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Chap 13: Everything Changes

“What are we going to do about Wolvie?” Jubilee asked tearfully, as Dazzler stood by her side, trying to comfort her.

“There’s not much we can do but go to the bottom and look for him,” Cyclops said weakly, tired from his ordeal.

“So what are we waiting for? Let’s go. ‘Cause, Wolverine would do the same for us if it happened to one of us.” Iceman told them, getting a chorus of Yeahs as he and most of the Team started the trek back to the Blackbird.

“Cyclops, why don’t you and Jean take my jet, and head back to the mansion. I’ll ride with the others and we can help Storm look for Logan,” Forge told them, getting a thankful smile from Jean as she held on tightly to Cyclops. After helping Jean load Cyclops into the jet, Forge, sensing that it was too late to catch up with the others, decided to use his mini-copter to get to the base of the structure.

Pulling it from his bag, Forge put his arms through the shoulder straps and tightly secured the harness. Taking a deep breath, Forge pressed the start button and stepped of the ledge. Slowly making his descent, Forge looked around, thinking that maybe Wolverine ended up on one of the ledges rather than in the valley below. I hope he did, Forge thought, knowing that even though Logan had an accelerated healing factor, it was not a guarantee that he would survive a 1200 feet drop.

Just as he passed a large ledge, something grabbed Forge’s arm. Startled, Forge looked up into Logan’s haggard face.

“Logan!” Forge said, ironically happy to see him in one piece. Anything for love, he thought thinking of how Ororo would feel to know that her precious Logan was okay. Switching the copter to ascending mode, Forge knelt beside Logan, hearing his raspy and labored breathing.

“Hold on, my friend. We’ll have you out of here in a jiffy,” he assured Logan, patting him gently on his shoulder.

Using his com-link, Forge told the Team that he had found Logan or rather Logan had found him and gave them their location. Soon afterward, Storm joined them on the ledge. Quickly hugging Forge and whispering thank you, she kneeled beside Logan, taking his hand in hers.

“Logan,” she called to him. Hearing her voice through the thick fog of pain, Logan struggled to open his eyes. Seeing her, he tried to say her name but Storm placed a finger gently on his lips.

“It will be time for later. Now we have to get you back to Hank so he can take care of you.” Soon afterwards, Rogue flew to the ledge, a hard-back stretcher in tow. Despite their past differences, Rogue smiled when she saw her friend, happy that he was okay.

Working quickly and as gently as possible, Forge, Rogue and Storm loaded and strapped Logan to the stretcher. Rogue, gathering her fragile cargo, flew him back to the Blackbird hovered a few feet away.

“Forge, I have so many questions, I don’t know where to begin,” Storm told him, looking at him, her eyes shining with tears.

“As you told Logan, it will be time for that later. Right now, we have to get him back to Hank so he can help him. Shall we?” Forge asked, holding out his arm for her to take.

“We shall,” Storm said taking his arm and wiping the tears from her eyes. With a smile, she summoned a wind to whisk them over to the Blackbird.

Back at the mansion, the Team rushed Logan to the infirmary where Hank waited. Although Jean was happy to see that Logan had been found and was okay, she didn’t dare leave Cyclops’ side. Gently touching his face, Jean smiled down at him as he slept peacefully. When the Team entered the infirmary, she looked up and gave a weary smile, sending Ororo a telepathic message.

I’m glad you guys found him, Jean told her.

So am I, Ororo replied, nodding in Jean’s direction.

Turning back to the others, Ororo watched as Forge and Hank moved Logan from the gurney to the work table, quickly hooking Logan up to the monitoring machines. After a few minutes, they were able to get Logan comfortable and his vitals stabilized.

Hank, feeling that they had done a good job, turned to the young team members who stood waiting, anxiously for news about their mentor. “Thanks Team for getting him back here so quickly. We got him stabilized and comfortable,” Hank told them, getting relieved looks, “Now, young ones, why don’t you take some time to relax and come back a little later to visit him.”

“No disrespect Beast, but I would rather stay with him until he wakes up,” Jubilee told him. Iceman and Dazzler, standing next to Jubilee nodded, agreeing with their friend.

“Well since there is no way to tell when he will, I would suggest that you all get some much needed rest since you have had a very trying day,” Beast suggested, only getting stubborn and defiant looks in return. Seeing that Hank was having a hard time with the kids, Storm stepped in.

“I know that you all are worried about Logan but he needs time right now to heal and if we continue crowding him, it will take longer. So please, let’s give him a chance to rest, and before you know it, he will be back and ready to take you through another training session. So if I was you,” she said, smiling as she put her arms around Iceman and Jubilee and glancing at Dazzler, “I will try to save up my strength so that I will be ready.” The students, thinking about their previous matches with Logan, knew that Storm was right and decided that would follow their mentors’ advice.

“Thanks for always being there for him Storm. He really appreciates it even though he doesn’t always express it,” Jubilee whispered in her ear as she hugged her tightly. Pulling away from the hug, they looked at each other, both of their eyes shining with tears.

“You’re welcome,” Ororo whispered back, getting a quick, sad smile before Jubilee turned and headed out the door, following her friends.

“Thank you, Ororo,” Hank said, after the doors closed. Hearing her name, Ororo turned and looked over at her friends, her thoughts still on Jubilee and the statement she whispered in her ear.

“Maybe we all need a break, no?” Gambit asked, getting a yes from Rogue. Gambit knew that Ororo would not leave Logan’s side. So instead of trying to convince her to leave with him and Rogue, he whispered in her ear on their way out, making her smile and nod her head.

“I promise,” she replied watching her friends leave.

Turning, Ororo went over and stood next to Logan’s bed. Gazing at his prone body, Ororo brushed a wisp of hair off his forehead before whispering in his ear. Smiling a sad smile, Ororo bent over and kissed Logan lovingly on his forehead.

Forge, unsure how to respond, watched as Ororo’s movements and gestures seemed filled with love. I wonder if she looks at me that way, Forge thought jealously as he watched Ororo lean over and give Wolverine a gentle squeeze.

Standing and wiping tears from her eyes, Ororo turned and walked over to Forge.

“Hank, can you spare Forge for a few moments?” she asked, taking Forge’s hand in her own, her eyes on his.

“I think I can manage without him for a moment,” Hank told her, looking from her to Forge, a question written on his face.

“Thank you,” she replied, responding to Hank’s statement as she and Forge made their way out of the infirmary.

Silently, Ororo lead Forge through the subbasement, heading toward the elevator. Forge, his curiosity piqued, followed Ororo silently as she led him through the garage.

“I know that what I did in there may have made you uncomfortable,” Ororo said finally as they emerged from the garage, “and I want to apologize if it did. I was only trying to be there for my friend.” She paused, gesturing toward the garden as if to ask if he would like to join her. He nodded and they continued on through the gate on the path that led to the garden, taking a seat on one of the marble benches. Turning to face him, Ororo took his hands in hers and continued.

“With being that said, Forge, I can not do this anymore. I have been trying my best to give you what you have given me and to be the person that you deserve but I can not pretend anymore. I am still in love with Logan, regardless of how much I try to force myself not too and it is not fair to you,” she said.

“But Ororo,” Forge began, his heart ache visible on his face.

“Forge, please let me continue. Today’s events forced me to deal with my true feelings and they also reminded me of something “ that life is truly short and you never know when your time will come so you have the make the best of the time that you have. For me, that means that I need to express some things to the man I love because tomorrow is not promised. I am truly sorry for telling you like this but I could not put it off any longer. I just hope that we can still be friends, although I know that it will be hard. So I would understand if you choose not too.”

“Ororo, regardless of what happens, we will always remain friends. I rather not have loved at all than to not be your friend,” Forge replied, lifting her hand to his lips as he gazed into her eyes through the tears in his own.

“I guess I should be getting back to the lab,” he said, standing.

Nodding, Ororo followed suit. Before Forge could turn away, Ororo opened her arms and he stepped into the embrace. Holding him tightly, Ororo whispered a prayer to the Goddess, “Goddess, may a true and honest love find this man and let that woman realize the gem that she has.”

Forge smiled a sad smile as they parted.

“Thank you Forge for healing me with your love,” Ororo told him before he nodded and turned, walking back to the lab, the tears that threatened to spill now falling freely from his eyes. Deciding against going back to the lab, Forge took a detour. Forge found himself walking toward the woods, not ready to face the world with the truth that he had just lost the woman he loved.





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