X-Men sagged. Cyclops was the first to recover. “There’ll be time to grieve later. Right now we need to formulate a plan on how to approach the Phoenix.”
“Is that thing responsible for this?” Ali demanded, pointing towards the Phoenix.
Tears coursed her pale cheeks. Jean looked like she wanted to speak, but was at a loss for words.
Ali, frustrated by the lack of people to take her hurt and anger out on let her aqua eyes roam the destruction until they spotted a lone figure trekking with grim determination towards the Phoenix, wrecking people along his way. “Wolverine’s got the right idea.” She started forward.
*Alison, no.*
It was Xavier.
*You must leave the area, X-Men. There are ground troops and aerial forces incoming. They are planning to bomb the compound.*
“They’re attacking?” Kitty asked. She stood against Peter, her face a blotchy mess. She couldn’t look at her fallen friend. She hated that she couldn’t, but she couldn’t. It hurt too much.
“Why attack without provocation?” That was Cyclops. He momentary looked back at the now silent Phoenix. “We know nothing about it. Maybe it will leave. Maybe it’s harmless. It is not responsible for what fanatics did in it’s name. That’s like blaming God for the Spanish Inquisition.”
“It’s not harmless.” Jean stated with flat certainty. Her eyes flashed flame. “She’s waiting.”
“Waiting?” Kurt repeated. “For what?”
Jean’s mouth parted on a wordless gasp. She turned quickly towards the pink tinged sky in the East. “Sunrise!” she exclaimed. “It’s waiting for sunrise!”
“Why?” Bobby questioned. “It’s scared of the dark?”
Rogue punched him in the arm. Hard.
“No.” Jean answered absently, her brow furrowed in concentration. “The Phoenix…needs food. She feeds on stars, she is energized by them.”
Cyclops caught on first. “And being trapped in the Earth for a few billion years…”
“Has made her weak. She needs the UV rays of the sun to fuel herself.” Jean finished. She turned towards them all. “If we’re ever going to stand a chance against her, then we need to strike now.”
“Jean--” Scott began.
“Listen to me,” she implored. “Once she has enough energy, she’ll fly into the sun and devour it. Every life on this planet will be destroyed, Scott. We can’t let that happen.”
“How in the heck can you possibly know all that?” Kitty wanted to know.
Jean met her eyes. “I just know.”
“Ok.” Cyclops acknowledged. “Marvel Girl, let the Professor know what we’re doing. We’ll have to stop whoever is coming from bombing the hell out of us as well as the Phoenix.”
*Professor.*
*Jean.*
Jean filled him in on their semi-concocted plan.
*Are you certain that there is no other way?*
*Absolutely.*
*Very well. I will see what I can do about getting through to the president and halting the incoming forces.*
*Good luck.*
*You as well.*
“Set?” Cyclops asked when Jean opened her eyes.
“Yeah. The Professor’s going to try and buy us some time.”
“Alright, then. We split up and go at it from all sides, run pattern Gamma Zulu 1.”
Peter shook his head. “We can’t.” When they looked at him, he said sadly, “No, Storm.”
Ali stifled a cry. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck it all.”
“I’ll take up aerial,” Angel offered, his chin lifted.
Cyclops nodded. “We hit hard, and we hit fast. There’s no room for error on this.”
Wolverine stared up at the fiery God known as Phoenix with unblinking eyes. It seemed completely unaware of him, but too familiar with the ways of predators, Logan knew that looks could be deceiving.
“Hey!” he shouted. “Hey!”
Nothing.
“Piece of shit, bird! I’m talkin’ to you!” He waved his arms.
**BAMF**
“Mind if we join you?” Alison asked, though she didn’t give a fuck if he told them to take a flying leap. She stepped next to Wolverine, her eyes as determined as his.
He said nothing by way of greeting, but he stepped a bit to his left, making room for her.
“Cyclops, Rogue and Marvel Girl are moving into position as are Shadowcat and Colossus. Iceman and Warren are coming in from above,” Kurt informed him.
Logan nodded. “What’s the plan?”
Ali cracked her knuckles. “Hit fast, hit hard.”
As she spoke a stream of liquid ice struck the glowing Phoenix full force. Phoenix let out a screech of anger, shaking the crumbling compound further and knocking bricks free.
“The louder you scream, the harder I hit!” Alison unleashed a beam of concentrated laser light the likes of which she had never done before and would likely never be able to repeat. Using the Phoenix’s own shrill cry to amplify her power Alison focused the light energy into a powerful strike that knocked the massive firebird backwards through the air, smashing trees.
Wolverine was on the move immediately, his body crouched low to the ground, moving fast. The Phoenix was faster. With a shriek of rage the cosmic force spread her wings, igniting everything around her. Streamers of yellow flame launched from the Phoenix, shooting high into the air before plummeting to the ground with the force of small meteors. It was like watching a bunch of shooting stars streak the sky.
Wolverine was thrown through the air as one of the flaming streamers smashed into the ground beside him. He rolled, wincing in pain. His right side was charred, but healing.
“Eyes up!” he warned.
Colossus took a fireball directly to the chest, sending the massive mutant sprawling across the ground, digging up chucks as he bounced.
“Peter!” Kitty raced after him, her phasing power keeping her immune to the raining fire.
A blast of scorching wind struck the X-Men in the faces, sucking the oxygen from their lungs as the Phoenix flapped her mammoth wings, lifting herself from the burning trees. Another earsplitting screech filled the air, and Ali set free another beam of concentrated light, this time aiming for the great bird’s head.
Glowing yellow eyes swung towards her and the Phoenix opened it’s flame covered beak. “Sievieete moto muwavae!”
“Alison!” Jean screamed, running full tilt across the distance separating her and her team mate.
One large talon covered foot reached for Ali, it’s long claws spitting flame onto the ground.
“No!” Jean sent her own stream of telekinetic fire in the shape of a talon towards Ali, shielding her from the Phoenix’s attack.
The Phoenix squawked and swirled, it’s body literally reshaping itself so that it faced Jean. “You,” it spoke. “The fragment.”
Jean skid to a halt, her heart tripling in rhythm.
The Phoenix swirled again, this time the flames took on an exact likeness of Jean. “Who are you?”
Jean, unable to control her own tongue stated, “I am Creation’s daughter. Fractured splinter of Life.” She turned on her fellow X-Men, binding Alison’s hands with her telekinesis and preventing Kurt from teleporting by blocking his mutation from his conscious mind. She turned towards Bobby, doing the same and instantly the sheen of ice covering his body melted and he was forced to the ground as his ice slide collapsed.
Energy pulsed from Jean’s body, knocking the X-Men to the ground.
“Jean, no!” Scott cried out, reaching for her as she stepped closer to the Phoenix.
The Phoenix blazed brighter the closer Jean got to it.
“Jeannie!” Logan staggered to his feet.
They were all too far away to reach her. With the next heartbeat Jean was absorbed into the Phoenix, the flame version of herself merging with her physical being. Laughter burst from her lips as she touched her own face and arms. She spun in a circle, almost childlike. Sunlight spread across the ground, a warning to the others that their time was falling hopelessly short.
“Give her back!” Scott demanded.
Phoenix smiled. “No. I like this body. So many new sensations.” She lifted Scott with a thought, studying him. “Desire.” she whispered. “Oh, I like that one. I’ll keep you, but not the rest.”
Flames shot up and out, expanding like a blanket in the sky. All eyes lifted skyward in fear. When the blanket of flame descended they would be incinerated.
Ali clung to Kurt. He kissed her head, murmuring a soft prayer.
Kitty reached for as many people as she could, hoping against hope that she could phase them all.
Thunder echoed in the heavy air and torrential rain fell from a clear sky, quenching the flames with a loud series of sizzles and hisses.
Logan lifted his face towards the rain, closing his eyes. It made no sense, but he knew. Ororo.
The Phoenix, angered at the interruption the rain caused, lashed out with a blast of molten heat. The ground beneath the X-Men’s feet shifted and split. The bird visage appeared again, this time surrounding Jean.
“No!” Alison hollered, her attention on the small clearing in which Storm’s body lay.
Wolverine swung around, bellowing as Ororo’s body fell into a gap created by the Phoenix, molten liquid bubbling up and pulling her under.“Yeeeaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgh!” Heedless, he ran forward, lunging at the Jean morphed Phoenix.
“Wolverine!”
Logan was uncertain as to who called his name. He was too consumed with raw pain to care anyway. Flames licked his flesh, peeling it away from the tissue beneath. He was caught, mid leap in the heart of the Phoenix.
The Phoenix tilted her head, inquisitively. “I know you,” she said, her voice a muddled mix between Jean and the resonant Phoenix.
Logan grunted in pain. “Jeannie, it’s me.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It is not through this host that I know you. Motto vemme motto?”
Logan, with his blood charring black against sinew, whispered, “Soku.”
Phoenix screamed. Jean grabbed her head and for a moment the two beings split. “Logan, kill us!”
“Stay,” Phoenix demanded of Jean. “You make me feel.”
Logan struggled, managing to move forward despite the flames and pain. “You wanna feel? Feel this!” He roared ion agony as his muscles burned away but he managed to grip Jean and pull her towards him, freeing her of the Phoenix.
“Logan!” Jean fell to the ground with a thud. Her eyes watered as she watched the Phoenix cocoon around him, scorching his skin, muscles, organs. He was being roasted alive.
“Aeir d‘eai, aeriate nemieweih! Sliviette! N’yuni moto, mvua, mvua. Caedo liefhe.”
Wolverine felt like his insides were being boiled and liquefied, but he smiled. A smile of such utter peace and contentment that it befuddled the Phoenix, pausing her actions. She regarded him seriously, intent on discovering the source of his pleasure amidst the onslaught of pain she was dealing him.
Logan blinked, but made no other motion.
“What is it you smile about?””
Logan growled. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Explain.”.”
Logan couldn’t. He couldn’t put into words what his heart was crying out for. Instead, he pictured Ororo, with her hair slightly mussed from their lovemaking, smiling at him and laughing in her smoky, smooth voice.
The Phoenix, a creature borne of creation, infinite and undeniable had never felt such intensity as was emanating from the man in her fiery grasp.
“You want her.”
“More than anything.” He answered honestly.
“She is gone.”
“I know.”
“You are not.”
“Yes. I am.” He argued, but there was no anger in his voice anymore. “Without her, I…” He stopped, his throat closing. “There’s nothing without her,” he finished finally.
Phoenix seemed puzzled by this. Unbidden, she reached into Logan’s mind, pulling everything from him. All of his memories, all of his emotions. Everything. Faced with such grief and agony the Phoenix was at a loss. In all of its existence nothing compared to that feeling. That sense of loss. Of nothing.
Then came the love. Staggering and endless it flooded the Phoenix. She gasped in awe, her glowing yellow eyes winking with the infinite possibilities of the universe. She took it all, soaking it in, her red and orange flames flickering until they burned white.
“Soku.”
Logan, feeling his body giving up, smiled once more.
“You are nearly gone.”
“I know.”
“She is waiting.”
Logan closed his eyes. “I know.”
For the first time in her existence, the Phoenix felt regret, and remorse. She spread her wings, a mournful cry radiating from her in waves of power, shaking the ground, literally tearing the fabric of the universe.
As he faded, Logan swore he heard the sound of a freight train headed his way.
An earsplitting scream roused a semi-conscious Wolverine from his stupor. Over the dull roar of blood in his head, he thought he heard the sound of a freight train and he blinked groggily. A freight train? In the jungle?
Hurricane force winds were suddenly howling around him. Surprisingly, just as quickly as it had begun the winds ceased and the night was still once again, save for the patter of rain against heavy leaves and the distant rumble of thunder as the unexpected storm tapered off.
Wolverine lay still on the wet ground, his mind a foggy blanket of hazy pain. Rain washed into his mouth choking him. He tried to sit up, tried to focus. Had someone really screamed his name? He closed his eyes, hearing a voice that reminded him of smoky bars and black satin sheets. What was happening? He shook himself. Everything was a fog.
Forcefully he opened his eyes, the harsh reality of his situation returning. He was laying in muddy goop, his body battered and beaten beyond recognition, his healing factor getting the workout of his life, and he was alone in the Amazon jungle. The only building for hundreds of miles was the fucking torture palace he’d just escaped from. Waves of weariness crashed over him. Why did this all seem so familiar?
Wolverine grunted again as he levered himself up on one elbow to peer through the rain and he froze. A few feet away from him in the mud sat Ororo Munroe, her head was bent forward and her long tresses were hanging in sodden ropes over her face as she heaved in labored breaths, seemingly oblivious to the rain. And to him.
Ororo stared dazedly at the ground. By all accounts she should be dead. She had been too exhausted to call on her weather powers to slow her descent from the sheer cliff face. She should be, at the very least, a pile of broken limbs on the ground. But, she wasn’t, instead she was seated quite unharmed, on her knees with the winds washing over her.
Wolverine cleared his throat pointedly. Ororo lifted her head and faced him. Their gazes locked. Her eyes immediately narrowed. His immediately widened.
Everything came flooding back to him in a rush that could only be described as all consuming. He opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out. He stared in marvel at the drenched, bedraggled woman in front of him.
Ororo pushed her tangled hair from her face and crawled over to where Wolverine lay. “How bad are you hurt?” she asked with sharp practicality.
“I’ll survive,” he growled. He couldn’t explain it. Didn’t care to. Whatever had happened, Ororo was looking at him, alive, warm and solid. He cupped her face in his broad hands, pulling her towards him. He felt her surprise, but didn’t care. His lips moved over hers hungrily, tasting the rain and the sweet, familiar flavor that was only Ororo’s.
She jerked back and slapped him. “What the hell, Wolverine?” she demanded.
Logan laughed, grabbing her again and falling back so that she toppled across his chest. Her sopping wet hair slapped his face, making her smirk.
God, he loved that smirk.
“Don’t you ever leave me again,” he whispered harshly, his eyes searing hers.
Ororo blinked, clearly baffled. “Hey, you left us, jack ass. Remember? Right after you dumped Cyclops off a cliff?”
Logan shrugged. “He’s over it.“
Ororo tried to push herself off of him, but he was having none of it.
With unexpected, and inexplicable tenderness Logan traced the contours of her muddied face, his fingertip trailing the flawless line of her jaw. He gave a small, choked sound that sounded curiously like a sob to Ororo.
“I need to kiss you again.” He warned gently.
Dazed, all Ororo could do was nod.
Logan brushed against her lightly, tenderly, with each pass slightly deepening the pressure, melding his mouth to hers as if it was always meant to be there.
Ororo sighed, accepting what felt so natural and right, opening her lips under his. Wolverine cupped her chin, his thumb tugging her lips apart further, smothering her small moan with the swift invasion of his tongue. His hand tightened reflexively on her jaw as pleasure washed through him, more excruciating than all the pain he had just endured. His tongue swept across her teeth and deeper still, tasting her, and being sure to drink his fill. He kissed her until he couldn’t say where one kiss ended and another began.
With a growl he ran one hand over her torso, then around to her back, molding her to him, cradling her. His fingers sank into the thick richness of her hair and he made another sound that Ororo couldn’t quite place.
She pulled back slightly, studying his face. Fathomless black orbs glittered at her.
“I love you,” he whispered with aching sincerity.
“What?” She couldn’t have heard that right.
Logan stifled the urge to repeat the words again. Obviously she didn’t remember everything he did. He’s have to give her time. But that was alright. He’d give her time, but not space. No way was he letting her go. And he’d get it right this time, he vowed internally.
Ororo frowned then.
“What?” he murmured, kissing her chin because he couldn’t not kiss her.
“I feel funny,” she said softly.
He stiffened. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged, the motion rubbing her chest against his in an all too distracting way. “Content,” she said quietly. Almost to herself she continued, “I’ve always felt restless. Like something was never settled inside.” She paused, wondering what had made her reveal so much to Wolverine.
“Hnh.” Logan couldn’t help but smile. “Feeling settled now?”
All except the flutter of butterflies he set off in her stomach, she thought. Realizing she was still sprawled across his chest like a wanton, she scrambled backwards. “We should get moving,” she said.
“Sure.” He allowed. “There’s a cave a bit away from here. We can take up shelter there until the others come.”
Ororo cocked her head, curiosity making her ask, “How do you know I’m not alone?”
“You’re not,” he answered. Then reaching out for her again as he rose to his feet, he whispered against her lips. “And you never will be again.”
The months passed quickly for the X-Men.
The new Danger Room was built in record time with Logan helping Ororo with the plans and construction. In fact he helped her with a lot of things, making no secret his intention to make her his.
He found an ally in that quest, in Jean, who he suspected remembered nearly as much as he did from what he had come to call the ”Before Phoenix” period. She was only to eager to help him rearrange the Danger Room schedule so that he and Storm were in together, thoughtfully reminding him of Ororo’s favorite flowers and such. It was also Jean that quickly and efficiently shot down Xavier’s idea to send Logan and Storm to Canada to recruit Sabertooth.
Shortly after his return to the X-Men, Logan resigned from SHIELD black ops. Fury had been confused, but accepting of the resignation. Logan asked him about a woman named Lilandra Neramani, and was satisfied to find out that her church had inexplicably been torched, as with all of it’s followers. Some in their own homes, with no damage to anything but their bodies.
Alison and Ororo were as troublesome and mischievous as they ever were, yet they too seemed closer. Logan caught Ali standing in Ororo’s room one night, simply watching her friend sleep. When he raised a questioning eyebrow as he passed in the hall she had simply said. “I needed to see her.”
Logan had understood entirely. He had patted her shoulder and continued to his room, recently moved to be the adjoining room to Ororo’s.
As it was he had been struggling to stay out of Ororo’s room himself, although he was certain he wanted to be in there for entirely different reasons.
It was a cold winter morning in mid January that Logan woke to find Ororo in his room, her eyes alight with tender longing, tears on her sable cheeks. He had sat up immediately, his heart pounding heavily.
“What is it? What‘s wrong?” He asked, prepared to slay whatever demon haunted her.
“I don’t know.” She whispered honestly. “I just need to be with you.”
He scooted to the side of his bed, making room.
Ororo had climbed in that morning and snuggled up to him. They never said a word, just laid in bed until well past noon. She never returned to her room after that.
Eight months after his jungle rescue Logan proposed to Ororo.
Fourteen months after that they welcomed their son into the world. Henry was a loudmouthed, brawler from the get go.
A cool October evening brought about the news of Alison’s and Kurt’s engagement and Jean’s pregnancy.
Life, despite the most insurmountable odds, flourished at Xavier’s Institute for the Gifted.
