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Chapter 23: Happily Ever After?


Ororo decided not to tell Logan about her powers just yet. She sensed that he was ready for things to go back to the calm, relaxed atmosphere that they knew before Forge’s appearance in the Danger Room. Things will never be that way again, she thought, remembering the events of the past few weeks as they held hands, making their way to mansion. As much as she wanted nothing more than cuddle up with her future husband for the rest of the night, Ororo sensed that the situation with Forge was far from over. So to make sure that they weren’t caught unprepared, Ororo persuaded Logan to go back to mansion under the guise that she wanted to see the Professor and spend more time with the others.

Hearing a plane, both looked up in the sky to see a small black plane flying over them. Looking at each, they said “Forge,” in unison.

Before Ororo could take a step, Logan stopped her, shaking his head. “I can’t let you do it ‘Ro.”

“You can’t let me do what, Logan?” Ororo asked, just as the alarm sounded in the distance.

“I don’t want him any where near you ever again,” Logan replied.

“Logan, regardless of what happened before, I…” she started but he cut her off.

“I already know what you gonna say about having a responsibility to the team and all that bullshit, but I made a vow to the Goddess that I plan to keep, come hell or high water. So I’m not telling you but I’m asking, practically begging, you to let me take care of this one,” he told her.

“But Logan, I can’t…” she started.

Losing his composure, Logan grabbed both her arms. “Ro, I can’t lose you again. Don’t you understand that?” he told her, his voice rising slightly. Holding her loosely, his eyes pleaded with hers, “If anything should happen to you, I don’t know what I will do and that’s a dangerous thing for anyone around me at the time. So please, for me, go back to the boathouse.”

Ororo, knowing that he was being very honest, knew she had no other choice but to agree. “Alright, Logan. I will go back to the boathouse.”

“Thank you,” he replied, before kissing her and taking off toward the landing pad right to the trouble he knew was brewing.


“He done lost what little mind he has, ‘chere,” Gambit told Rogue as they waited with the others at the landing pad. His eyes flashing red, Gambit stood ready with a deck of cards charging in both hands, ready to fight. He could not believe Forge had the nerve to come back to the mansion after what he did.

Gambit’s thoughts reflected the thoughts of the others as they stood in the semi-circle around the pad.

“All you have to do is say the word and he’s toast,” Dazzler said, her eyes glowing brightly.


“Well, well, well. It’s a welcoming party,” Forge said, glancing at the monitor in the control panel as his plane descended and landed next to Ororo’s jet. Removing his seatbelt, Forge checked to make sure he had his weapons. He’d left the neuralizer in Arizona, not wanting to make the same mistake twice.

Disembarking, he knew that he had to be prepared for anything especially with Logan and Gambit. Walking down the ramp, Forge kept his eyes on Professor Xavier who was flanked by Beast and Cyclops. Ignoring the others, he stopped a few feet away from the Professor.

“Afternoon, Professor. Beast. Cyclops,” Forge said, nodding to each one respectively, “I know my presence here is a surprise but I returned to…”

“Die,” Gambit finished for him as he made his way closer to the small huddle.

“No,” Forge said, through clenched teeth, “As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I came…”

“To die, like de Cajun said,” Logan finished for him, joining Gambit.

“Can I please finish without being interrupted?” he asked aspirated, still not able to deal with the idea of Ororo with Logan, “I could have just stayed where I was and not bothered.”

“True,” the Professor said, finally speaking, “Okay everyone. Let’s give him a chance to explain why he risked Ororo’s life by treating her like a lab rat by shooting her with an experimental weapon and experimenting on her in his search for an antidote.”

With every word the Professor said, Forge felt that he had made a terrible mistake by coming back to the mansion. He could feel Logan’s and Gambit’s eyes boring holes in his back. He knew that only the respect they had for Charles kept them from killing him where he stood. Knowing that his had already overstayed his welcome, Forge was determined not to leave until he had a conversation with Ororo. Seeing no other way around it, he asked the one question that ended the pseudo-peaceful standoff.

“Where’s Oro…?” Before he could get the rest of her name out his mouth, Logan tackled him from the side, lifting him up off his feet and slamming him to the ground. Getting over their shock, Beast and Cyclops grabbed Logan and pulled him away from Forge. Forge, not to be deterred from his goal, stood and said, “It was a mistake…” Forge started, but was cut off by Logan’s fist slamming into his jaw, sending him sprawling backward. Logan had broken free from his teammates’ hold only to be restrained again. Cyclops and Gambit pulled him away while Hank helped Forge to his feet.

“This is bullshit, Charles and you know it. He didn’t come here to talk, he came to get Ro so he can keep using her like lab rat,” Logan yelled right before Gambit whispered something in his ear that calmed him down a bit.

Forge, feeling his jaw to make sure it wasn’t broken, decided enough was enough. “You’re wrong, Logan” Forge told them, “I came to explain why I did what I did to the people who matter to me. But since it seems I won’t be able to do that because you can’t keep your trap closed, maybe I need to...” Suddenly, Forge fired two shots from his gun, one at Gambit and at Logan and disappeared before their very eyes.

A split-second later, Logan, knowing that Gambit wouldn’t survive the shot, pushed him out the way, taking the hit in the chest, knocking him back.

Scrambling to his feet, Gambit reached Logan first as the others rushed over. Seeing the massive hole in Logan’s chest, tears sprang to Gambit’s eyes. He saved my life, Gambit thought just as Logan tired to speak.

“Don’t talk, mon ami. We’re getting you out of here,” he told him as Rogue gathered Logan in her arms, tears on her face.

“No,” he said, grabbing Gambit’s coat, “Get to Ro. She…she boat…” Before he could finish, Logan coughed, forcing the blood from his lungs. Ducking to the side, the blood just missed his face, covering his chest from the neck down. More concern with the safety of his friends than his coat, Gambit stepped back so that Nightcrawler could teleport Rogue, Hank, Jean and the Professor to the infirmary. The rest of the team made their way to the boat house. As they emerged from the woods, they stopped short, gazing in awe at the spectacle before them.

“What the hell…?” Gambit said his voice trialing off as the rest of the team came up behind him.

“Who could have…” Cyclops began, not believing his eyes.

“Hey, it’s a Forge globe,” Iceman said, pointing to the watery globe that hung suspended over the center of the lake. In the center was Forge, struggling to get free.

“Gambit done care. All ah need to know is where Stormie,” he replied heading toward the boat house.

“I’m here, my friend,” Ororo said as she slowly descended back to the earth, landing in front of Gambit.

“She got her powers back,” Iceman exclaimed.

“ ‘Chere there is something you need to know,” Gambit began but stopped when he saw the horrific look on Ororo’s face when she noticed the blood.

“Gambit, what in the world happened?” she asked, thinking the worst.

“Forge shot de Wolverine and he not doing too good,” Gambit told her, and watched as her facial expression darken, causing the sky to do likewise. He felt the electricity crackling on his friend’s body as she slowly turned to face the watery jail. Gambit, not sure what she was about to do, took a step back, forcing the youngsters behind him.

“Storm,” Cyclops began, reaching out to touch her. Gambit pulled him back, knowing that Cyclops would have gotten the shock of his life he had laid a finger on her.

“HOW DARE YOU?!?!?” she bellowed. After she made her statement, nature responded with its own “ a series of deafening claps of thunder, shaking the earth. Her friends ran for cover, trying to block their ears against the booming thunder. With the snap of her finger, the water cyclone that held Forge fell back to the lake, leaving Forge suspended above the water, struggling against a ghostly wind that was sucking the air from his body.

“You do not deserve to live,” she told as she stood face to face with him as the air around her betrayed her emotional state. As the lightning lit up the sky, the thunder roared so powerfully that even the trees shook. The lake churned violently, ready to leave its banks. Storm could only think of the one thing that would make everything right as she stared at the struggling mutant with her flashing eyes, emitting sparks of electricity “ Forge’s demise. Floating around him, she could feel the sweetness of the power surge that began deep within her. Basking in the frighten look on Forge’s face as he struggled to breath, Storm glanced down and saw her friends trying to hold onto a tree and each other as the winds whipped fiercely around them. She could hear them calling her name, trying to get her attention.

Oh no, she thought, coming back to herself. Goddess, what have I done? Her eyes returned to their original color. I’m so sorry.

It is okay My child. You can still correct your mistakes, a male voice said to her mind.

Realizing who it was, Storm immediately released the raging anger she had let consume her when Gambit told her about Logan. Freeing him from the mini cyclone, Storm held Forge’s arm as she gently placed them on the ground. With the wave of her hand, Storm instructed the elements around her to return to their resting state. The sky brightened and the howling winds became a gentle breeze. Gambit and the others, realizing that everything had was calm again, peaked from behind the tree to make sure the coast was clear.

“It’s okay guys, you can come out now,” Storm called to them. Hesitantly, her teammates came closer to where she and Forge stood.

Forge, unsure of what to say, waited. It was the least he could do, knowing that Ororo could have ended his life with as little as a thought but for some reason, she spared him.

“Before anyone says a thing, I need to speak and say my peace,” she said, looking at everyone, “I am truly sorry for my actions just now. I was not thinking as I should have and could have hurt one of you very seriously. That I can not let happen and will do my best not to let happen ever again. Please accept my apology,” she said, tears shining in her eyes.

Turning to Forge, Ororo took his hands in hers, sensing the angry glares from her teammates. “Forge, when I learned that you shot Logan, I felt as I imagine he did when he realized what you did to me. I must be honest and say that there is still a part of me that would like nothing better than to kill you and put this horrible episode behind me,” she told him and he lowered his head. She continued. “But that is not who I am. Your betrayal hurt me deeply. When you took me from my family, as much as I would like to think that you had the noblest intentions, you did not. With those things consider, taking a life, even yours would make me no better than you and that’s simply not the way, we as X-Men, take care of our problems.”

“You tried to make me forget about Logan but what I have with Logan is truly meant to be. Nothing you can do will ever change that.” Ororo paused, looking down at their joined hands. Looking back into his eyes, she continued. “You told me once that you loved me. Was that true?”

Forge nodded.

“Then love me enough to let me go. Love forgives. I did love you and it is because of this love that I am able to forgive you. Also, love does not hinder. Release me and give me what I gave you “ the ability to love freely the one who holds my heart in peace.”

Forge, overcome with emotion, lifted Ororo’s hand to his lips, ignoring the noise that Gambit made in response. He had never respected another human being as much as he respected Ororo right then. “I will do as you requested. Nothing more needs to be said.” With that Forge released her hand and headed toward the woods.

“Stormie, are you sure you doing the right thing?” Gambit asked, glancing at Forge’s retreating figure before turning back to his friend, “We can still catch him and skin his hide.”

Giving him a smile, she nodded, putting her arms on the shoulders of Jubilee and Dazzler and gazing at Iceman, “What kind of example would I be setting for the next generation if I had killed him?”

“A righteous one,” Dazzler said angrily, still upset about the whole thing.

Releasing Jubilee and turning Dazzler to face her, Ororo told her “Killing is not the way we solve our problems. Though Forge shot Logan, Logan will survive his injuries. Forge would not. Now, if we killed those who stood in the way of what we fight far, how are we any different from them?” Ororo asked and when she received a tear in response, she hugged the young girl, “Don’t worry darling. You all may not understand right now but in time, you will.”

Ending the embrace and wiping Dazzler’s tears, Ororo smiled. “Now, how about we go check on our favorite, bullheaded teacher?” Her statement made the kids smile. Mission accomplished, she thought as they made their way back to the mansion.


Logan groaned as he regained consciousness. Opening his eyes, the very first thing he saw was Ororo’s smiling face.

“Hey, Ro,” he said groggily, feeling stiff and sore.

“Hey yourself. How are you feeling?”

“Well, ya know can’t nothing keep me down,” he replied, grimacing as he tried to move.

“Yes, I know but I also know that regardless of how fast you heal, you still need to rest. Everything else can wait,” she said, playing along.

“Not everything ‘Ro,” he said, repeating a conversation they had had before.

“You’re right. There are some things that can not wait,” she replied, flipping the script on him.

“Like what?” he asked, his curiosity overshadowing his desire to go back to sleep.

“Well,” she started, calling up a wind so that she can levitate next to his bed. She smiled as his eyes grew large with surprise. “Like marrying the man I love,” she replied, kissing him gently on the lips, “So hurry and get better so we can make it official.”

Three weeks later, Ororo and Rogue stood inside the vestibule that opened out to the garden waiting for Dazzler to queue the wedding march. Not waiting to waste any more time, the couples decided that it made more sense for them to have a double wedding instead of two solo ones, since they would be using the same venue and inviting the same people.

The only thing they could not agree upon was the colors. They wanted their colors to match their eyes, just like their rings. So with the help of Jubilee, Kitty, and Kurt, they managed to create an intimate atmosphere with neutral colors and a splash of the bride’s color on their respective sides, Ororo’s Sky Blue on the right and Rogue’s Emerald Green on the left.

The attire for each couple’s wedding party was kept simple. Jubilee and Dazzler, serving as the couples’ attendants each wore a beautiful, off-the-shoulder white dress with a sash in their couple’s respective color “ Jubilee wore blue, Dazzler green. The grooms were decked out in a white tux with their bride’s color represented with their ties and flowers.

The brides decided that since neither wanted a traditional white dress, each would wear a dress that matched their eyes. Rogue’s sleeved vintage dress fit her perfectly, with a dropping back and a short train. Ororo’s off the shoulder dress fit her snuggly up top and flared out at the bottom, ending in a short train. Both wore their hair up with curls framing their faces. Neither woman saw the need for shoes, opting to go barefoot. The men, willing to accommodate the other requests, put their foot down about the shoe thing, opting to wear the dress shoe. In their hand, each woman and their attendant, held a simple calla lily with a colored ribbon.

“Nervous, sugah,” Rogue asked as they listened to the music that their attendants used to walk down the aisle.

“A little. You?”

“Yeah. Ready for it to be ovah though,” Rogue replied as their music started playing, “I guess their playing our song.”

“I guess they are,” Ororo said, smiling as she and Rogue stepped out and took one of Hank’s elbows. Hank looked handsome in his black tux. Glancing at both women and getting short nods, the smartly dressed trio made their way down the aisle, passing the students and their teammates, who applauded and shouted loudly. Neither woman heard anything. Their eyes were guided to their respective grooms, who could not take their own eyes off the visions of beauty walking toward them.

The audience quieted down as the trio grew to a five person party as the grooms-to-be stood beside their future wives. They waited until Kurt asked the question, “Who gives these brides?”

Hank replied, “I do” and turned to each bride and gave them a soft kiss on the cheek. Taking their prospective grooms elbows, the ceremony began, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.


Later that night, Ororo laid next to her sleeping husband. Husband, she thought, rubbing his arm that was draped over her protectively, I would have to get use to that. Ororo, unable to sleep, slipped from Logan’s hold and made her way toward the patio door, that lead to the private deck.

As soon as Logan healed from his injuries, he wanted to build a private deck for him and his wife so that they can experience the outdoors but yet still have their privacy. The following week, Logan, Gambit, Scott, and Hank took on the job and completed it three weeks later, just in time for the ‘honeymoon’.

Leaning against the rail, she looked out over the lake, as she did so many nights before, but much closer now that she lived in the boathouse. Although she hated to give up her room, she thought it was fitting to give it Gambit and Rogue since Gambit, a night owl like herself, loved to stand out on the balcony and gaze out at the night.

Though her heart was filled with love of her new husband and her soul was at peace, there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. Always the realist, she knew that there would be trying times that would test both her love and loyalty, but she was confident that she would be up to face whatever obstacle stood in her path.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Logan asked, standing in the patio door.

“Yes it is,” Ororo replied not turning to face him.

“I’m not talking about the moon, Ro,” Logan said, stepping out on the deck, wearing only a smile.

Smiling to herself, Ororo looked down at herself and realized that she had forgotten to put on her robe.

“Why don’t you come back to bed so we can start round two?” Logan said softly, standing behind her, caressing her arms, causing her to shiver, “Are you cold, Mrs. Howlett? Let me warm you up.” Gathering her in his arms, Logan made his way back into the house, leaving the door open.

Thank you, Goddess and Omniscient One, she silently prayed, as her husband laid her down on the bed and she pulled him close to her. Embracing him, she knew that regardless of what the future held, she was ready and was blessed to have someone who she knew would be there to the end.





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