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Chap 10: Late Night Conversations

After leaving the Danger Room, Storm ran into Professor Xavier as she made her way to the kitchen.

“Late night?” he asked, sipping his tea, a shawl wrapped around his legs. Not waiting for a response, he motioned to the empty chair across from him.

“Ororo, please join me.”

She stood on the other side of the table, debating whether or not to join him. Although she wasn’t in the mood to talk, she decided that it would be disrespectful to refuse Xavier’s invitation. Removing a cup from the cabinet, she allowed him to pour her some tea. Nodding her thanks, she inhaled the soothing smell of the chamomile tea as she took a sip. She held the cup in her hands and sighed as the warmth of the tea spread throughout her body.

Xavier, watching his friend intently, waited patiently until Ororo had relaxed against the back of the chair, failing under the spell of the tea.

“I heard about tonight’s incident,” he began, pausing to take another sip. When Ororo didn’t respond, he set the cup down and looked at her, her eyes focused on something just beyond his head.

“I would like to hear what you have to say about it.”

“Professor, I appreciate the company and the tea but that’s a conversation I’m not ready to have right now,” she said, getting up and putting her cup in the sink.

“Okay,” he said, taking another sip of his tea, looking up at her, “but would you allow me to say something before you leave.”

Turning to face him, Ororo gave into his mental nudging and returned to her seat.

“Forge came to me and expressed his apologies for what happened at the party,” Charles said, her eyes finally meeting his.

“Forge?” she said, a shocked expression on her face.

“Yes, Forge. He has really taken a liking to you,” he said, a smile on his lips as he sipped his tea, “He told me that it was not his intention to cause trouble. He only wanted you to do something that would bring a smile to your face. He also told me about Scott, his behavior, and how you handled him.”

“Professor, I,” she began, but fell silent as Xavier raised his hand.

“As much as I hate to condone fighting within the Team, we are a family like any other and there will be times where we will not get along with each other and sometimes the only way to express yourself is through fighting,” he said, reaching across the table, taking her hands in his, his gaze intent, forcing her to look at him, “I know its hard maintaining control especially with your powers being directly influenced by your emotions. Don’t ever let your emotions build up to a breaking point because once its gets to that point, they are almost impossible to control. So do me a favor…”

“And that would be?”

“Whenever you feel the need to de-stress, by all means do. Take all the time you need to do whatever it is that will help you to alleviate it, even if that means taking some time for yourself and leaving the mansion. Just let me know when you need to leave. No questions asked. But you have to promise to return,” he said, chuckling before kissing her hands and leaning back in his chair.

Smiling for the first time since the incident, Ororo nodded her gratitude to her mentor and stood. “Don’t worry, Professor,” she said smiling down at him, “I will always return home.”

Nodding his head, smiling as his friend left the room, the Professor knew without a doubt that she would always return to this place she now called home as a member of the X-Men. There was, however, this nagging feeling that something was on the horizon that would be a great challenge his team and he hoped that he has prepared them well for it. Quieting the thoughts, Xavier put his cup in the sink and made his way to his quarters to get some much needed rest.

Ororo, opening her door, smelled the cigar before she saw the figure on her balcony. Why is it when I’m not in the mood to have conversation, everyone wants to talk to me, she thought, going over to the door. Leaning against the door frame, Ororo waited for her unwelcomed guest to acknowledge her presence. Having calmed down a little during her talk with Xavier, Ororo was curious to see how long Gambit would stall before asking her the question that would explain his midnight visit.

After a few minutes of silence and watching him leisurely smoke his cigar, Ororo spoke. “I didn’t know you smoked those things. Trying to be like Logan?”

Chuckling at her last statement, her best friend turned to face her, his red eyes glowing the in darkness.

“Non, ‘chere, Gambit just like to taste ‘em once in a while,” he said, taking a drag off the sweet smelling cigar, exhaling a balloon of smoke.

“Does Logan know you’re smoking one of his cigars?” she asked standing next to him, gazing out at the dark grounds.

“How you do know that this is one of his cigars, ‘chere?” he asked, his gaze on the lake in the distance.

“I did date him for a while, Gambit. And when you date someone, you remember things associated with that person and for Logan, his prized cigars are one of those things.”

“Non, and let’s keep it dat way.”

“Your secret is safe with me. We don’t need another death match,” she replied, glancing up at the sky before turning to her friend, “What are you doing here anyway?”

“I heard ya had a talk with Cyke tonight. Gambit wanted to hear it from his Stormie,” he said, extinguishing the cigar, stilling looking out at the grounds.

“Why do you have to call me that awful name?” she asked, exasperated.

“Yes, mon amie. Tis my pet name for you,” he said, looking over at her, a mischievous smile on his face, “Don’t go trying to change the subject. Tell me about tonight.”

Sighing, Ororo sat on the rail of the balcony, not really in the mood to recount the events of the night. Regardless of how she felt, she knew that Gambit wouldn’t leave until he got the information he came for. Some days, his persistence was welcomed and needed, but not tonight, she thought, gazing at him. Knowing that he could hold her gaze all night, Ororo decided to stop the cat and mouse game.

“There is not much to tell, Gambit,” she said.

“That’s not what Gambit heard. Ah heard that he snapped at ya and ya snapped back, powers and all. Then you went to the Danger Room and had a session against his look-a-likes.”

“Okay, so if you heard what happened, why do you need to hear it from me?” she said, trying hard to keep frustration out of her voice.

“Because it didn’t sound like you, ‘chere. Gambit couldn’t believe what they had said, so I come looking for you to get the real story,” he told her, turning back to the view of the grounds, “Ah wanted to see if you were okay.”

Ororo looked at her friend’s profile, thinking back on all the times when he appeared out of no where to be there for her as she had been for him over the duration of their special friendship. She knew that despite his relationship with Rogue, their friendship would continue to grow and evolve to accommodate all of life’s changes…regardless of where they were in the world. I wonder if I ever thanked him for everything, she thought as past images flashed across her mind. If she hadn’t, there was no better time than the present.

“Thank you, my friend. Thank you for always being there for me even when I did not know I needed you,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. Touching his arm, she encouraged him to face her. “Gambit, I’m just tired of people thinking that they can walk over me. Although I hate that it had to happen in front of some of the team, I’m not sorry for I did. Nor do I regret it. Something needed to be done and I did it. So please express that for me to the others.” Hearing the goodbye in her last statement, Gambit looked at his friend, his question written all over his face.

“No. I’m not leaving the Team,” she said, reassuring him. Seeing him visibly relax, Ororo laughed for the first time since the incident. “But I am going away for a few days so that I can regroup and recharge. I just need some time to be with myself. Will you lock up for me?” she asked and he nodded. Smiling, Ororo squeezed her friend’s hand before taking flight.

Gambit watched his friend as she flew away, feeling both relieved and pissed. He was relieved that his friend was okay but he was pissed that he didn’t get the chance to see her snap on Cyke. That would have been something to see, he thought as he made his way back into her room, locking the balcony door behind him. Heading out the main door, Gambit said a small prayer for his friend, praying that she will find some peace and return to them as the Ororo the Team knew and loved. Closing and locking the door behind him, he headed back to his room where he knew the woman he loved was there whose arms were open and waiting for him.





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