Authors notes: So sorry! I really didn't mean for things to take this long. Life just got in the way. Plus I had some stuff in my original lay out of the story that I realized needed to be dropped for the sake of moving things along and my own sanity.

I have a new story up that was co written with Beanie McChimp. The story is under her name; check out some of Beanie's other works. All her stuff is amazing! The title is "Gentlemen's Bet" and can be found in X-men/ Street Fighter section. The main characters are Ororo, Remy and Vega. But really the Street Fighter is only ten percent and you don't need to know that fandom to read it.

Please leave your reviews and pm. Thank so much to those of you who already have. Feel free to leave them again. ;)

More thanks then I could ever say to: Shadow Dancer, beta for this story. Also Beanie McChimp for all her encouragement.

Chapter 12: The great escape.

That was out of control, dangerous, irresponsible and damn good… so good I didn't notice my powers acting out. Ororo's heart was still racing, a little from the speed at which she flew home, and partly the results of the kiss.

Strongly feeling the need to take the edge off, Ororo opened a bottle of wine. Ok, one glass then I'll sort this all out before speaking to Kurt again. Before Ororo could even begin to pour, her front door opened.

"Must be a rough day to be breaking out a bottle this early? Want to tell your ami about it?"

"I was just getting rid of this because it was left out last night."

"Oh, such a shame to dump a good vintage like that."

"A terrible waste, my friend," Ororo sighed. "I enjoyed this one a lot," Moreover, I could really use it. However, Ororo was not about to tip Remy off that anything was amiss. With a heavy heart she turned the bottle over in the sink watching every drop of it run down the drain.

"How about I unload these bags while you put everything away?"

Without a word, Ororo reached over to take some cans out of Remy's hands. She felt a tug on her wrist when she tried to pull away.

"What are you doing?"

"You're really amazing, you know that chere? On the outside you're standing in front of me like all is right with the world. While at the same time, on the inside your pulse is pounding like you just finish one hell of a fight or-"

"Don't." The clipped tone of Ororo's voice was clearly a warning - a warning Remy chose to ignore.

"…or got one hell of a kiss." He waited a beat yet didn't let her lack of response stop him from continuing. "Judging by the current state of your do, plus the smeared lips, Remy is going to be betting it was a kiss."

Ororo found herself wanting to smack the cocksure grin off his handsome face. "I have no idea what you're blathering about, now hand me that next bag."

"How dat old saying go? Denial not just be a river in Egypt."

Ororo whipped around so fast it almost made Remy dizzy just watching. "I am not saying that something happened, but even if it did, I am not discussing it… period!"

The accompanying thunder might have intimidated anybody else. However, Remy was not going to let it faze him. At worst, if I push too hard, I'll end up with a zap on the rear. Won't be the first, or the last.

Remy seized Ororo by her shoulders. "You didn't want to talk about what's-his-face and Remy gave you space. You didn't want to go into detail over leaving the team, fine. If this ain't something you can dish with me about, then everything in that staircase the other day was just a lot of horseshit."

Each stood there waiting for the other to back down. In the end, Ororo blinked first. "I can't discuss it with you scoundrel, because there is nothing to discuss. It happened. It shouldn't have happened. It will not happen again, so what's the point of talking about it? What is there to say?"

"Well ya could start with how good it was?"

Ororo's face could have been carved of stone for how little it moved and how cold it looked. Yet Remy was still not deterred. Waggling his auburn brows at her while grinning, he asked "Dat good uh?"

Ororo let the smallest smile escape before slumping her head onto one of his shoulders. "I tore the room apart," she mumbled.

"Want to run that by me again Stormy?"

"Kurt and I... we kissed, then during it I lost track... control of my powers."

"How bad?"

"I didn't stay long after, but I am fairly sure the whole room was thoroughly trashed. It was just wind. My guess is that it gathered around us then blew out, pushing everything besides us against the walls. Something also must have struck the window, because it was shattered."

"Putain, who knew the elf had that in him?"

"This is not funny Remy! I'm afraid I have messed things up so much."

"A busted window is an easy fix." Remy tried to reassure while soothingly stroking her hair.

"Not the room! Everything else."

"Like?"

"My friendship with Kurt. It's going to take forever to move past this. Even then things may always be awkward between us."

"Well chere, maybe things aren't ruined, just changed? Maybe you ruin things by trying to keep them the same?"

"Remy, I can't! I am not in any shape or place in my life for… I don't even know what to call it."

"Exactly. You don't know what to call it cause you don't know what it is yet, and ya won't unless you just let it happen."

"Let it happen? Remy, I did just let it happen and I trashed a whole room. That was just a kiss! I'm used to a dramatic weather change sometimes when I… forget it. I am so not talking about this! The point is - I lost control, which is the thing I can't afford to lose the most."

"A little loss of control might do you some good," Remy countered.

"Whether from my powers or something else, someone is going to get hurt in all this. I just can't let that happen." Ororo looked more lost then Remy had ever seen her, which pulled at his heartstrings.

"All right chere, I'll bite. I know you got a plan cooking up in that pretty head of yours. Let's hear it."

At this she brightened up some, as if to sell him on the idea. "I was thinking of going to visit my grandmother in Kenya. You're more than welcome to join me... or I could travel with you to New York, spend a few days there before continuing."

"Non, non Miss Munroe, I'm warning you. Don't you dare take off to the other side of the world without speaking to that man first."

Ororo quickly became irritated with Remy's wagging finger in her face. "Why? At last check, I owe no man a heads up on my comings and goings." She snapped back.

"Trust me, I know a thing or two about taking off cause you can't deal. You're not the kind. It may feel right in the moment, but you would beat yourself up over it later."

"That is a risk I am willing to take." It's less risky than the choice you're asking me to make.

"You take off without a word, that really is going to hurt him. But hey, if you can look Remy in the eye right now and tell me your heart ain't twisting like a pretzel at the thought, I'll go pack a bag right now."

Ororo kept her face perfectly neutral, while inside the waters of her emotions where churning. Of course my heart feels like a pretzel. Hurting him is the last thing I want to do, but I just can't…

When her phone started to play Kurt's ringtone, Remy smiled smugly at her. "You best be getting that chere."

Ororo made no move towards her phone. Instead, she went about grabbing provisions from the kitchen so that she could stew in her room. Remy stepped in her way as a last effort to reason with her. "Ororo you have to-"

"Talk to Kurt. Yes, you're right my friend, I do - tomorrow. Right now I need to think about what I want to say."

"You know chere, you keep running and one of these days someone is going to chase you. Just what ya going to do then?" Remy posed the question, then stepped aside.

"Please, only the villains ever give chase." Ororo replied with a hallow chuckle while closing the door behind her.

(******************************************)

Kurt stood in the middle of his room looking at the mess, finding he could not bring himself to care if he tried. No, the only thing he cared about - the only thing on his mind - was that Ororo fled after the most amazing kiss he ever had. It felt almost more natural then breathing. Especially considering how ragged my breath had been after; as if this was the way things were always meant to be. Yet she left. Could I really be the only one who felt it?

"What can I say? It sucks when I'm right - for other people, of course."

Kurt tossed his head back, groaning at the ceiling. It was bad enough that Ororo left, but he would rather be alone than deal with the company that was left in her place.

"What are you still doing here Mephisto?"

"I already told you. It's no fun causing havoc if I can't stay to see the results. Now come have a seat then tell Uncle Mephisto all about it. Must have been good judging by the mess."

Finally turning to face Mephisto with a scowl on his face Kurt asked, "I don't suppose there is anything in the rules against you coming here to mess with me?"

"Oh come on son, be honest. Didn't you kind of except this?"

Succumbing to the mental wipe, Kurt sank down onto the one chair not blown over. He was about to lay his head back when a thought occurred to him. Lifting his head back up to look at Mephisto, who had exchanged the nurse look for his regular form, Kurt asked "Have you done anything else? Shown up any other time?"

The grin that slowly crept over Mephisto's face was both childlike and evil. "I have been around a time or two. I may have done a little something. If you can guess what I did, it will be undone."

While not in the mood for games, Kurt reasoned whatever Mephisto did could not be good or helpful. "Very well, do I get a clue or something?"

"It wouldn't be fair if you didn't." The wink Kurt received with the reply sent the bad kind of shiver through him. "I'll give you three questions to help you guess."

Well it has to be something that I have not noticed or care to think about. A slight panic began to creep over Kurt. "Have you done something to Ororo, physical or otherwise?"

"Aww look at you, truly a man in love. Not to worry, my deal is not with the lady. I have not physically harmed her or altered the course of her path other then bringing you back."

Taking some time to allow his heart to stop racing, Kurt asked his next question. "Did you do something to me physical?"

"Nope, absolutely not. As per our deal, you are perfectly healthy... for now."

I do feel physically fine, great even, despite whatever Hank warned yesterday. Hmm… I have been so wrapped up in my pursuit of Ororo that I haven't bothered to really ponder or ask Hank about anything. However, Ororo coming to me is clearly no longer an option. Now I must-

"Ahem… I cleared some time for this visit. However, not all day."

"If not to my body, then to something else of mine?"

"Oh goody, now were are getting somewhere," Mephisto clapped eagerly. "Yes I did." The red devil sat very smugly. For Mephisto, watching the lovesick fool sweat was so much fun.

Kurt racked his brain trying to think what it could be, feeling his frustrations growing by the ticking seconds. His phone pinged with a text and his heart leapt hoping that it might be Ororo returning his call. When he saw the text was from Hank requesting more blood work after already drawing two this morning, Kurt snapped. He threw his phone at the wall. "Ah, what is wrong with that man? I know I am fine, yet he keeps acting as if any moment I might drop dead."

This train of thought led Kurt away from the question at hand. Why would Hank think that, and why has he kept his time with me to the bare minimum? By now I would expect to be bombarded with tedious amounts of data from these tests whether I wanted it or not. This should be exciting, medical advancing and all those other things that would have Hank grinning from ear to ear. Hmm… there is only one reason why he wouldn't be.

When Kurt put it together he felt very foolish, and bad for his friend who must have been driving himself crazy trying to figure all this out. Kurt turned his attention back to Mephisto.

"You have been mucking around with my test results." Mephisto's lack of comment in favor of a scowl was answer enough for Kurt.

"Dear lord, poor Hank! How insane he must have been knowing that his science was not matching up? Or that he thought I awoke only for him to have to tell me that I was going to die."

"Well don't be too relieved, you still might." Mephisto said still sulking on the couch.

"True. However, that is a problem for another day. Now be a creature of your word. Return Hank's test results to the way they should be. This will comfort his mind and make it easier for me in general, which is probably why you messed with them in the first place."

Mephisto stewed in silence till Kurt's wide spreading grin caused him to snap in a hissy fit.

Too fast for Kurt's eyes to register, Mephisto had risen from the couch and was now standing directly in front him and pointing an accusing finger. "You had help! Do not try and lie to me boy!"

"Nein I swear."

The red demon's lips twisted as he considered Kurt's answer. He's probably telling the truth, as he knows it. However that does not mean he wasn't aided.

"Mephisto, I have no idea what is going-"

Not wanting to hear any pointless buzzing, Mephisto froze Kurt where he stood. From thin air he produced a simple crystal ball. Primitive yes, he mused, but sometimes simple and classic are really the best ways.

"Hello my dear, it would seem as if someone has been busy meddling in our game," Mephisto purred.

"No maybes about it. If you meddle, than so shall I." A woman's voice responded, sounding not at all amused.

"Oh, so you caught that? I wasn't even aware you were paying that close attention. After all, don't you have bigger fish to fry?"

"I catch more than enough, even considering how useless your antics turned out to be. I will be asking that you simply let things unfold as they will."

No mistaking the mocking in his tone, Mephisto let out a merry chuckle. "Is that a threat?"

"Oh sigh… again pointless. You have some leeway with trickery, but not much. This one only forced them into a cozy spot."

"And now the weather witch has fled." Mephisto barked back.

"Hmm… for now. Just be warned, with all your time and power, you truly know nothing of the heart... never know how your messing around might play out. Good day."

A dozen snappy comebacks waited on Mephisto tongue, and he regretted not being able to use them. That one's pushing her luck. If I was not so consumed by these little games we play, I might be tempted to remind the minx of her place.

Without effort, Mephisto unfroze Kurt. Once Kurt recovered from the spell cast upon him, he was again grinning like a fool to the point were Mephisto could barely stomach it.

"Just because you can now leave with no issues does not mean anything! Ororo will not be running into your arms just because she knows you are well."

That truth wiped the grin clean off of Kurt's face. "You saw that look in her eyes - desperate to run, to get away from you. The way she did it so efficiently, one would think the woman did it every day."

Kurt had been pacing, trying to think and ignore his unwanted visitor, until Mephisto's last comment sparked a thought. "But Ororo doesn't run every day, even at times when she probably should have," Kurt mumbled under his breath. No, if one thing could be said about my love, she does not cut and run unless there is a very good reason. Yes, she was afraid, but of what? Remy said Ororo had no issues setting things straight with him. Is it possible that she felt even a fraction of what I felt?

"I can't believe I'm telling you of all beings, but vielen dank."

"Uh, there you go, looking all thrilled again!" Mephisto groaned, accompanying it with an eye roll that went all the way around.

"And I'm feeling very hopeful. You better leave before it catches."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

Kurt did not bother to watch how the creature left. He immediately went to retrieve his phone, which thankfully was still working. He had a couple of calls to make. Hank would be second and first would be to Remy. Kurt had started forming a plan and was not above pulling on the rogue's guilt for however many favors were needed to execute it.

(****************************************)

Ororo awoke at a decent hour the next morning, not feeling particularly great or chipper.

She had mostly tossed and turned the whole night. She could not stop stressing over the right thing to say. Then when she did finally manage to get some sleep, her mind replayed the kiss with Kurt on an endless loop.

Ororo's plan had been to leave right after a shower and get it over with before things got out of hand or she lost her resolve. However, after she was dressed it didn't make sense not to have breakfast. After breakfast she put a load in the washer, and to be nice, she did a load of Remy's too.

Yes, Ororo Munroe was stalling for time. It was not something she would be proud to have pointed out. Ever the taskmaster, she probably could have kept it going for a few more hours. Her dithering halted when the doorman rang up.

"Hello, good morning Miss Munroe. You have a delivery here. I can send it up, or would you like to come down and get it?"

"Send it up please Mark, thank you."

It has to be from someone else, I haven't order anything. I wonder what it could be? For the first time since arriving home yesterday Ororo's mind was completely off her situation with Kurt. She kept pondering over whom, what and why of this unexpected delivery right up till her doorbell rang.

"Miss Munroe?"

"Yes."

"These are for you."

In the delivery man's arms was the most colorful flower arrangement Ororo had ever seen. Blues so dark they almost looked black played a wonderful contrast to snow whites. Yellows the color of butter sat right next to vibrant oranges and deep luscious reds. "Oh my, how colorful and huge. Would you mind setting it on the table in the foyer?"

"Of course not." As he passed Ororo snapped up the card.

A splash of color for my dearest frau. It seems that I always miss the chance to tell you what your friendship means to me. I have decided maybe it is best if I just show you instead.

Kurt

Ororo stared at the card, mulling over his words - one word a little more than the others. Friendship, ok, it's like I thought. He has had some time to think about it and came to the same conclusion I did. This beautiful arrangement is a gesture to spare our friendship, not some romantic declaration. Good, this will make things easier when I go to see him… so why do I feel disappointed?

"Right here Miss?"

"Yes thank you, it looks lovely. Please just give me a moment to fetch my wallet." Ororo went back into her bedroom to get her purse. It was nowhere to be found. Rather than keep him waiting, Ororo got some singles out her cookie jar. "Here you are. Sorry about the wait. I couldn't find my... " Ororo cut herself off when a three-fingered hand clasped her wrist. Looking back at the face of the deliveryman she found two amber orbs, which seem to be holding all the mirth in the world. "Relax Ororo, it is only me."

"Kurt? What are you doing -"

Bamf!

End of chapter….

Well I hope that was enjoyable. I know it might feel like a step back after things heated up in last chapter but what can I say Kurt is just too hot and Ro needed the minute to breath. ;)

I promise things get steadily warm to hot from here starting in the very next chapter, Come fly with me.