Chap 12: Trouble in Paradise
Over the next few months, the X-Men continued their combat training, each of them getting better with every passing day, some of them even impressing their trainer. Although they were good, Logan was better. Whenever they thought they could finally get an upper hand against their trainer, he pulled something new out, laying them out on their backs again. Standing over his lastest victim, Logan smiled inwardly. You’re good kid, not that good, he thought as he helped Bobby Drake to his feet.
“Dude!! Take it easy,” Bobby better known as Iceman told him, dusting off his clothes, “Ice breaks you know.”
Chuckling, Logan nodded, watching Bobby headed back inside the mansion, rubbing his backside.
“Hey Storm,” Iceman greeted Ororo as she stepped out into the courtyard, dressed in her sparing clothes, “Be careful. He’s throwing out new moves today.” Bobby looked back at Logan and shook his head, going into the mansion mumbling about capital punishment.
Logan could see Ororo chuckling as she made her way over to him.
“What did you do to him?” she asked still laughing to herself, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“He tried me so I had to let him know that he was good, but not that good,” Logan replied, joining Ororo in a laugh.
Their friendship had almost gotten back to where it was before they started dating in the months since Ororo’s incident as they call it. Since then, Logan has noticed with much happiness that they had been spending as much, if not more, time together now than they had when they were dating. Others have noticed this as well, especially Forge.
“I feel like I’m losing her, Hank,” Forge told Hank as they sat in the Danger Room Control Tower, working on more modifications and upgrades. Forge sat with his chin in his hands, staring through the glass but not seeing Gambit and Rogue as they went through this simulated training session.
“Why do you say that, Forge?” Hank asked, stopping his work and focusing his attention on his friend.
“I feel like I don’t see her as much as I use to and when I do, she’s either with Gambit or Wolverine. I feel like I’m in a contest against them for her heart and attention.”
“I know it may seem that way, but let me reassure you, she only cares for them as if there were her brothers. Granted she and Logan have been in a relationship that failed but they were friends before it and it seems that they have rediscovered their friendship,” he said, standing and going over to the mainframe up against the wall, “Ororo is a one man woman and the man who has her attention right now is you.”
Feeling that his friend did not believe him, Hank knew that a troubled heart can make it hard to concentrate so he did what he hoped someone else would do in if he was ever in Forge’s love predicament.
“Forge, why don’t you take the rest of the day off and make plans to spend it with Ororo,” Hank suggested, getting the reaction he had anticipated.
“No, Hank. I can’t do that. I have to help you with modifications on the equipment.”
“A man with a troubled heart does not have the clear head that is needed in making the upgrades on this equipment. So I implore you, please seek out your heart’s desire and spend the day mending your heart and thoughts.”
“Are you sure, Hank?” Forge asked, not believing his luck.
“If you ask me once more, I will be forced to pounce on you, which is something I’m sure you don’t want to experience.”
Smiling, Forge stood and shook his friend’s flurry blue hand, thanking him for understanding. With another smile, Forge headed out the door, in search of Ororo.
After she twisted her ankle, as soon as she could, Ororo tried to continue her training regiment, much to her discomfort and Hank’s disapproval. Logan, seeing this, thought of a perfect solution the Ororo’s problem “ he would teach her the ancient Chinese marital art therapy Tai Chi. Logan approached Hank with his idea, which the resident doctor agreed was the best solution for Ororo’s problem.
Logan approached Ororo with the idea about practicing Tai Chi to which she was a little skeptical at first. But that skepticism was short lived. Ororo liked Tai Chi so much, that she now spends at least three hours a week with Logan, going through the soothing, healing, and destressing movements.
Although Logan was sure that the art would help her injury, he also knew that meant that she would be spending more time with him. He had come to enjoy the quiet, uninterrupted moments alone with her in the last few months. But he knew that like many good things in his life, they do not last very long.
“Morning people. Mind if I join you?” Forge said, going past Logan to stand next to Ororo.
“Yeah, I do mind,” Logan replied calmly, still going through the warm-up movements.
Ororo looked at Logan, knowing that although he sounded calm, he was pissed that their session had been interrupted, especially by Forge. When their conversation finally turned to Ororo’s relationship with Forge, Logan expressed how he felt about it and Forge. Needless to say, the conversation didn’t turn out well. They got into an argument that ended with them not speaking to each other for a week.
Deciding that he would rather have some part of her than none at all, Logan apologized. They decided that it would best if they agreed to disagree on the topic of her and Forge and refrain from talking about it “ which they had, until the object of their conversation interrupted them, like now. Ororo, knowing how Logan felt, knew that the interruption would only get worse if she didn’t intercede.
“Excuse me, Logan. I need to speak with Forge,” Ororo said, taking Forge’s hand and leading him back toward the patio door, not seeing Logan’s stormy face as he watched them leave.
“What is his problem?” Forge whispered fiercely, once they got out of earshot.
“Logan takes his training very seriously and hates for it to be interrupted,” Ororo whispered back.
“Yeah, whenever it’s me. I need to talk to him about that,” Forge replied, starting back toward Logan.
Ororo touched his arm, stopping him. “No. It’s not the right time,” she told him, gently turning him toward the door, “And it’s not just you. He’s like that with anyone who interrupts a session. He has even snapped on me a few times when I have done it. It’s just something he does. Like I’m sure you don’t like it when someone interrupts something important that you are working on.”
“Granted that may be true, Ororo, but I have watched him interact with others including Scott and I have never seen him as short with them as he is with me. I think he doesn’t like me because of my relationship with you. I truly think he still has a thing for you and is angry that I’m standing in the way.”
“And if he does, Forge, I have expressed my thoughts on it and made it clear to Logan where we stand.”
“I still don’t like it. And I’m not sure if I like the idea of you and him spending so much time together.”
“So what are you saying exactly?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest, patiently waiting for his reply.
“What I’m saying is that I do not like the fact that you and him have been spending so much time together.”
“Basically, you are saying you don’t trust me with Logan and that you would like for me to limit or stop my interactions with him, which would mean that I would have to cancel my morning Tai Chi sessions, my combat training practice, and Danger Room sessions as well as any interaction I have with him, be it Team related or as friends. Did I leave anything out?” she asked, her temper rising.
“That’s not what I meant,” he replied, his temper matching hers.
“That is what I just heard you say, Forge. Whether you like it or not, as the co-leader of the X-Men, I have responsibilities that require me to interact with all the members of the Team, including Logan. As a civilian, I am also friends with my teammates and interact with each of them in different ways. So Forge, if you are trying to ask me or tell me, whatever the case may be, to cease all interaction with Logan, then that is a request I cannot and will not honor. If you can not accept that, then we will have to cease what we have,” she replied calmly, her eyes changing color, “Now if you will excuse me.”
Forge, at a loss for words, watched as Ororo took flight and left him in the courtyard. When he looked over where Logan was, he was surprised to see that Logan had closed the distance between them, not making a sound.
“Be careful how you treat ‘Ro,” Logan told him, bumping into him as he passed him.
“Are you threatening me, Logan?” Forge asked, his stance ready for anything as he turned to watch Logan walk toward the door.
“It’s not me you have to worry about,” he said, nodding his head toward Forge.
Realizing he was nodding toward something behind him, Forge turned to see Gambit, leaning against the tall shrubby that served as a wall, playing with a charged card. Hearing Logan’s voice, Gambit looked up at Forge, a strange smile on his lips. Forge, feeling uneasy, held Gambit’s gaze, letting him know that he wasn’t afraid.
Gambit, understanding the silent challenge, nodded to Forge with a smile just before he leaped over the tall shrub, leaving Forge to wonder what he had gotten himself into.
Angry after her talk with Forge, Ororo ended up at her favorite place to unwind - the lake. She sat on the sand and focused on the gentle movements of the lake, allowing her mind to move as it moved, calming her and giving her the peace that seemed to elude her lately. Since her incident with Scott, it had become harder for her to control her emotions. What could it be, she thought, and after a few minutes of meditation, she discovered the true cause. She was torn emotionally between two men, loving each in different ways. Although she enjoyed her blossoming relationship with Forge, she still had strong feelings for Logan that she knew would not be going away anytime soon. The emotional juggling of the two was really wearing on her ability to control her emotions. Sadly, she knew that something would have to give and soon, or she would become an emotional rollercoaster. And that, she thought, taking flight and heading to her room, I can not let happen.
Ororo landed on the balcony outside her bedroom. Opening the door, she stepped in and wasn’t surprised to see Gambit lying on her bed.
“How is it that you always seem to be where I am?” she asked, going over to sit next to him on the bed.
“Gambit has a sixth sense when it comes to his Stormie,” he said, knowing that would get a rise out of her.
“Do you really have to call me that, Remy?”
“Oui, mon ami. It be Gambit term of endearment for his sistah.”
“It’s really a term of annoyance for me,” she replied, glancing back at him, “What are you doing here anyway? Don’t you and Rogue have another Danger Room session?”
“In a minute. Ah wanted to talk to you about your boy.”
“My boy?”
“Yeah, the one called Forge.”
Sighing, Ororo got up and went over to her closet, pulling out some tattered jeans and a t-shirt, realizing that this was a gardening day. “How much did you hear?” she asked, not surprised that he had been somewhere close, especially since she was with Logan.
“All of it. He’s a smart one not to trust da Wolverine,” he said, leaving out Logan’s statement to Forge about him, “What is it you see in him, anyway?”
“You know that is a question that I will not answer just like I would not expect you to answer what it is that you see in Rogue,” she replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest, waiting for his response.
“Touché,” he replied, bowing a little, conceding his defeat.
Falling silent, Gambit watched as Ororo went about straightening her nearly spotless room. When she was done, she joined him on the bed, enjoying the comfortable silence.
“Do you miss him?”
“Who?”
“Da Wolverine.”
Sighing, Ororo had been waiting for someone to ask her that question. “Sometimes,” she said honestly, seeing her friend turn to face her out of the corner of her eye, “But not as much since I have been seeing Forge.”
Gambit made a disgusted noise at the sound of Forge’s name. It was Ororo’s turn to look quizzically at her friend.
“What was that sound about?”
“There’s something about him, ‘chere that don’t sit right with Gambit. Something sneaky about him.”
Ororo, shocked by Gambit’s admission, looked at him in disbelief, realizing that the men she cared for the most didn’t care for the man she was falling in love with.
“Isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black?” she asked.
“Ah didn’t say ah wasn’t. Gambit just making an, how do you say, observation. But if ah am sneaky, we recognize our type of people, non?”
“Birds of a feather, huh?” Ororo asked, getting a shrug from her friend. Just as she was about to ask him another question, they heard a knock at the door.
“You expecting someone, Stormie?” he asked from his perch on her bed.
“No. It may be Rogue, coming to get you,” she replied, opening the door.
“Can we talk?” Forge asked, looking from her to Gambit sitting on her bed.
“Don’t mind me. Ah have a date with a southern belle,” Gambit said, getting up and going past them, on his way to find Rogue.
“Sure,” she said, motioning for him to come in. Indicating the chair, Ororo sat on her bed and waited for Forge to begin. Forge, sitting in the chair, took in the peaceful surrounding of Ororo’s bed room. Her room, painted a muted shade of blue, was accented with multicolored pillows, artwork, and plants. Ororo’s room exuded tranquility and calmness, something that Forge needed at the moment.
“I really like your room,” he said, trying to break the ice.
“Thank you,” she replied politely, “You said you wanted to talk?”
Guess she’s not in the mood for small talk, Forge thought. “Ororo, I wanted to apologize for my actions today. They were totally uncalled for and very juvenile. I should not have lashed out at you like that. I hope you can accept my apology,” he said, putting it all out there. He had been miserable since she had flown off and couldn’t think of anything other than talking to her and getting her to accept his apology.
Although they had been seeing each other for a short time, in Forge’s mind, he had found a woman who he could spend the rest of his life with. Not one to fight when he could reason with his opponent, Forge knew that there was no reasoning with Logan so he had to do what he had to do to ensure that Ororo would be his. Even if that meant apologizing for expressing feelings that, though they were true, should not have been expressed to her.
“Forge, come and sit next to me” Ororo started, patting the space on the bed next to her. “I need you to understand something.” Touching his cheek softly, she continued. “Logan and I are only friends. Yes, we did have a relationship and yes, it did end badly but that was a while ago. Since then, we have rekindled the friendship we had before we dated. I understand how you feel about us spending time together. I truly do but I want you to understand how I feel.”
“Gambit and Logan are very important to me and because of that, I can not and will not stop my interactions with them,” she said gently, trying to lessen the blow of her words, “Forge, I truly care for you and hope that our relationship will continue to grow but if you force me to choose between you and my friends, then I will have to choose my friends.”
“I’m sorry that I made you feel that way,” he replied, taking her hand in his and kissing it gently, “That was never my intention to make you choose between us. I just wanted to express how I felt about you and Logan spending so much time together. I guess it didn’t come out right.”
“No, it didn’t.”
“Can you ever forgive me?” he asked, kissing her hand again and planting another on her wrist.
“I’m not sure I can do that,” she said, teasingly as he continued kissing her arm.
“What if I planned a night on the town complete with a romantic, candlelight dinner?” he said, kissing her cheek.
“I would like that,” Ororo told him, just as the alarm sounded, signaling that they were being summoned to the War Room.
I guess this will have to wait, Forge thought sadly, as they headed out the door, making their way to the elevators that would take them to the subbasement. Emerging a few minutes later, they fell into step with a few of their teammates as they all followed the corridor that led to the War Room.
Professor Xavier watched as the members of his Team entered and quickly took their seats, patiently waiting for him to let them know what was going on.
“It seems that Juggernaut has broken out of the research facility once again and is reeking havoc on a dam,” Xavier told them as he pulled up the satellite image on the monitor, “If he compromises the dam, the towns at the base of the mountains will be washed away. Beast and Forge, I want you to monitor the situation from here. Everyone else, please hurry. There is no time to waste, my X-Men.” Dismissed, the Team raced to the Blackbird, Cyclops and Jean taking the controls as the others quickly suited up and took their seats.
Arriving a few minutes later, Cyclops and Jean brought the Blackbird down a half mile away from the dam. Rogue and Storm exited the Blackbird first, taking to the air, scouting the area up ahead while the others followed on foot.
“Cyclops, he’s hammering away at the top of the dam with a large tree,” Storm reported through their com-link.
“Storm, you and Rogue get his attention and keep him occupied until we get there. We have to take him down now,” Cyclops replied, motioning to the rest of the Team to hurry. Reaching the clearing where Juggernaut stood, the Team got there in time to see him tossing trees at Storm and Rogue, who where busy trying to dodge them.
Misjudging one, Storm got caught up in the limbs, falling with it to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Wolverine, seeing this, raced to her rescue, just in time to see Juggernaut making his way toward Storm, like she was a prize to be captured. Gambit, witnessing all of this, let loose a barrage of charged cards, trying to draw the giant’s attention away from his friends. Succeeding, Gambit had to move quickly to avoid being crushed by Juggernaut’s mighty arms. The vibrations from Juggernaut’s blow made him lose his footing. Turning over, Gambit saw that Juggernaut, who had been close on his tail, was a few feet away.
Grinning, Juggernaut raised his huge arms, ready to flatten his foe. He brought them down with such force that all the Team found themselves on the ground. Looking down at the hole, Juggernaut was confused to see that Gambit wasn’t there. Looking around, Juggernaut growled when he saw his punching bag flying through the air with that streaked hair woman.
“Thanks, mi amore,” Gambit said looking up at Rogue as she flew him away from the giant.
“Just watch yourself next time, Swamp Rat,” she said before setting him down and blowing him a quick kiss before taking flight once again, headed back to the others.
Jean, struggling to regain her footing, heard a cracking sound. Looking toward the dam, she noticed a small fissure making its way down the dam.
Scott, the dam has a crack in it, she told him mentally.
Looking down at the dam, Cyclops knew that if they didn’t move quickly, the dam would give, drowning the thousands of people who lived in the valley at its base.
Jean, sending a telepathic message to the Team, instructed them to remove his helmet, so that she and the Professor could trap his mind. Seconding her instructions, Cyclops ordered the team to surround him and wait until his signal before attacking.
Taking his place next to Jean on the top of the dam, Cyclops contacted the base to alert Beast and Forge of the condition of the dam. Forge, knowing immediately what needed to be done, took one of the smaller jets and raced to the dam, hoping that he could make it in time to help mend it before the fissure got bigger.
Understanding the direness of situation, Cyclops told the Team about the dam and emphasized the speediness in which they had to take Juggernaut down. Getting affirmatives all around, Cyclops yelled “Now” as he led the assault on Juggernaut, taking out one of the latches.
“You okay, ‘Ro?” Wolverine asked as he propped her up gently against a tree, glancing over his shoulder at the action behind them.
“Yes, I’m fine, Logan, thank you,” she told him when he looked back at her, “Go on and help them. I will be along soon as I catch my breath.” He nodded and took off toward Juggernaut, itching for a fight. She sat a few minutes more and stood up, fighting a wave of dizziness. Once it had passed, she took to the sky, just in time to see Juggernaut grab Wolverine’s leg as he unlatched the second clasp on the giant’s helmet.
“No,” Storm screamed as she watched as Juggernaut fling Wolverine toward Cyclops and Jean. Cyclops, seeing Wolverine flying towards him, pushed Jean out of the way. Turning in time to get hit head on with Wolverine’s massive weight, he yelled as he and an unconscious Wolverine went over the edge, falling toward the rocky bottom as the base of the dam.
Jean, getting to her feet quickly, used her telepathy to catch them. Fighting against gravity and the combined weight of the men, Jean gave her all as she struggled to save her teammates.
Juggernaut, happy that he had taken out two of his brother’s students, decided to have more fun as he spied Jean struggling to bring her fallen teammates back to the top of the dam. Seeing his chance, he moved toward her, an evil smile on his face.
“Rogue,” Storm called in her com-link as she flew to Jean’s side, “Intercept Juggernaut. Don’t let him get to Jean.”
“You got it, sugah,” Rogue replied, flying straight into the giant, knocking him back a few feet before he grabbed her and tossed her aside like a twig. Just as Storm landed beside Jean, the jet carrying Forge landed on the other side of the dam. Seeing the women, Forge rushed over and learned of the fate of the two men.
“Storm, we have got to mend the dam, before the crack gets bigger,” he told her, away from Jean as she concentrated on helping Cyclops and Wolverine.
“So what do you need from us?” Storm asked.
“I have the tools to mend it. I just need someone to take me to it,” he replied, part of him hoping that she would be the one to carry him.
“Rogue would be the best person to help you because, unlike myself, she doesn’t need the wind to carry her and I’m afraid that you wouldn’t be able to do much if I took you,” she replied before calling Rogue on her com-link, “Rogue, I need you over her to help Forge with the dam. Everyone else, we need to work together to take him down. Iceman, put him on ice; Colossus get him on his back; everyone else do everything you can to help get that helmet off.”
Getting affirmatives from everyone, Storm looked back at Forge and flashed him a quick smile before joining the others as they worked as a team to take the giant down.
“You X-Men always stand in the way of my fun. Why don’t you tell that brother of mine to leave me alone,” Juggernaut yelled.
Ignoring his statement, the Team did as they were ordered, but the giant wouldn’t give up without a fight. Grabbing and holding onto his leg, Shadowcat phased them down in the rocky soil, temporarily trapping the giant. Seeing his chance, Iceman blasted him with a shower of ice, entombing most of the giant’s body. Colossus jumped on the giant and unlatched the third latch, removing the helmet. Just as the Professor started probing Juggernaut psyche, the giant freed himself from his frozen jail, sending chucks of ice flying in all directions.
The Team, taking cover, didn’t have time to warn Jean. Still focused on using the last of her mental strength to pull the men up, Jean didn’t see the block of ice coming straight for her. The ice collided with her, hitting her in the shoulder and knocking her off her feet. No, Jean’s mind screamed through the fog of pain. Trying her best to get back to her feet, all she could think of at that moment was making sure that Cyclops was safe. Getting unsteadily to her feet, Jean wavered just as Storm reached her side, keeping her on her feet. Please God, Jean thought, as she and Storm walked over to the ledge, Please let Scott be safe.
Cyclops, struggling to rouse Wolverine felt Jean’s hold on them slip away. Thinking fast, Cyclops grabbed Wolverine’s arm as they started falling and struggled to catch onto something with his free hand. Rogue, holding Forge up to the dam as he mended the fissure, saw the men falling.
“Oh no,” she said before pulling Forge away to grab on to Cyclops. “Hold on, sugah,” she told Cyclops, struggling to lift them all to safety. Cyclops, feeling his hold on Wolverine slipping, struggled to hold on but his strength was tapped out. “Rogue, Wolverine’s slipping,” he told her. Worried, Rogue knew she had a choice to make.
I sure hope Ororo forgives me, she thought to herself as she felt her load lighten as Wolverine slipped from Cyclops grasp. “Wolverine!!!!” Cyclops yelled as the man fell.
Reaching the top, Rogue dropped down to one knee, tired from pulling the men to safety.
“Oh thank God,” Jean cried, moving from Storm hold and embracing Cyclops.
Storm, confused, looked around, wondering where Wolverine was. As the others joined after making sure that Juggernaut was secured by the research facility staff who had finally arrived, Storm asked, “Where’s Wolverine?”
Rogue, helped to her feet by Gambit, looked over at Cyclops and Forge, not knowing how to tell Storm about Wolverine.
“Well?” she asked, getting impatient with her teammates.
“I couldn’t hold him Storm,” Cyclops told her.
“What do you mean you couldn’t hold him?” she asked quickly.
“I tried to hold onto him but he was too heavy. He slipped,” Cyclops told her sadly, looking down at the ground, unable to take the pain in her eyes.
“So you mean to tell me that you let him fall?” she asked incredulously, looking from Cyclops to Rogue.
“I’m sorry to tell ya this, darlin’, but there was nothing ah could do. Ah tired but ah couldn’t go back for him. Ah was tired from helping Forge,” she told Storm, while Gambit held her, his arm around her waist.
Not believing what she was hearing, Storm looked over at Forge, whose eyes were as sad as the others. “No, I will not accept this. I will not leave him,” Storm told the others before taking flight and diving over the edge of the dam.
“Storm!!!” Forge yelled rushing to the edge of the dam, watching in disbelief as she disappeared from sight.
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