Three days. She'd been in the Morlock tunnels for three days. They'd sent Jean and Kitty out to get provisions; they didn't attract attention like many of the others. They had to be sure that there would be no retribution, no backlash. Charles was beginning to contact the children's families, reassuring them that they were safe...three were injured, though not grievously. She looked up at the tunnels, trying to remove the damp and fight back her horror at being trapped underground.

"Ororo." Charles said, coming next to her. "They're saying that the leaders of the group are being rounded up. Apparently Stark's putting his full weight behind the investigation and it's moved things along." He put his hand in hers. "I can contact him for you."

Ororo shook her head. "James doesn't need to have someone digging in his mind...and he won't believe it until he sees me." She turned back and sat next to Kurt. The other mutant had suffered and though his seizures had stopped he was still unresponsive.

"You need not stay here." Charles murmured.

"There's rioting in the streets for people on both sides of the issue." Ororo murmured. "My face is on every extremist's list along with most of the students. They need me to protect them."

Charles sighed. "We need allies in the Avengers."

"We have them."

"Which is why you must go to them and tell them of our situation." Charles replied.

Ororo looked at the dripping ceiling. "I'll take the three injured students." She murmured.

Levitating the three children and surrounding them with fog, Ororo brought them to the roof of the tower. Within two seconds iron legionnaires arrived on the roof. "You are trespassing, identify yourself."

"Ororo Munroe." Ororo said, holding up her hands. "Codename, Storm." She motioned to the three children. "They've been injured in an explosion and need help."

"Roro?" Tony Stark ran up to the roof, and stopped gaping at her. "Oh thank god." He ran over and pulled her into a hug. "Frosty's been driving everyone nuts. He went completely batshit after the explosion, then there were rumors of survivors and the parents started insisting that their children were alive." He squeezed her, rocking back and forth. "He's been losing his mind. Crying, not sleeping. He broke everything in his-"

Ororo pulled away. she knew Tony was trying to be reassuring, but his babbling made her guilt twist her gut.

"These students need help." She pointed. "We set the breaks, but they need X rays and burn treatments to prevent infection." She paused. "Where is he?"

"His room." Tony said, shouting over his shoulder. "JARVIS, get Bruce and have him bring three stretchers." He reached out and grabbed Ororo's arm. "Approach i-robot slowly."

She pulled her arm out of his grasp and waited for the stretchers. After assuring herself that her students were alright, she walked onto the elevator. Taking a deep breath, she shivered as the elevator doors closed. She focused on what was important; James. the doors opened and she rushed out of the elevator. She looked around, covering her mouth. The apartment had been upended; tables broken, dishes smashed, chairs, TV. There was a shuddering form on the floor. Steve was sitting in the only unbroken chair in the room. He looked up, jumping to his feet when he saw her.

They looked at each other. Steve's eyes were bloodshot, he looked unkempt. "You alright?" He croaked. Ororo nodded. He moved toward the elevator. "Tell me if you need me." He murmured. He left. Ororo stepped forward.

"James." She said softly. The form moved, slightly. His head raised, and he turned. Stubble, reddened eyes, wild hair. He moved back, hesitating.

"Are you real?" He asked.

Ororo nodded. "James, I'm sorry." He got up and crossed the room in two strides, his hands reaching for her. He put them on either side of her face, his eyes confused.

"You're alive." he said. Tears rolled down his cheek. "You're alive." He sank to his knees, his shoulders trembling as he was wracked with heaving sobs. "You're alive." He murmured, pressing his face against her stomach. Ororo swayed, clutching him against her for support.

"I'm here." She said.


Alive. She was alive. He looked up at her, hardly daring to believe what his own eyes and hands were telling him. He stood, pulling her against him. his lips crashing down on hers. She brought her hands into his hair. He slid his tongue into her mouth, her teeth bumped his lips, causing him to hiss. He didn't mind the pain; he wanted it; it proved to him that this wasn't a hallucination. He reached down and put his hands under her thighs, pulling her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. More. He needed more. He needed proof. Stumbling backward, he moved them both through the apartment, dodging the broken furniture.

They crashed through the door and by some miracle, he made it to the bed, his back hitting the mattress, Ororo above him. She laughed as their noses bumped. Reaching down she wiped his tears away. He could barely breathe. "I thought you were gone." He said. She smiled and it was as though the sun was blazing through his soul. He was transfixed as she pulled his shirt over his head. He wasn't as gentle with hers, tearing it in two and throwing the ruined fabric aside. She shifted her hips, letting out a gasp. He needed more sounds, more movements. He needed proof with all his senses that she was here.

He rolled her on her back, kissing her, touching, seeking out every place he knew would make her pant, cry, moan, and shudder. He worshiped her. She was a goddess after all and he wanted to make sure he was worthy of being by her side. He wanted her to stay and never leave him again. "James." She cried out. "Oh, James." Her hips locked around his waist as he moved.

"Ororo." He groaned.


James stayed on top of her, running his fingers over her hair, and eliciting small tremors as he slid over her. "You smell like a sewer." he finally said when they both caught their breath. Ororo threw back her head and laughed.

"And you, like you've skipped a few showers." She retorted. James nodded.

"Well, I didn't have anyone to impress, doll."

She chuckled. He moved back, pulling her up with him.

"Is everyone safe?" He asked. carrying her over to the bathtub. She nodded. He turned the knobs, letting the water run.

"All except...Kurt." She hung her head. "He is still with the Morlocks in the tunnels and...he's in pretty bad shape." She closed her eyes and groaned in relief as she and Bucky sank into the water. She curled next to him, pressing her head on his shoulder. "We heard the bomb as it fell and...Kurt had the idea that he'd teleport us out. Jean linked us all and...we got out just in time." She winced. "Most of us...The ones closest to Kurt left first, but it took time for his ability to teleport everyone...sort of like falling dominoes...the problem." She felt her throat close up. "Some of the children at the end got caught in the blast and we can't find Logan."

"Shh." James murmured, holding her tight. "Wolverine's a stubborn bastard, he'll be fine." He paused. "Did I ever tell you about the first time I met him?"

"No." Ororo looked at him in interest. Bucky grinned.

"I guess that'll be your bed time story." His hands started roaming under the water, caressing her and making her lose herself in his embrace.

She opened her legs, rolling her hips as he slipped her metal hand over her chest and down her stomach, and finally sliding where she wanted it most. James kissed her neck whispering how beautiful she was, how much he loved her, and how he'd never let anything happen to her. She panted, pushing against his fingers, one hand gripping the edge of the tub while the other snaked behind her to tangle in James' hair. Her toes curled, her legs quivered and she threw her head back as stars dotted her vision. She collapsed, boneless, in James' arms. Dimly she registered him getting the soap and scrubbing her down, then rinsing her off. She curled into his arms as he picked her up. Reaching over, she grabbed two towels. He sat her on the bed. Looking up at him, she held up one of the towels. He arched an eyebrow,

"What are you thinking, doll?" He asked.

"That you're dripping." She said, holding up a towel and standing. Moving behind him, she started at his neck, sweeping his hair back and pressed the towel there, drying him and adding a kiss once she'd finished. James groaned. She moved across his shoulders, paying extra attention to the scar tissue around his metal arm. Though he'd assured her many times that she didn't need to worry about rust or damage, she couldn't help but fuss. The skin around it was also very sensitive causing him to muffle a soft Russian curse before his legs buckled. She chuckled. "The mighty Winter Soldier, brought low by a towel."

"Get down here." He growled, turning and pulling her to him.

"But I'm not done." She protested.


"Tell me about Logan." She asked, later. Bucky groaned and leaned back on the pillows.

"Just what a man wants to hear when he's in bed with the woman he loves; her asking about some one else."

Ororo poked him in the side. "Come on," she said, "you promised."

Bucky propped himself up on his elbow, reaching for a strand of her hair. "Alright, now this story is 100% true."

Ororo snorted.

"Hey, did you want this story or not?" Bucky waited until she nodded, before continuing. "So. We were in France, meeting up with a bunch of newly disembarked forces from America and Canada. We met with an ambush...It was the howling commandoes vs an entire regiment of about 200..."

Ororo cleared her throat. Bucky sighed.

"Alright. 75 nazi soldiers. All armed to the teeth."

"James." She chided. She knew when he was lying. He pouted, he could never get away with anything.

"It's artistic license." He said. "They had really big guns. There was this farm house in between us and the Germans. A family lived there; an old man and his two daughters..." he trailed off, clearing his throat.

"Two daughters?" Ororo asked.

"Two hideous daughters." Bucky reassured. Ororo laughed.

"I'm sure." She shook her head. "So tell me, what happened to these mademoiselles when they met the dashing Sergeant Barnes?"

"Steve put me in the top of the barn to pick off the advancing line of Nazis while he and the others waited to ambush them..." Bucky sighed. "Before we even got a chance to fight, a line of Canadian soldiers, led by a particularly bad tempered Captain Howlett cut through them. Meanwhile the...frighteningly ugly farmer's daughters came to hide in the barn attic and...um..."

Ororo crossed her arms, amused at his discomfort.

"James." She said. "I was hardly a virgin before I met you."

"I know." Bucky sighed. "Well, long story short Howlett caught me in that barn...comforting the two horrifying women." Ororo laughed. Bucky felt himself blush. "He thankfully doesn't remember that...I hope he doesn't remember that...Oh god that would be terrible." He fell back on his pillows. Ororo shifted closer. He smiled, "I fall apart without you." He admitted.

"I'm happy to be home." she said. His breath caught.

"But...the institute." he murmured. "It was destroyed."

"That was a building." Ororo said, dismissively. "Home is where our loved ones are." She looked up at him and he heard his heart pound in his ears as she said. "Home is you."


The next morning, Tony had his robots open a wall in the basement of the tower, opening an access to the Morlock tunnel. The students were let into the guest floors of the Tower and allowed to stay there until the all clear had been sounded and the Institute rebuilt.

"I can't thank you enough, Mr. Stark." Professor X remarked as he came into the penthouse. Tony was drinking whiskey straight from the bottle.

"Mhm?" Tony nodded, wiping his mouth. "Oh, sure no problem." He coughed and waved his hand in agreement. "Actually it was Storm's idea...just...don't go looking for her." He shuddered. "She and Barnes are celebrating their reunion and..." He shuddered. "There is not enough booze in this city to erase what I saw." he emptied the bottle and grabbed the tequila.

Charles put his hand to his temple. "Unfortunately..." he sighed. "I can see exactly what you mean."

Tony offered him the tequila