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Disclaimer: Don’t own any of Marvel’s lovely mutants, but thanks for not suing me thus far!


Thank-you very much for all the reviews and suggestions that have been given through-out for this, my first action/adventure fic. You have all been tremendous support for me and made this story a joy to write. A big thank-you also, to ALL of my readers. Loads-a-luv, M’ikosan-7, xxx


The Epilogue.


The wind was blustery, the Cedar trees that lined the back of the Xavier Institute swayed back and forth in the force, causing a rustling, whistling sound to fill the air. The sky was oppressively grey and miserable, and the first few spits of rain made themselves present on the window of the greenhouse as the long, bending branches of a near-by Oak knocked on the glass roof of the house with an annoying regularity.


Ororo looked up at the offending tree, frowning at it briefly before turning her attention back down to collecting a few sprigs of rosemary for dinner, nipping carefully at the ends of the stalks with the kitchen scissors. Although she wouldn’t be partaking in the lamb herself, she still insisted on cooking it correctly, with the right herbs, for everybody else at the mansion. Losing herself in the undertaking, and with the constant noise of nature made ten times louder by the expanse of the glass house, she didn’t hear the doors open at the far end of the plant sanctum, nor his light footsteps as he crept towards her, intent on surprising her. He stared at her back, the white waterfall of her hair against the black of her cardigan, with a stalker’s intensity, never faltering his attention from the prize. Slow and thoughtful were his movements, although, in truth, they were not the least bit thoughtful, more over they were completely instinctual, as at ease with his natural state as breathing.


He was close to her now; the glorious scent of her thick and comforting beyond belief. For a while, he didn’t think he’d ever have that comfort ever again, and it scared him, it really did. The past two months that had gone by since the Shadow King incident, had been a strange time for Logan. He hadn’t wanted to leave Ororo’s side at all, not even for a second, the fear that he had felt at loosing her had been so great. The whole situation had proved to him, if proof were needed, just how much she meant to him, just how much Ororo Munroe really was his entire life. For after so long with nothing to find something so divine was nothing short of a miracle; that was something he was certain of. He’d come so close to losing her, he didn’t want to risk it again, ever. But as she, and others had rightly pointed out to him, Ororo was a fighter, she was a survivor, but most importantly she was an X-Man and that meant she would sacrifice everything to help others, especially those she loved dearly. And so her husband now realised (although, deep down he’d known all along), that that aspect of her was what made him love her dearly, her big heartedness, her unwavering courage in the face of danger. In fact, he suspected she was braver than even he, for whilst he had his mutant ability to rely on to bring him back from the brink, she had no such safety net, she sustained on pure guile alone. Thus, what Logan had learned predominantly, what had become clear to him above all else from their recent brush with danger, was that he respected his wife more than anyone else in the world. Literally, what hadn’t killed them had only made them stronger...


“You’re really not getting much better at this are you my love?!” She’d only just noticed his presence but her natural calm made it seem she’d known he was there the whole time!


“Apparently not....at least when it comes to you.” He thought he’d got her that time, but as always, she was two steps ahead. It made him wonder if she didn’t have senses as keen as his own at times! As he came close to her, Ororo turned around to face her husband, beaming him that beautiful, bright, honeyed smile that always made his heart skip a beat. Wrapping his arms around her, Logan pulled her in and kissed her fully and lovingly, with all the want and need that he felt whenever she was near him. Lost in her for an instant, he then remember why he’d come out here in the first place. He pulled back from her a little as she loosened her arms from the hold they had had about his neck in order to allow him. “There’s a phone call for ya darlin’.”


“Who?” She inquired excitedly for she already had a fair idea that it was Catherine. Logan said nothing; he only smiled at her, giving her full lips one last peck before taking up her hand in his and leading her out of the greenhouse.


* * *


~ “It’s great Auntie ‘Ro.”~ Catherine enthused from the other end of a crackling phone line, necessitating that she shout every word. ~“Abdul and I are having a wonderful time, we really feel like we’re making a difference.”~


~ “That’s fantastic my child, I’m glad you’re both happy. But you know if you need anything, you only have to ask?”~ Ororo was truly glad that her niece had finally found somewhere that she felt she belonged, even if it wasn’t here in Westchester, New York as she’d hoped. She sat down in the padded chair that was placed at the side of the hallway phone.


~ “Yeah, Uncle Charlie’s donation to improve the orphanage has done wonders. Abdul and I are really enjoying working here; we’ve been able to take in so many more street kids.”~ The absolute joy in Catherine’s voice was enough to convince Ororo that her niece’s decision to go back to Cairo after a month’s recuperation at the Institute had been the right way to go. In her own way, going back to help the more unfortunate children of that city, which both she and Abdul had been, was just as momentous a decision as being an X-Man, a position that she had been offered before her departure. It had saddened Ororo at first that she’d wanted to return to Egypt, but it was times like now that she realised that it was for the best after all. Catherine was happy with her life now and that was all that mattered, maybe she’d come to the Mansion later on in her life, but for now she needed to do this.

~ “Logan and I hope to come and see you soon, we---.”~ The receiver crackled with bad static.


~ “What? I’m sorry, I can’t hear you properly---it’s a very bad line!” ~ The receiver crackled again horrendously.


~ “I said, Logan and I will try to make it over there to see you soon!” ~ She replied much louder.


~ “That would be great auntie ‘Ro, it will be good to get to know Logan better.” ~ During her recuperation, Catherine hadn’t had much opportunity to get to know Logan, though she had grown close to Charles who had taught her how to deal with her abilities more extensively. ~ “I’d better go now, this call is costing me a fortune!”~


~ “O.K my dear, I’ll phone you soon. Take care in the mean time. And like I said, if you need anything at all, you only have to ask.”~


~ “I know, and thank-you.” ~ There was a slight nervous pause. ~ “‘Love you.”~


Ororo smiled, feeling the connection that had grown between them in the relatively short time in which they’d found each other. ~ “I love you too.”~


~ “Bye.”~


~ “Goodbye.”~ The fuzzy noise from the other end of the line continued on its own for a second before the high pitched tone of a disconnection replaced it. Ororo hung up the receiver, her happiness tinged with a slight despondency as it always was when their phone conversations ended, phone conversations that occurred on an almost daily basis. But Logan was always on hand to sate her sadness.


“Hey darlin’, you O.K?” He asked as she stood from the chair and he took her into an embrace, kissing her forehead.


“Yeah, I’m fine.” She snuggled her head into his chest as she tightened her arms about his waist. “I miss her, that’s all. I just wish she’d agreed to stay...at least for a little while longer.”


“Hey sweetheart, we’ll see her soon.” Leaning in, Logan took Ororo’s lips with his. Sweet as honey as always...


“Yes,” She sighed along with an over exaggerated shrug of her shoulders. “It just doesn’t make it any easier, you know?” She kissed him back before settling her head back against his chest, where it had been a second ago.

“Yep, I can see that babe.” In fact, Logan knew only too well how it feels to be parted from a loved one. But the pain, he now could testify, was a worthy price for the love one received at all other times. Letting go and willing to sacrifice was an odd thing...but strangely rewarding none-the-less. It was something the X-Men had to learn to live with. “But just think about everythin’ else you got?”


Still with her head leant against his broad chest, Ororo tilted her face upwards so that she could look at Logan as he looked down at her, with the most tender look on his usually hard face. She could see his point. Sure, Catherine wasn’t here right now but at least she was still alive, at the end of the day; that was all that really mattered.


Think about everything else you got? Ororo Munroe had done nothing but for weeks and she wasn’t fool enough to not appreciate that she was probably one of the luckiest people alive. “I’ve got Jean and Scott, Bobby and Marie and Charles, but most importantly,” she smiled up at Logan, her face a positive beckon of serenity, glowing with a light more befitting a cherub of the Sistine Chapel, “I’ve got you.”


“Damn straight!” Logan chuckled affectionately, “‘An you’d better believe ya always will!” And Storm had absolutely no doubt that that was the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...


~The End~





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