AN: I like Scott a lot, he's interesting to me. Unfortunately, he's going to get the short end of the stick here. Sorry. Much of this story will eventually be rewritten; I can't help but cringe at parts.
Gathering his breath, Logan gingerly exited the Danger Room, intent on finding Ororo. As he felt his leg completely heal, he snapped his head up to catch the passing scents. Ignoring the permeating scents of wood and sweat that always occupied the area outside the Danger Room, Logan concentrated. There. Leading upstairs, Ororo's scent. Stalking to the end of the hall, Logan allowed his fingers to trail over the wood panels until he reached the elevator.
Stabbing at the button, Logan growled in impatience. He never did care for machines to do the work for him, but the stairs were on the other end of the floor, and his impatience with the elevator did not outweigh his desire to take the easier route. A ding, and the doors slid open, allowing Wolverine to enter the metallic chamber. He punched the attic button, and tapped his foot as the doors closed. Someday, he would have to convince Xavier to install Blackbird engines under the elevator. This waiting crap was overrated.
Another ding, and the doors opened to reveal the expansive attic entrance. Logan steadied himself, and tapped lightly on Ororo's heavy door. "'Ro? You in there?"
Not hearing a response, he cracked open the door to see Storm sitting on her bed, shuffling through some yellowing papers. "Yes, Logan?" she questioned, clearly exasperated. "What can you want now?" Before he could answer, Ororo held up her hand to silence him, and turned to her drawers, opening the topmost drawer.
She searched for something unknown, and finally found it. Eyes hard, she turned back to Logan, and handed him two hundred dollars. "What's this for?"
"Hire yourself a hooker," she snapped. It was obvious that Yukio had been rubbing off on her. "I do not wish to sit here and play little lusting games, Logan." Crossing the room, she threw open her closet and pulled out a dark wig. "You can even bleach this so you can pretend it is me. Whatever your obsession or fetish, find someone else."
"That's not what I…"
"Then what?" Ororo shot back, clearly irritated. "What is it that you want so badly that you insist on following me halfway around the world and placing your nose into my life?"
Logan lowered his eyes. "I want to apologize," he forced out. Retractions had never come easily to the man who lived his life in the moment.
Ororo arched an eyebrow. "Really?" Her voice was doubtful and edged, as if she did not believe the words leaving his lips.
"Yeah." He shuffled his feet a bit. Why did she insist on making him draw this out? "I've been a possessive ass."
"The devil you say!" she sang out, slightly amused.
"Can you forgive me?"
Ororo looked at her longtime friend, who was unmistakably uncomfortable apologizing. A smile turned up one side of her mouth. "Of course. Come here." Crossing the distance in between them, she gathered him up in a tight embrace. "You will always be my dear friend, no matter how many times I feel the need to fry you."
Logan chuckled a bit, and gripped Ororo's waist tightly. "Just like that, I'm forgiven?"
"I have better things to do than to hold grudges against stupid wolves who like to think macho thoughts, do I not?"
"Truce, I deserved that one."
Ororo let go of Logan, and sat back down on the edge of her bed. As he turned to leave, she called to him. "And Logan?"
"Yes?"
She winked. "That kiss may have helped your forgiveness just a little bit."
Logan smirked with male pride. "And this two hundred dollars will buy me a lot of damned good beer," he bragged. Reaching into his back pocket, he fished for the elusive pair of bills. "Where…"
A flash of green caught his acute peripheral vision. "You mean this two hundred dollars?" A small smile graced Storm's lips as she triumphantly held up the money.
Logan shook his head, laughing quietly. "Once a pickpocket, always a pickpocket, eh 'Ro?"
Ororo just let her eyes flash as she tucked the money into her bra strap. "As I always say, it never hurts to keep your skills sharp."
______________________
All the X-Men, aside from Scott, that were currently at the mansion were lounging around the recreation room, either reading or watching a Harrison Ford movie. Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, and Jean sat engrossed in the explosions and plot of the movie, while Storm and Beast caught up on their reading, the former idly glancing up and musing that Harrison Ford had aged remarkably well.
Cyclops poked his head in the door, a concerned look on his face. "X-Men, to the War Room."
Assorted protests, and a thrown pillow from Jean marked their reluctance. "We have activity from the FOH going on, and it's not pretty."
The mood turned somber and everyone hastily filed out of the room, to the television's strains of "Get off my plane!"
The starkness of the War Room aided in the focus of everyone present as Scott called up the video screens. "It seems as if we have another hostage situation. With their success at felling one of us last time," his eyes flickered briefly to Ororo," they must have figured to try again, same strategy."
"How many are they keeping incapacitated?" Beast requested.
Fingers dancing across the buttons, Scott glanced at a side monitor. "Two. Two small boys with obvious physical mutations."
"Well, let's go," Logan urged. He stood and popped his claws. "I wouldn't mind stopping them again."
"In a moment, Wolverine," Scott ordered. "Now, I want Ororo to stay behind to keep an eye out here. With the Professor out of town, we can't be too careful."
Ororo shook her head. "I wish to accompany you on this mission, Scott."
"No," Cyclops commanded. "I want you here."
Beast cleared his throat. "I could perhaps remain here and prep the Med Room in case of an emergency. We do not know the condition the two boys will be in."
"Fine. Storm and Beast will remain here."
Ororo smacked her hands flat on the table, causing everyone to jump a bit. "I will be joining you on this mission, understand?"
Scott's posture stiffened in response. "Damn it, Storm, I don't want to pull rank, but if I have to…"
Violently, Ororo stood, her chair flying away from her. "Rank, Cyclops?" Her eyes narrowed, and Logan could feel her energy gather. "Need I remind you that the last time we battled over leadership, I won?" She allowed a stray bolt of lightning to flash across her face. "Care to test your luck again?"
The two leaders stared each other down, neither giving in. Jean and Remy sat in surprise at Ororo's outright disobedience, while Rogue silently cheered Storm on. Logan, on the other hand, suppressed an urge to yell, "That's my girl!"
Scott's shoulders sank, tired of this game. "Fine. Storm will accompany us. Let's move out, X-Men!"
________________________
"Rogue, you go and get the two boys. We'll provide cover." In uniform, the assorted mutants stood outside the Blackbird, on a neighboring rooftop. They could see the alleyway where the two boys were being held. Ororo fought down a wave of déjà vu at the striking similarity to her last encounter with the Friends of Humanity.
"No, I will go." Before anyone could say differently, Ororo called the winds to her, and she took off towards the boys, oblivious to Scott's cursing.
"Alright, we're backups. Keep them busy!"
Ororo forced the winds harder and faster, propelling herself down faster and faster. If she could successfully do this, it would finally complete this chapter in her life, and she could move on. She glanced up, and saw the snipers in waiting. A blast of snow, and they were encased in a complete whiteout, unable to fire. In the recesses of her mind, she could hear the distinctive sounds of a battle; Scott's optic blasts, Logan's yells, Rogue's taunts. Blocking them out, she concentrated on the task at hand.
"Help!"
Squinting, Ororo spotted the two boys. Twins, both a pale green hue, huddled together for support and comfort. Another burst of speed, and she shot down towards them before pain exploded in her side. A bullet had gone completely through, and she cried out. Not this time. Not again. Gritting her teeth, she forced the throbbing to a backburner, and she swept down and grabbed the two boys. Smacking her communicator, she yelled, "I have them!"
"Drop them off at the Blackbird! We'll meet you there!"
Clutching the two tightly, Ororo flew back to the waiting plane, blood seeping out onto her uniform. She placed the two down, and Jean yelled for her to stay and get that wound treated. But Ororo wouldn't listen. Listening would be failing once again. One bullet would not stop her. Flying straight up into the air, she began to form a large vortex of wind, and aimed it at the FOH soldiers. Once the winds settled into their spiral pattern, she directed the slicing winds towards the FOH, intending to blow them to kingdom come.
"Winds, carry them to a far away place!" The tornado surged forward, skipping over the X-Men and catching onto the FOH troops. Another flash of pain passed through her as another bullet entered her abdomen. But, she did not drop; she pushed the tornado onward, ridding the city of the FOH. As soon as her task was satisfied, she did fall, plummeting to the earth while trying to remain conscious. Rogue caught her in midair, and immediately took her to the Blackbird.
Logan was already on the communicator back to the mansion. "Beast! 'Ro's hurt! Get ready!"
I did it. Storm smiled as Logan feverishly grasped her hand, telling her to hang on. Finally, I did it. I redeemed myself. Then, her world went dark.
AN2: One chapter to go-o! *dances around in joy*
Ninamonkey: Uhhh, sequel? *gets evil glint in eye* You might want to reconsider…
Rhapsody: Taking names? Really? Hmm, there's an idea. *grabs notepad* Oh, Hugh Jackman and James Marsden, can I have a word? ;)
Bard: Well, I'm glad ya liked it. Now, can you do my writing for me?
Minarya: It's reviews like yours that make me get that evil author power thing going. It's so intoxicating. :)
Icequeen: Sadly, it's not a joke. *bawls*
Scififreak: Nah, they only knew that she was coming. Well, that and that Logan was wearing teddy-bear underwear. Shhh. ;)