Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men nor do I actually own the character the cat Mrs. Murphy was based off of, that cat is a creation of co-authors Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown.
A/n: this story was kind of inspired by Undeclared by Scribblier and How Did I Fall in Love with You? QueenTakhsis. It's my own take on the paring in those stories Storm/Prof.X.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((X)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
The Moment
It was a calm day at the school, albeit a strange one. There seemed to be an odd rumor going around amongst the long-time students, but whatever was contained in said rumor was a mystery to the staff, including the school's headmaster, Charles Xavier.
Charles sighed as he navigated into his office, it bugged him to have no idea what that weird little rumor was, it was almost like an inside joke among the older students, the ones that had been in the school for a while. Whatever it was... it seemed that even his own daughter was in on the joke and she wasn't talking.
Charles sighed and went into the library to check on his daughter and he could sense that she was doing more than working on her computer, she was also stubbornly trying to ignore something... he soon realized that something was a toothache (A/n: so am I at the moment, chyort voz mi, I hate toothaches... and I think I've been watching way to much Captain Planet 'cause I just quoted Linka... in RUSSIAN I don't even speak Russian, I just know what that means 'cause I looked it up).
'How did she end up with such a hard head?' he wondered to himself
"Kathy, is something wrong, dear?" he asked
"I'm fine" she said absently
"Katherine, I know you have a toothache so why don't you just tell me then I can set up an appointment with the dentist and get that tooth fixed" Charles asked still wondering where Kathy got her hard head.
She gave an exaturated sigh
"Okay, dad, my tooth is driving me crazy"
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((X)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Meanwhile Jean was in another part of the mansion; her thoughts were on the rumor among her classmates. She had, at first, thought it was absurd, but the more she thought about it the more it seemed to make sense. She had watched how Charles Xavier and Ororo Munroe interacted from the time she met them and had noticed little things that she had dismissed before, but she was now reconsidering those things she had seen back then. Was what she saw the early chemistry of two people that should be together?
She had learned early on of the murder of the professor's late wife, Megan and was aware of the wounds that still remained, the questions left unanswered even now... over a decade later. Questions that may never be answered much to the distain of those left behind. She secretly wondered if Charles would ever be able to really commit to loving another after what he saw, even after all this time.
"Jean... something on your mind?" Scott asked
"Yeah, a lot..."
"You're thinking about that rumor concerning the professor and Storm" he said getting right to the point
"Professor Xavier's heart was torn to shreds when Kathy's mother was killed, as much as I think there is something there, I just don't think it will ever be perused." Jean sighed "thankfully the others have been tactful enough not to try anything foolish... like playing matchmaker"
"Yeah, but Jean, most of that is out of respect for Professor Xavier and you know it" Scott looked to his girlfriend "we may never know what they have planned but never attempted"
"You're right" Jean smiled slightly
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((X)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Storm also knew about a rumor floating around, but not what the rumor was about or why it was even started. She had a feeling there were things in that rumor that the students really didn't what her or Charles to hear as they would turn into clams as soon as they walked in the room... sooner if either Kathy or Jean were in the room. She figured they would eventually slip and everyone would find out the rumor. She often wondered if she really wanted to know what these students had come up with.
She sat on a bench in her garden and began to let her mind wander and was surprised by the thoughts that came to her. She remembered the last time she had been near Charles, she had placed her hand on his shoulder and they formed a mental link to communicate without the students being aware of what they were doing... the conversation was casual... more so that what they would have where others could hear. Kind of like what would come up every once in a while when they sat in his office drinking tea. It would be hours of anything and nothing at the same time, but it would still be entertaining and the time would just seem to evaporate.
Storm came out of her thoughts with a sigh, was she really falling for Charles Xavier? She looked at her hands and sighed, he would probably never let her that close... not after losing Megan; he wouldn't risk getting hurt like that again. She leaned on the bench and looked to the sky
"Why does this have to be so blasted complicated?" she wondered quietly
The only reply was a soft meowing sound from under the bench... it was one of the schools latest arrivals, a tabby cat that a student had named Mrs. Murphy after a feline character in her favorite mystery book series. The mansion had somehow ended up with mice and Charles decided to get a couple of cats thus they got Mrs. Murphy and Bleu from the local shelter.
The ploy worked, they hadn't seen a mouse since, and since there were no chemicals and keeping the pair healthy was easier and, frankly, cheaper than having an exterminator come through the mansion the cats won a permanent position in on the Xavier school staff.
Mrs. Murphy jumped up on the bench and rubbed herself against Storm's arm, Mrs. Murphy was a social cat, she loved to be with people thus the school was the perfect environment for her.
When she wasn't prowling for mice, she was lapping up the affection of the students and staff. Even, Logan liked Mrs. Murphy... even though Storm knew he would deny it to his dying breath, she had spotted him petting the tabby cat, and slipping her treats when he was pretty sure no one was around.
Bleu on the other hand, wasn't quite so apt to being surrounded by humans, that tom cat would have much rather spent his time while not mouse hunting or eating riding in Charles Xavier's wheelchair with the respected teacher, sleeping the day away. When he was allowed this luxury he would get petted at random intervals by Charles who had found the cat's longing to ride in his chair amusing and the fact that the cat would randomly just jump up in his lap was always a source of entertainment for everyone, Charles included.
Then there was something strange about Bleu, if Charles dropped something like a pen, or something small enough for the cat to lift and jump with, the cat wouldn't play with it, he would return it to Charles... almost as if he knew Charles wasn't able to get things off of the floor... not very easily at least.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((X)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Charles returned to his office to fine Bleu waiting on his desk as usual. The Russian blue cat had found his way into the professor's heart early and stayed there. The cat jumped nimbly from the desk to the professor's chair and soon curled up in the man's lap to rest off some expedition to find out if there were any mice on the ground floor he knew for a fact Mrs. Murphy did a sweep of the second floor earlier and came up empty.
Charles sighed as he petted Bleu, his thoughts kept wandering back to one person, Storm. The way he felt when she would place her hand on his shoulder in a gesture of friendship, their evening talks over tea that seemed to go too fast, but in reality stretch for hours, until long after the brewed tea was gone. He wondered if he could really have feelings for Storm, like he had once for Megan... perhaps it was time for him to move on... but he wasn't sure if he could.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((X)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
That night Storm found herself unable to sleep so she went into the kitchen to see if there was something there that would help her sleep, but what she hadn't expected to see was Charles Xavier in the kitchen, very much awake.
"I see you can't sleep either Ororo" he said casually, not taking his eyes off the window "Come, sit" he said indicating a nearby chair
She took a seat in the chair beside Charles and looked out the window, there was an odd silence between them, it was like little had to be said, they knew things were different now than they had been years prior. She reached over and took his hand in her own, and was rewarded with him gently squeezing hers in reply
"I think we are avoiding the topic that has us both awake" he sighed looking away from the window "us"
Storm sighed; he always had a way of getting straight to the point. Perhaps it was time for them to face the facts; there was more between them than just a mere friendship.
"Do you think we... could be more than just longtime friends?"
"You mean like a romantic relationship?"
"Yes, that is what I mean" He looked into her eyes and they both seemed to know how the other felt, the moment was a long time coming. They came together in a soft kiss, unaware that Jean Grey had walked up to the point where she saw the whole kiss play out in front of her. She smiled happily and then left them to the privacy they thought they had.
Charles and Storm go to bed that night, finally knowing how the other felt, and the next day they met back up.
They had a lot to think about, they knew that there were certain things they could not do. Charles had his own concerns, he knew that one thing Storm wanted was to be a mother, and sure she felt like she already was, having spent so much time helping with Kathy when their paths first crossed. Then again it wasn't the same as having a baby of her own.
She too had thought of that idea, she knew that short of a miracle or an expensive procedure they would never have a child together, but she felt happy with what she had... maybe it wasn't wise with her powers for her to get pregnant. She knew that she and Charles had so much else that was of value to them. They cared deeply for one another and knew that the other would always be true to them. So they decided individually and together that they would take their relationship one day at a time and see where it went from there.
The End