Charles Xavier looked intently at the surly, rough and tumble man sitting in the leather chair opposite his desk. He was patiently waiting to hear his friend's opinion on the best course of action for the dilemma facing them right now. Logan's thoughts, as usual, were impenetrable. Xavier had learned a long time ago that the only way to know what the Canadian was thinking was to ask him outright, or wait until he was ready and willing to share. He suspected that the adamantium coating the feral's entire skeletal frame coupled with the beast that was part of him, shielded him perfectly from any telepathy, thus rendering his mind one of the hardest to infiltrate, even by the world's most powerful telepath.

Xavier smirked. The man across from him was one of his most trusted friends and valued X-Men. He remembered when the man first came to the mansion eight years ago, intent on carrying out his government sanctioned orders. Orders that stated in no uncertain terms that Charles Xavier was to be eliminated, leaving the method of his death to the assassin. The miniscule ounce of reluctance he sensed in the animalistic man, not to mention the gentle heart well hidden behind the blinding rage and ferocious temper, was just the opening he needed to save his life. As they stood faced off in this very room that moonless night all those years ago, they had arrived at a tentative truce. The Wolverine would spare his life and help Charles achieve his dream of mutant and human coexistence. Charles, in turn, would help him to piece together his stolen past, while taking the true reason for the Wolverine's emergence in his home to his grave.

Throughout the years, they had gotten to know each other and they counted each other as friends and confidantes. Charles had upheld his end of their bargain, giving Logan every clue and piece of information that came his way about the feral's missing past. Logan, for his part, dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the team, despite his differences with some of the team members. When the stoic mutant had eventually opened himself up to him, Charles knew then that he had accomplished a damn impossible goal…gaining the Wolverine's complete trust. Besides him, only two others had achieved that feat…Jubilee and their beloved Ororo.

Charles took great pleasure in having a front row seat to the evolving relationship between the former assassin and the wind rider. Ororo, from the very beginning, had sensed what the Wolverine needed and had given him her trust and friendship. The Wolverine, on the other hand, didn't trust so easily, but grudgingly gave her his respect and over time, his trust and love. Xavier knew the hardcore man felt the emotion just as strongly and keenly as he did pain and rage. He was delighted when Logan had chosen his adopted daughter and lauded her with all the love he possessed, albeit silently.

He watched as their selfish desires forced them to drift apart. Ororo's desperate want and perhaps need for a family of her very own and the Wolverine's desperate desire to recover his stolen past, leading them down different paths and away from their destiny as mates. Ororo's desperation had led her to accept the marriage proposal of a childhood friend, the newly minted Wakandan King and known Avenger T'Challa also known as the Black Panther. However, instead of preparing for her nuptials, Ororo had returned to the X-Men and picked up where she had left off, as if she had not resigned from the team. Though they celebrated her return to the X-Men, they were all stumped as to why she would give up becoming a figurehead of a nation, thus opening up herself to all she desired and every goal she wanted to attain. Knowing of the fierceness with which she guarded her privacy, no one dared to venture to ask her what happened. All they knew was that Ororo was a changed woman…a woman with scars where she was most vulnerable and attempting to mend the great hurt she was obviously experiencing.

The Wolverine's fears had led him to turn his back on the present and future in order to reconcile his past. His search had taken him away from home for eight full months to Canada, Germany, New Mexico and Washington DC. Oh, he had found what he was looking for and then some. He had learned of his extreme violent past, his true heritage, his age and how he had been used all of his long life by those he trusted. He learned of why he was created to be a weapon, of his tragic past in Japan and of his few lost loves. All in all, the man was having an extremely hard time coming to grips with his past and accepting who he was.

But of course, once fate was predestined, nothing or no one could disrupt it and the weather witch and the feral found their way back to each other. When the commotion that resulted with their return home died down, Xavier knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were both altered in mind and spirit, needing each other more than they could have ever dreamt of. Ororo, once again was desperate, desperately in need of Logan's care and attention to help her mend both the physical and obvious emotional trauma she had endured over the last few months. And Logan was in desperate need of Ororo's wisdom and serenity to help him make sense of the recovered memories of his violent and tragic past and to reconcile who he was with what he had become. Their future depended on the strong and deep love he knew they held for each other.

So, now, here he was, waiting for the Wolverine's opinion on how to deal with their current problem. Ororo was in a medically induced coma. Thanks to the worthless scum of the once hate group the Church of Humanity, his daughter was going to have the fight of her life. He hated seeing her in the state she was currently in down in the medical ward and knew that as her father, he had to do something to get back the once vivacious, loving, nurturing peaceful woman he knew. She would survive her physical injuries, but the emotional ones bothered him a great deal. Ororo had always kept her feelings to herself, kept too much locked away inside. He knew that if anyone could get through the shield she had guarding her damaged heart, it would be the Wolverine. However, they both needed the time and space to do so. So it was with great clarity that he had come up with this plan. A plan to help the two stubborn mutants realize what he had always known. His plan would give them both the chance they needed to come to terms with their relationship, to accept their love for each other, to reconcile the past and to begin building their future. Xavier was not going to let this opportunity past them by and he would do all in his power to help the two tragic mutants find the happiness they so richly deserve.

But those weren't his only motives for wanting Ororo far and safely away from New York. He didn't have to be a telepath to know that King T'Challa was bound to make an appearance in search of his intended soon. Ororo being away from here when that happened was in both hers and Logan's best interests. Especially after suspecting what happened between the two proud Africans, the Panther and the Wolverine in the same space would sure set off a chain reaction of events that were bound to have far reaching consequences and Charles for one didn't want to test those boundaries. So, it was with bated breath he waited for the Wolverine to reject or accept the plan.

As soon as his eyes had popped open this morning, the X-Men leader had requested his presence in his office. Logan, hating having the man in his head, especially first thing in the morning, when he was somewhat vulnerable, had agreed, but not before warning Charles to not do that again. As he went about showering and dressing, his mind as always strayed to thoughts of Ororo. He knew he needed to do something to help her with her recovery, but what it was continued to elude him and he knew he was bound to go stark crazy if he didn't come up with a plan to help her soon.

As he prepared himself for the day and made his journey down to Charles' sanctuary, curiosity had him up in arms about what in the hell his baldheaded friend could want so early in the morning. Instinct told him it was important, as he had sensed eagerness and something else he couldn't put his finger on in Charles' mental summons. He stood before the oak door, but before he could knock, he heard, "Come in, Logan."

Logan opened the door and greeted Charles with a scowl. "Ya know I hate when ya do that."

Charles smiled faintly. "My apologies Logan, but I must keep the great Wolverine on his toes."

Logan shook his head. "Whatever ya say, Chuck." He took a seat and gave the Professor his undivided attention.

"I am sure you are wondering why I called you in here this early," Charles began, his own gaze trained on the Canadian.

Logan grunted. "Yeah. The thought cross my mind."

Knowing of the Wolverine's penchant for impatience, Charles got right to the point. "This is very important old friend. It has to do with Ororo."

Logan immediately perked up upon hearing the Goddess' name. He shifted slightly in the seat he occupied. "Yeah, what 'bout her?"

The Professor immediately picked up on the excitement that practically radiated off of Logan. He carefully hid the smirk just behind his lips. "I think I have a way to help with her recovery."

Wolverine grunted. "I'm listenin'."

"I have decided to put both of you on an indefinite leave from the team. I…"

Logan growled. "Ya kickin' me off the team?"

Charles held up his hands, silently asking for Logan to hear him out. "No, I am not." He sighed, then pressed a button on his wheelchair, which enabled him to wheel towards where Logan was sitting. "Logan, Ororo is hurt very badly. And not just physically. She needs help. Help I am afraid, none of us here can give to her," he paused, "except you."

Logan's eyebrows shot up and he allowed the Professor to continue. "I believe it would be in both of your best interests if you are away from here to heal."

"What'cha mean both 'o our best interests?"

"You need help too, Logan," Charles stated bluntly. "Even though you do not admit it nor talk about it, I know finding out about your past has shaken you to the core."

The silence that followed was tense and Charles waited for Logan to blow his top. He was shocked when the man stood abruptly and began pacing the length of his oriental rug. "I ain't even goin' ta ask ya how ya know that."

Charles was stunned by Logan's admission, but he kept his visage passive.

Logan stopped his pacing and turned to face his mentor. "Why ya think I could help her?"

"Am I wrong?" Charles retorted passionately. He leveled the stubborn man with an intense gaze that told Logan he knew everything. Logan had no choice but to look away.

"No. No, yer not," he admitted wearily before sinking his metal-laced frame in the chair. "What is it yer proposin' I do, Chuck?"

"I propose that both of you go someplace where you are allotted the time and space away from everything to get your lives in order and to heal. That is why I have placed you both on an indefinite leave from the team and all missions." Charles sighed deeply, before turning and wheeling himself to the huge arched ceiling to floor window that took up the entire wall behind his desk. Looking out at the immaculate grounds, he forged on. "Logan, I believe you are what Ororo currently needs and Ororo is what you need as well. I suspect that she experienced some emotional trauma in Wakanda. It was so damaging that it brought her back to us a broken woman. I am afraid that if we allow her to wallow in that trauma, then we'll lose her."

Charles turned from the window to face the Wolverine once again. "I for one do not want to lose her. Do you? You are the one to get her back to being the Ororo we all know and love. She needs you Logan," he implored emphatically.

Logan lowered his face into his hands, unable to take Charles' forceful look. He wanted to help Ororo, knew he had to help her, but how could he with all the shit swirling inside his broken mind? He looked up, pure vulnerability written all over his face. "I know I have ta help Charles."

Xavier hid his grin. Logan only referred to him by his given name when he was deadly serious. "So are you going to do it?"

Logan stood up and laughed mirthlessly. "Do I have a choice? But how the hell can I help her, when I need help my damn self? Look at me Chuck? I'm a broken man. What the hell do I got ta offer her?"

"All the love and care we both know she needs and we both know that you are more than capable of giving."

At those honest heartfelt words, Logan stopped pretending. "What if I fail her? I already did once and it led her ta that piece 'o shit bastard." He stood, angry at the thought of what T'Challa could have done to 'Ro to bring her to her knees emotionally. "I tell ya Chuck, if I ever get my hands on that piece of…"

"You will not fail her," Charles stated ardently, attempting to stare the conversation back to helping Ororo. He wanted his focus on Ororo, not on setting off an international incident by murdering a nation's ruler. "You are the Wolverine. The best at what you do. You love her and would do anything for her. I have the utmost confidence that you will prevail."

"Shit, Chuck. With that much pressure, how the hell am I ta say no?"

Charles smirked. "No pressure, my friend. Just my faith in you."

Logan's lips lifted into something resembling a smile. "I just don't want ta hurt her any more than she already is."

"I can guarantee you that you not doing this will hurt her beyond repair."

"Damn." After a few moments of silence of staring down the Professor, Logan relented. "Ok. Ok. Ya don't have ta beg."

Charles laughed out loud. "Whatever you need will be at your disposal, my friend."

"Good. I'm in charge 'o her physical therapy and training from here on out. What I say goes. Nobody ain't gonna step in and challenge my authority."

"Ah…mighty words from the Wolverine," Charles muttered laughingly. "You have my word. Am I wrong in assuming you have already decided to take her to Canada?"

Logan snorted. "As if ya didn't know that already. Yer a nosy old man."

Charles smiled. "When do you leave?"

"As soon as Blue and Jeannie give the go ahead ta move her and I can get some supplies tagether."

Charles clapped his hands together cheerfully. "Splendid. I will begin making preparations for your journey. Please provide me with a list of what you will need."

Logan raised a brow in amusement, not accustomed to seeing the telepath so elated. "Sure thing, Chuck." He moved towards the door. With his hand on the doorknob, he turned his head to look at his friend, the man he was sent to kill so long ago, the man who had irrevocably changed his life. "Thanks fer everythin' Chuck."

Charles knew the weight Logan's gratitude carried. "No thanks necessary, old friend. Now go along. I know you are anxious to see her."

"Nothin' ever get by ya, does it?"

"Please keep that in mind."

With a grunt, Logan left Charles' domain, eager to feast his eyes on the love of his life.