Logan was irritable, snappy, and shunned almost everyone for the next couple of weeks. A tension set over the Institute; at least that was how Ororo interpreted it. She knew Logan didn't have the cheeriest of dispositions, but surely the students were bound to notice the change in his temperament.

"Why the hell did you do it?" Logan roared as he barged into her room. Ororo arched an eyebrow, lowering her hair brush.

"Good morning to you as well." She said, turning away from the mirror. Logan was furious, his eyes flashing and dark. He clenched his fists at his sides.

"The professor told me that you pulled me off of two training runs this afternoon." He growled.

Ororo met his eyes unblinkingly. She'd known he was going to have this reaction. Remaining calm, and standing she crossed her arms and met his gaze coolly. "You've been avoiding something and its starting to show."

He huffed and glared at the ground. She sighed, raising her voice.

"Ever since you found that lab you've-"

"I don't have to listen to this." Logan turn and was about leave when a wind slammed the door closed. He didn't turn. "Ororo."

"Ever since you found that lab." Ororo repeated, her voice soft. "You've been moody and down right rude." She paused. "Not to mention that I know you haven't been sleeping."

Logan snorted, turning and throwing her a smirk that didn't meet his eyes. "You didn't seem to have any complaints about that last one before now."

"I'm talking," Ororo said through gritted teeth. "About what happens after we make love. Or do you seriously think I don't know that you lie awake, too scared to fall asleep."

Logan took a step forward. "I am not-"

"You're having nightmares, Logan." She refused to let him avoid this. "I came to your room three nights ago and you were thrashing in your sleep." Logan's eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Ro." He sounded drained. "I slashed through the headboard that night."

"I know." She cupped his face with her hand. "Which is why you need to talk about what you're seeing."

For a moment, it seemed like he'd cave in and talk, but suddenly guilt flooded his expression. "I'm not scared to fall asleep." He said. "I don't want to hurt you, Ro." He backed away. "I didn't even know you were there that night...I coulda killed you."

"Logan." Ororo started, but he shook his head.

"No." He turned and pulled the door open. "I need...I need to clear my head."

He avoided her for the rest of the day. Ororo couldn't believe how unbelievably stubborn and ridiculous he could be.

"You seem preoccupied." Charles commented as she came into the library.

"He's..." She let out a sigh, looking out the window. "I just wish he'd share with me what he's seeing."

"I don't think he quite understands it himself." Charles murmured. "And he's worried about -"

"About hurting me, I know." Ororo muttered. Charles chuckled.

It is unlike you to be so brusque, Ororo. He remarked. She winced.

"I am...frustrated." She turned back to look at him. "Every time I think we make progress, we take 3 steps backwards."

Charles didn't reply, just waited.

"I suppose it is also unfair of me to push him." She admitted. "I mean, he doesn't know what he's facing, but..." She frowned. "Relationships should be about trust. How am I supposed to trust him again if he repeats the same patterns of secrecy and caged protectiveness that ended us in the first place?"

Charles cleared his throat. Ororo glanced outside. The wind was rising. She shook her head, amused. "That isn't me, Charles." She smirked as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Give me some credit. I know Logan tends to wind me up, but I have not lost all control over my ability." She shook her head.

"I would not blame you if you had." Charles said. "Love makes fools of us all."

Ororo smiled. "No sage advice as to what I should do about Logan?"

"Give yourself some, credit, Ororo." Charles leaned back in his chair, an amused twinkle in his eye. "You're more than capable of solving your own problems."

Ororo rolled her eyes. "Doesn't mean I am adverse to some direction." She opened the door and walked out.

He could feel anger and... blood lust welling inside him. He'd get flashes, small bits of memory that didn't make sense. He blew up at Nightcrawler over dinner that night over something stupid. The entire room was silent, all looking at him with shock and fear. All except for the professor and Ro. The professor looked concerned and Ro. She looked like he was causing her pain. He knew he should talk to her, he wanted to, but...how could he tell her about what he was going through when he wasn't sure of it himself? When it didn't make any sense.

And what if he hurt her? He pushed back his chair, standing up and leaving the room. He ran through the institute towards his room. A dizzying wave of violent thoughts hit him and he stumbled, pressing his hand against the wall to stabilize himself. His fists curled and he punched, his claws out before he realized what he was doing. He slowed his breathing, snarling.

"Logan." Her voice was soft and the beast raging in his breast softened slightly. He flinched as her hand came down on his shoulder. "Logan, look at me." The haze cleared for a second. He pressed his cheek against her hand, inhaling her scent. Then a pain shot through his head, bringing him to his knees. "LOGAN." She knelt next to him. He shook, seeing green, flashes of electrical current. Then nothing.

When he woke he was wrapped in her arms. She had her cheek pressed on top of his head, humming a song he identified as a Kenyan lullaby she'd told him her mother used to sing to her. He pulled away. "Somethin's wrong with me, Ro." He said. "And...I" He stood. She moved so she was behind him. He shrugged her off. "I can't...be around anyone until I fix it." He turned. "I'm not runnin." He added quickly, pulling her hands in his. "I swear I'm not runnin, but I couldn't bear." Another pain jolted his head and he pulled back, gritting his teeth. "Just go."

"Don't be ridi-"

"GO." He roared. "Please." He whimpered. "Ro, Please, go."

He screwed his eyes shut. She pressed a kiss to his brow. "I am walking out of this room." She whispered, "but know that I am only a call away if you need me." He could smell the sadness rolling off her in waves. He'd hurt her. He hated himself for it.

"The blackbird's back." Scott's words broke through her meditative focus. Logan had left with Kurt and Kitty. His condition had been deteriorating since yesterday. She'd decided to give him his space, but his disappearance, along with two of the children made her worry. She'd tried to mediate, but found it difficult to relax. That infuriating, stubborn, reckless... She stood, walking out of the yoga studio towards the hangar. Scott ran to keep up. "He's been hurt pretty bad, Storm." He continued. "Kurt and Kitty are fine, just a few bumps and scratches, but apparently an entire secret mad scientist lab exploded with Logan in-" He broke off as she shot him an angry look, outside thunder roared.

"I apologize." She said, putting a hand to her temple to quell her emotions. "Thank you for informing me, Scott." She kept walking.

"Right." Scott said, clearly nervous about being around her and confused by her actions. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as the elevator took her down to the medical facility. Charles was telepathically lifting an unconscious Logan into a room.

"There's a chip in his brain." Kitty was talking a mile a minute. "And it's what's been causing him to wig out more than usual. And there was this lab and Sabertooth was there. And this scientist called him weapon X and they tried to get him to kill us and he almost did, but he fought it and-"

"That's quite enough, Kitty." The professor said, gently. His eyes meeting Ororo's. "We'll take care of everything. Leave us, please."

Kurt and Kitty nodded, walking out, both shooting concerned looks over their shoulders.

"We need to locate the chip and then..." Charles didn't finish his sentence, but Ororo understood. They had to remove it, but with Logan's unique skeleton and gift it would be impossible to take him to a hospital.

"How can I help?" She asked. Charles winced. "I am not the type of person who shrinks at the sight of blood, professor." She said. Charles grimaced.

"I know, though I believe it is different when that blood belongs to someone you care about." He murmured. Blood is not the issue here." He sighed. "We will need to physically hold his skin open while..." He shook his head. "In order to access his brain we will need an Adamantium drill." He grimaced. "Fortunately I had one made, in the event that we might one day need to operate on Logan, but I" He looked wearily at his hands. "I had hoped never to have to use it."

Ororo put her hand on his shoulder. "As distasteful as this is." She said. "Logan would want us to do it. And if he wakes up and finds we didn't because of our sentimentality, there will be hell to pay."

Charles chuckled. "I suppose you're right." He said, turning his chair. "I shall get the saw and the surgery tools."

Ororo watched him leave before walking over to Logan's bedside. "Listen here, you ridiculous man. You are not allowed to get yourself blown up unless I'm detonating the explosion. I can't..." She gripped his hand. "I can't lose you. So we're going to make you better so you're going to be one hundred percent well before I hospitalize you again."

She swore she could feel his hand tighten around hers. She bit back tears, touched that even in his unconscious state he tried to comfort her.

"We'll make it right." She whispered.

Logan felt groggy and pain lanced through him as though he'd been hit by a frieght train. He sat up, alert and ready to fight.

"You're back at the institute." Charles was sitting next to him. "You're safe now."

Logan looked around. "The kids?" If anything bad had happened to those 2 because of him.

"They're fine." Charles said. "Kitty's been checking in on you every hour since the surgery. We removed the chip. Is there pain?"

"Yeah." He laid back down on the bed. "But not from the wound. The anger and fear of what had been done to him was staggering and the thought of what he'd almost done. To Kitty, to Kurt...Ororo. "One day." He promised. "I'm going to find out why they had this done to me."

Charles glanced over his shoulder. "If you're up for a visitor." He said. "I believe there is one more person who would like to see you."

Ororo was standing in the doorway. She moved forward, standing aside clear the path to the door. Charles left, smiling as he closed the door behind him. He waited for her to move.

"I had to hold open your head." She said softly. Logan winced.

"Sorry about that, darlin'." He whispered. She moved to his side, her hand hovering above his.

"You have nothing to apologize for." She sounded angry. He smirked.

"Going to punish those who hurt me?" He asked. She shook her head, an amused glint in her eyes.

"I haven't ruled it out." She sat on the edge of his bed. "Although it will be pretty difficult to investigate, seeing as someone blew up their base of operations, effectively burying any lead we might have."

He shifted so he was just short of touching her. "Thank you." He said. "Couldn't have been easy to carve me open."

She let out a sigh. "No it was not." She said. "Though it was easier than you pushing me away." She met his eyes. "Logan, if this is going to work I'm going to need you to tell me what's wrong with you. Even..." She fixed him with a glare, silencing his protests. "If you're afraid of hurting me."

"Ro." He tried to take her hand, but she jerked it out of his grasp.

"That's how it needs to be." She said. "I love you, Logan, which is why we are either partners in all things or nothing." She got up and pressed her forehead to his, her hair falling, and curtaining their faces. "I'll let you rest." She murmured. He gripped her arms.

"Ro."

She shook her head. "You need time to think." Her lips on his temple were warm and light. Then she was gone.