Disclaimer's: Still don't own X-Men... I wish I did, but... Yes, I realize Wolverine is MAJORLY OOC in this fic, but I'm seriously sick and tired of people assuming that just because he's rough around the edges, he has no feelings. He is actually very sensitive in my opinion. He just has a tough guy image to keep up. Deal with his sensitivity or stop now. It might get mushy later...

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I screwed this up big time. Granted, I did the best I could. I just got all the major points confused, that's all...

Damn! Why are women so difficult? Why couldn't they just look at things generally instead of analyzing every little detail? It would've been JUST FINE if Storm wouldn't have focused on the things that were a little confusing! She could've asked me to explain the points that were misleading, she could've just focused on the 'I love you' part, but no! She analyzed it and now, she hates me and thinks I'm a lecher. Great! At least it wasn't my fault...

Now, Logan, you say, don't you think you're a little at fault for this? You could've run your speech by Jean before saying it to Storm. Then Jean would've caught the bad, misleading points and-

Oh, shut the bloody hell up! I know it's my fault! Don't rub it in, or I'll rub my claws into you!

Fine, you say, just trying to help...

Thanks anyway, I don't need help. I'll fix it by myself the second I figure out where to start...

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The best way to start is to retrace your steps... No, that's when you've lost something. Come to think of it, there probably isn't a place to start with women. Yeah, that's right. There's a saying that says 'There are 2 ways of dealing with women; Neither one works.' This probably applies to this.

OK, Storm's upset because she thinks the only reason I like her is because I can't have Jean. This is not true. She doesn't know that, though. She only knows what she heard, and what she heard wasn't too good, from the women's point of view. I don't know the woman's point of view, I know the guys point of view. They seem to be opposites, though. Maybe I could work backwards...

No, then I'll confuse myself and make a bigger mess. I need to think calmly and rationally, which might not happen because I have the urge to shred something.

Let's try this: I said, 'It's because you're taking Jean's place.'

She heard, 'Taking Jean's place because Logan can't have Jean.'

What she should've heard was, 'Jean doesn't matter to me as much anymore because I love you more than I ever did her.'

Well, you say, if that's what you wanted her to hear, that's what you should've said instead of assuming she'd get it on her own.

Didn't I tell you to go away?

Sorry...

Anyways...: Then I said, 'I love you now.' She heard, 'Now that he doesn't have Jean.' What I wanted her to hear was, 'I love you for who and what you are. When you're around, nothing else matters.' God help me, have I been bitten, or have I been bitten?

Now that I know what I want her to hear, I need to find a way to say it to her that she'll understand. That is not going to be easy, considering she's avoiding me.

I could write her a note... but she might rip it up and not read it. I could have someone(maybe Jean) tell her for me... No, that's cheap. It makes me look like a coward, or like I don't care enough to tell her myself.

I'm going to have to tell her face to face. Now, to think of a way to get her to listen...

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I decided to opt for the direct approach. I caught her after her class and said, "Storm, can I talk to you, please?"

"Logan," she started to say.

"Can I talk to you?" I repeated, "I know you're mad at me and I think I know why. I'd like a chance to explain and clarify a few things, please."

"I don't think-"

"Storm, how often do I say please?" I said, "The fact that I've been polite and nice, in my opinion, should tell you how important this is. Can I talk to you, please?"

She looked at her watch, "I have a half an hour before I have to teach again." She led me into her empty classroom, "Talk."

I started out good, I think, "I think I know why you're so upset with me. You think the only reason I'm interested in you is because I can't have Jean, right?"

Storm nodded.

"Well," I said, "That's not true. The reason I'm not interested in Jean anymore is because of you. I realized that I had feelings for you, thought about them, realized it was for real, and then I realized that when I was thinking of you, Jean didn't compare."

Storm's eyes were unreadable.

"I think the only reason I wanted Jean was because I couldn't have her," I said, "It was never love. It was lust; There's a difference, at least to me."

Storm nodded. At least she wasn't looking mad...

"So, I'm telling you this again," I said, "I love you. Not because I can't have Jean, but because you're you and that makes you pretty damn good in my book." I sat back and waited for a reaction.

Storm just looked at me.

"Well?" I asked, "You have a rebuttal on why you don't like me? Any explanation?"

She sighed, "Your emotions come and go, Logan. I don't want to love you back if it's just for now. I don't do flings."

"Neither do I," I said.

"Really?" Storm asked, "What do you define as a fling? A week? Two? You never seem to get attached to people. You were attached to Jean and now you say it was just lust. It took you finding someone new to realize you never really loved her. What if you find someone new and realize that I was just the bookmark until you found someone to fill the next page?"

I was rendered speechless by this. What do you say to that?

She continued, "Would you love me tomorrow if you found someone else who wanted you tonight? I don't think you would. I'm sorry, Logan. It doesn't seem like you know what you want from this." She got up and started to walk out the door.

"I know what I want," I said, "I want you."

"Yes," she said, "You do. But for how long? Until another available woman comes along? One who doesn't question your motives?"

Well, this was going just great, "Storm, listen to me-"

"I've been listening," she said, "I thought maybe I had misunderstood you before and part of me wanted you to come back and tell me I was being foolish. I almost wish I weren't right the first time. Good bye, Logan." She left.

I sat there and put my head in my hands. She doesn't think I really love her. How do you convince someone of that?

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Well? What do you think? Do they still have a chance to get together with all these misunderstandings? I honestly don't know how this will turn out, so REVIEW with ideas for the outcome!

Thanx, ja ne! The Management