Ororo giggled as she watched Logan tugging at his bowtie from his spot by the buffet table across the crowded ballroom. He had not wanted to have a soiree, but when she had assured him it would be nothing more than a backyard barbecue he had been more willing. She honestly had not expected anything more extravagant until Jean had approached about the caterers. Then Ororo knew that the Professor had planned something very fancy. When Ororo had gone to the Professor’s office to plead with him not to make such a fuss he had told her that since he had not been allowed to give her away as he had always dreamed, that he at least wanted to give her a grand party to celebrate her and Logan’s wedding. Ororo found that she could not and would not deny him that wish. So she coaxed Logan into what he referred to as a monkey suit and gotten him to come down and join the party, which consisted of their friends and family as well as some politician guest that the Professor invited. The Professor said that it would be a good way to let high political figures see that mutates are no different than the rest in their everyday lives. Ororo continued watching her husband and continued giggling at his discomfort until she noticed a certain redhead slinking her way to where he stood.
“Really Logan can’t you simply enjoy yourself for just a few hours?” Jean asked as she stood before him. She swatted his hand from the bowtie he had been pulling at since Ororo had put it on him.
“This is a bit much doncha think?” Logan asked as he lifted his head a bit and allowed Jean access to his bowtie, which she adjusted.
“Not my idea,” Jean stated as she released the bowtie and then brushes her hands across Logan’s shoulders. “You know you clean up very nicely Logan.” She said with a smile.
“Yeah, yer not too shabby yerself,” Logan replied as his eyes roamed over the emerald sequined spaghetti strapped dress that clung to Jeans slender frame. She placed her hands on her hip and turned slightly, posing for him.
“What this old thing?” She said as she giggled, relished how Logan eyes locked onto her body. She didn’t really need to read his mind to get what he was thinking. A part of her mind chastised her at the way she was flirting with her best friend’s ‘husband’ but she quieted the voice by telling herself that it was just harmless flirting, same as always. And if Scott didn’t seem to mind it why should Ororo. What she would have known had she looked across the room at that moment was that Ororo minded it very much, as she stood seething at her friend’s behavior as well as Logan’s. Logan didn’t outwardly appear to be doing anything inappropriate but Ororo could read his eyes just as well as Jean had, and she saw the lust there and it caused a pain in her chest.
“Hello Rory,” A voice spoke from just over her shoulder and Ororo turned and nearly fell to the floor when she saw the man standing before her. If it had not been for his quick reflexes, and him grasping her about the waist she would have fallen.
“Forge.” She spoke in a near whisper. “Goddess, Forge…”
“I think we need to talk, don’t you?” Forge stated as he smiled kindly at the woman he still held close. After a brief second, Ororo composed herself and gently brushed his hands from her hips.
His head had shot up the moment he had heard a familiar gasp from clear across the room. His brow quickly bunched up as the corners of his mouth creased downward into a frown, as he watched his wife talking to some strange man he had never seen before.
“Who the hell is that?” Logan barked out to Jean who followed his gaze.
“Oh,” Was all she let out as she stared across the room. Logan briefly shot his eyes back to Jean, before returning them to his wife. “That’s Forge, he grew up here with Ororo, Scott, and I. We were all in the Professor’s first classes here at the institute. Forge and Ororo had a…thing.” Jean tossed out nonchalant. A growl emanated from Logan and it was loud and menacing enough that Jean took a step back.
“Can we go somewhere and talk privately?” Forge asked as he reached out and grasped one of Ororo’s hands, which she quickly snatched back much to Forge’s surprise and disappointment.
“Please do not be so familiar.” Ororo requested as she purposely averted her eyes to the floor.
“Right, my apologies I forget you are someone else’s wife now,” Forge stated as he bowed his head a bit. “I suppose I should say congratulations but it’s a very hard thing for me to wrap my head around, considering that I thought you were my girlfriend.” Those words caused Ororo to shoot her wide eyes up to meet his.
“I…I truly do not know what to say,” Ororo stammered as she once again averted her eyes from his. “I am sorry…”
“Well that is a good start,” He said with a kind smile, hoping to show that he was not angry, even though he was hurt. “Could we go someplace more private and talk, just for a bit?” He asked again. This time Ororo nodded her head.
“The gardens, we can talk there.” She said and then turned and led the way to the patio doors, which stood opening allowing the guest to go out and explore the grounds and gardens.
“So he’s the ‘one’,” Logan mumbled out as he continued watching Ororo and Forge talking, and recalling the conversation he and Ororo had had about her boyfriends. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up in alert. Every fiber of his being urged him into action, and he had to fight to keep from stalking across the room and gutting the guy who still had his hands on his wife.
“Forge is…was the first and only guy that Ororo has ever dated, until…well you.” Jean said as she grasped one of the filled champagne glasses from the table beside her, and then took a sip. She watched Ororo and Forge with interest when she notice how intimately they stood. She then looked to Logan to gage his reaction and noted how stiff he stood and she knew the demeanor well, having seen Logan fight. “Logan, calm yourself really there is nothing to get up in arms about. Ororo and Forge are just two friends saying hello.” Jean offered and arched a brow as she watched her two friends walk towards the exit. Another growl from Logan instantly made her look back at where he stood, or had been standing. “Logan,” She called to his retreating back that was taking the same trek Ororo and Forge that just taken. “Shit,” Jean cursed because she knew there was going to be trouble and so she went off the find Scott for back up.
They had been walking silently for several minutes as they walked through the maze of a garden. Neither knew of the predatory eyes that followed them, watching their every move from the nearby bushes.
“So you’re married.” Forge finally spoke and in reply Ororo simply held up her left hand to showcase her gold wedding band. “Are you happy, does he treat you well.”
“Logan is a good man, and an honorable man,” Ororo said in a defensive tone. “I would not have married him otherwise.”
“Do you love him?” Forge asked and Ororo stopped in her steps and turned to face him.
“How I feel for Logan is none of your business.” She replied.
“I guess that’s a ‘no’.” Forge said.
“Excuse me?”
“Rory, I know you better than anyone else, and I know that when you answer a question that way it’s because the answer is ‘no’ but you don’t want to give me the satisfaction of hearing it.”
“Forge you presume too much. I answered as I did because it is none of your business. But if you must know I do love Logan he is my dearest and most trusted friend. I have not been as close to anyone else, well maybe except you. Still he and I are much more closer than you and I ever were. And let me assure you, you do not know me better than he.”
“Fair enough but answer me this, why did it take all of this…my getting an invitation announcing your marriage? Why did you not tell me yourself? This is really a shitty way to break up with someone.” He said and Ororo could see the hurt in his eye and it pained her too, so much so, she reached out and cupped his face with her hand.
“Oh Forge, I am truly, truly sorry. I…it was all so sudden. I did not and do not mean to hurt you.” He grasped her hand that was against his cheek and held the palm against his lips.
“You say you love him, but are you in love with him?” Forge asked his eyes pleading and holding out hope that she would say no.
“Forge,” Ororo downcast her eyes as she tried to pull her hand back, but he held it firm.
“Do you still love me?” He continued to question her and Ororo’s mind reel for she honestly didn’t know what she felt in that moment. It had been months since she last saw Forge, and that was the arrangement of their relationship; he would be gone for months on work assignments and then she would see him for mere days and in many cases hours, before he would leave again. They had never been intimate because Forge knew of her virginity and knew that marriage was needed, and he also knew that he was not ready for marriage and so they remained stagnate in that area. All they ever did was kiss and grope like two inexperienced teenagers, which was frustrating for Forge at times, because he was an experienced man. Yet he never pushed Ororo sexually simply because he loved her and he respected her too much. “I love you Rory and if you still want to be with me we can leave, you can come with me and we….” His words were cut off and the wind knocked from him as something hard hit his body knocking him to the ground.
“Logan!” Ororo’s voice seemed to call out from the distance. When Forge regained his bearings and focused his eyes they locked onto the fist that hovered above his face. He had planned to fight back but his body stiffened and his eyes widened as he watched three blades slowly extract from the fist that was before him.
“You aint takin my wife no where bub.” The gruff voice of Wolverine spoke out as he leaned down and locked wild bloodshot eyes on to Forge.
“Logan, stop this please,” Ororo sobbed out as she pulled at Logan’s arm which didn’t even move an inch under her efforts. “I am not leaving you, please stop this.” Her words seemed to calm Wolverine’s rage a bit, and he relaxed his grip as he pulled his blades back.
“You go near my wife again and I will kill you.” Logan sneered literally spitting out the words in Forge’s face. Logan then stood up over Forge’s prone frame and stepped to where Ororo stood.
“What’s going on here?” Scott’s commanding voice called out just and he, Jean, and Colossus came rushing up.
“Nuthin,” Logan replied as he stood beside Ororo with his eyes still locked onto Forge who was just sitting upright on the ground.
“Forge, are you alright?” Scott asked as he reached out and helped his old friend stand up.
“Yeah I’m fine, but he needs anger management.” Forge stated as he point at Logan with one hand while he brushed off his tux with the other hand.
“We know but he won’t go,” Scott said as he tossed a grim look towards Logan who sneered at him in return.
“You just remember what I said,” Logan barked at Forge. “Lets go,” Logan said in a softer but demanding tone as he grasped Ororo’s hand and stalked away, tugging her behind him. She didn’t struggle or even speak. She simply bowed her head a bit and followed her husband back to the mansion.
“Rory,” Forge spoke out as he moved to follow, but Colossus stopped him by placing a firm hand against Forge’s chest.
“You really don’t want to do that comrade. Logan has quite a temper.”
“Would he hurt Rory?” Forge asked in concern.
“No, of course not.” Jean was the first to speak out adamantly but still cast worried eyes in the direction that Logan and Ororo had disappear to.
