She was in a bad mood, everyone could tell. A frown was permanently on her features, and she was tense when she walked, moved, spoke. She had shouted at poor Artie this morning for just being in her way and he ran down the stairs crying his eyes out with her yelling at him as she followed him throughout the school.

Ororo was hardly ever seen like this, well not as insufferable anyhow. It was when Ororo was like this that everyone behaved themselves or when the students saw her coming they hid in their bedrooms or as Rogue had done, crammed themselves in a storeroom, holding the doorknob just in case she entered. Poor Rogue, she still wasn’t talking. Not even to Logan.

Ororo marched down the corridor of the female dormitories, frowning at anyone who caught eye contact or spoke as she past. It felt as if everyone had stopped breathing, it was so peaceful. It was when she was out of ear shot did the corridor brighten up with nervous laughter.

“Maybe she’s pregnant?” Dani Moonshine commented, looking from Jubilee to Kitty and then all three shot a look at Rogue who shook violently. “You okay, honey?” Dani asked, they were all worried about her, but overall they just wanted to know what happened when Ororo almost forced her arm from its socket. Rogue nodded and gave a weak smile, and gave the girls the okay to go back to the conversation.

“No, she can’t be,” Kitty said trying to defend her teacher, “She’s not in a relationship.”

“She could have had a one night stand.” Jubilee said, but both Kitty and Dani shook their heads.

“It’s out of character, it’s just no ‘Ro’s style.” Kitty said. Dani frowned obviously in thought, as she had been for the past three days ever since this problem started. So far all her assumptions had been thrown away like trash.

“It might be her time of the month?” Dani questioned, as she once again looked at each individual face of the small group. The three other girls looked at her blankly causing Dani to put up her hands in mock surrender, “Okay, okay, sorry. Jeez. At least I’ve come up with something kinda useful.” I guess, she thought.

“Well, maybe she does have a boyfriend just one outside of the institute?” Kitty said confidently.

Jubilee came right up in her face and said, “What do you know Miss Pryde that we don’t!?”

Kitty’s voice quivered, “N-nothing, honest to god.”

“Aren’t you Jewish? Don’t you worship Allah or something? I mean how can we trust you? Jews are known for some hefty business.” Jubilee said waving her hands above her head.

“That’s low Jubes even for you; it’s both discriminating and racist.” Kitty spat at Jubilee, folding her arms across her chest, Dani nodded and Rogue copied Kitty’s movements.

“A-ah may know something.” Rogue finally chirped in, finally finding her voice, her southern drawl made her friends to smile, both thankfully and deviously.

“Yeah and?” Dani pressed.

Rogue took a deep breath, “You better not tell anyone, UNDERSTAND!?” “It’s something ‘bout Logan…” She trailed off not wanting to get on the wrong side of her teacher, not again anyway.

Six pairs of eyes widened in response as they started at Rogue, though she didn’t carry on and they didn’t press her knowing she’d been through enough already. It was then that further questions were raised.

---

Ororo came into the kitchen and found Logan sat with Jean, their ten o’clock flirting session was already on the way. She balled hr hands into fists, and felt her face heat up. She watched for what felt like minutes. Ororo wanted to throw up. Jean was married and here she was flirting with Logan no less, out in the open almost as if she wanted Scott to see what she was up to. Ororo stomach turned. She stormed into the room so fast Jean and Logan hadn’t realised that she was even there.

WHACK!

“Jesus ‘Ro, what the fuck was that for!?” Logan said roughly, taking hold of his burning cheek, still slightly wondering how her hand had made contact with his face without him knowing.

“You know exactly what that was for, you fucking bastard,” She screamed tears burning behind her eyes, she then pointed to jean, “And you,” She started, “you should know better, your marriage is already crumbling!” Ororo then turned and left the room, heat was radiating off her like she was a radiator, the bad angry kind of heat.

“Jeez, what’s up with her?” Logan asked rhetorically, turning his attention back to Jean, who’s chin was quivering, making her look like a naughty child.

“Logan, I have to go.” Jean said her voice breaking as she made a hasty exit from the room without looking back, not once.

Logan stood there bewildered rubbing his still stinging cheek. Ororo’s touch could set off fire works for him, but that set of bullets. Huge warning signs were stuck in his mind, telling him to beware of the walking, talking time bomb. That’s one angry Goddess, he thought shaking his head. What was it he’d done wrong? He wasn’t entirely sure. Was it what he’d said the other day about how she couldn’t attract a fly let alone a man even if she wanted to? Was it that he hinted how bad a fighter she was? Or was it simply how he’d been spending less time around her lately? God that woman is difficult to understand.

Logan ran room the room using the same exit the two women took, knowing that he could only follow one of them. He sniffed the air franticly, trying to make out which way she had gone, but which one was ‘she’?
He sprinted up the stairs until he caught up with her. He watched as her pace quickened and her hips swayed recklessly from side to side. He took hold of her arm and swung her around.

“Jean, you okay?” he asked consciously. She pulled her arm from his grasp and turned away from him.

She spoke as she went, “She’s right Logan, my marriage is already failing. I love Scott, more than anything. I’m sorry if I misled you in anyway, I really am.” he let her go, wondering if he’d gone after the right woman, knowing him he hadn’t, but that didn’t matter right now, at least Jean made something clear, she didn’t want him.

“Shit!” he muttered under his breath.

Ororo came from her hiding place behind Logan’s bedroom door, and wiped the tear that fell from her eye, “Bastard!” she said numbly, hoping his ears would not here as she stood directly behind him.

He didn’t turn to look at her, he just stared at the far side of the hallway, “I’m sorry.” he whispered, relaxing slightly as the air cooled.

“How can you be sorry Logan?” Ororo said gritting her teeth, “You said you cared and in a single moment you showed me just how much. But now, after three days of pretending that I don’t even exist, I’ve realised something about you; an animal such as yourself can never care.” She watched him as his shoulders became tense. She hurt more than anyone could imagine.

Logan gave her friendship, he gave her hope and like a fool she drowned in his ‘lies’, his pretences. She had gotten in far too deep. She felt things that she now regretted, but she could never hate him for it, only open his eyes to the damage of his cause. “So wake up Wolverine, in this life you can’t have everything your heart desires, you can only snatch away the most precious. The question is, will you make the right choice or will your heart?”

He turned around only to find her gone, vanished like a cool summer’s breeze; an empty space now lay uncovered where she should have stood.

“I’ve never made the right choices ‘Ro, that’s why I’m still wondering why ya hate me?”

---
¬¬¬
He bowed his head letting the rain drench his hair and his clothing, and in someway his soul. What Ororo had said was true he could never care, except for her. Jean was sport, the woman who opened his eyes and mind to there was more to women than a quick shag, but it was Ororo who opened his heart. He was just always too scared to act upon it, until now.

His head or his heart? That’s the choice she gave him, and the wrong choice would leave their friendship scared, maybe even shattered, and that’s not what he wanted, he valued her friendship more than life itself, and he valued her a great deal more.

He watched as she sat by the lake, the rain had stopped showing the clear night sky, and Ororo gazed at the stars, she was serene, peaceful, other than that she was herself. And she was waiting for him, hoping that it was she he had chosen instead of everyone else. The only selfishness he knew she would ever allow for herself, if that’s what you could call selfish.

His mind kept telling him to run away that she’d make him weak, how could he though? He had run away too many times before, especially from her. His heart on the other hand, was telling him that their differences could make them stronger, that problems could be solved if they were both in the equation, even if it was on which bread they should buy. Why not by both? Logan thought smiling to himself at the image of Ororo and him fighting over bread, what and audience.

He moved out of the bushes and took a place on the dew covered grass beside her; she didn’t move to look at him. She obviously knew this was the path he was to choose, a life with her. The always confident ‘Ro.

“I’m sorry ‘Ro, I didn’t know all that was ‘cause o’ me.” he said looking at her. Her neck was stretched out, and his gaze drifted. His eyes came to rest on the bite mark that was imprinted on her collar bone. He traced his finger along the wound, frowning. Her breathing quickened.

“Don’t be Logan, I over reacted. I just-for once in my life I thought I meant something to someone.” She turned away from him and the stars, as her body trembled as she wept.

“You do mean something ‘Roro, you’re everything thing to me,” she cried harder, “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel differently, it just felt awkward afterwards, I dunno why, it just did.” she turned to him, and made eye contact.

“Like kissing your best friend, huh?” she asked snivelling.

Logan nodded, “Yeah.” She smiled through the tears. “Your beautiful when you cry.” he said holding her chin in his hand. She broke eye contact only to flicker her eyes back to meet his.

“Very funny!” she said crossing her arms over her chest, putting on her teaching face, her emotional barriers slowly rebuilding.

“Who said I was joking?” he asked mimicking her movements.

“No one.” she answered turning her attention back up at the star stricken sky. “It’s beautiful, is it not, how the moon has so many followers and companions and yet is completely alone?”

“Yeah, it is darlin’.”

“Surreal but nice.” Ororo said resting her head on Logan’s shoulder.

“‘Notting Hill’, right?” he asked knowing the line from some film.

“It’s one of my favourites, its odd how you remember.”

“How is that odd?”

“You remember my favourite film but not anyone else’s and because you’ve only watched it once with me.”

“Yeah but you did quote every single word from it.” they laughed together, and Logan sighed deeply, “You keep shifting ‘Ro, your mad one minute, and happy the next, I don’t get it?”

“It’s called love Logan; surely you would have figured that out by now?”

“With this thick skull o’ mine? Never in a million years would I have thought o’ that.” Ororo laughed quietly to herself as Logan wrapped his arm around her, “I love you, Ororo.” he whispered in her ear.

“I know,” she said as he leant into kiss her, “I feel it too.” he pressed his lips onto hers; kissing her gently and passionately, knowing that this wasn’t the first nor the last time he’d ever get to kiss Ororo Munroe.





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