Insert disclaimer

A/N: I originally wrote this to be part of Snapshots of the Soul. But I don't think it goes at all, so it gets to be a little one-shot all of its own.

Storm/Wolverine post third movie. A little bit of language and very mild naughtiness, but nothing to push the rating beyond a T for Teen :)

Rain

It rained for two weeks after Jean died. At first there were dark clouds, sparking lightning and spitting hailstones, but by the second week the storms had eased into a thick blanket of melancholy grey and ceaseless rain.

She showed no outward sign of grief, she hadn't even cried. She didn't need to, the sky cried for her. She sat on a couch in the rec' room, holding a book and staring blankly at the pages. She had thought to distract herself with it, but her mind wouldn't focus on the book. And day after day she just sat there.

That had been the first time.

So how was she supposed to deal with this? It wasn't just losing Jean all over again, but Scott and the Professor too. How could she possibly deal with this?

There were no storms this time, no constant rain. But wind, wind that threatened to tear the mansion from the ground. Dark, turbulent clouds were thrown from one side of the sky to the other, twisting and tearing apart; throwing pockets of icy rain to the ground here and there as they went.

But again she did not cry.

He spent most of his time in the Danger Room, living in fabricated hells that were preferable to the real ones. And when he wasn't there no one knew where he went, he took Scott's old bike and drove off without a word, sometime for days at a time. He would always end up in a bar, attempting to drink himself in alcoholic unconsciousness. He had to do that, sleep with drink came with dreams, and if he dreamed he would always find himself with her in his arms again, her blood seeping out onto his hands, her life running in rivulets from his claws.

He was walking out the front door when she caught him.

"Where are you going?"

"None of you business, Snowdrop"

"You can't keep running off like this, in case you hadn't noticed we're lacking a few teachers"

"No, actually I hadn't noticed at all" his voice was bitterly sarcastic, and she realised what a stupid comment that had been.

"I'm sorry. It's just that- "

"Save it. I know what you're going to say anyway"

"Then tell me, what was I going to say?"

"That I have a responsibility to the kids here and that I'm an asshole for not accepting the responsibility. Well congratulations, you're right, I am an asshole."

"That wasn't what I was going to say'

"Yes well, I'm sure you would have phrased it in a much nicer way but I just don't have quite your elegance of speech"

"That' wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to say that the students miss you, they come here for guidance and with the professor gone they're looking to you Logan, so yes you do have a responsibility but more importantly then that they care about you, Kitty, Bobby, Rogue. They're worried about you, and so am I"

"Don't be, you've got enough worries of your own"

"I can't help it Logan, I care about you! I know you don't think anyone does but they do! I do!"

She had been walking towards him as she spoke and now she moved to stand between him and the door "This isn't the way to deal with it" she said.

"How the hell would you know!?

"You think you're the only one who wakes up in the night?"

Now it was Logan's turn to feel stupid. What had he thought? That she hadn't been affected by any of this? Dark clouds begged to differ. He had his hand on the doorhandle, she covered it with hers.

"The war is over now. You don't have to run anymore, don't have to fight." Her eyes were locked to his, and he suddenly noticed how very close she was to tears, and how very close she was to him. He kissed her, passionately and forcefully, his hands on her hips and pushing her up against the door. Then he pulled away again "The war is never over" he said.

It began to rain as he walked out the door.

Review? Pretty please?