Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, except for Aurora, Granite and Serpentine, and the weapons I gave to Orion, plus her name. But the character itself remains Marvel's. Plot is mine though.

Throughout story: " " = Speech ' ' = Thoughts ^ ^ = Telepath

To LoneEagle13 Wow, that review was astonishing! I loved it, I love detailed reviews that have great depth for they make a wonderful thing to read and it makes the author extremely happy to see reviewers to pick up on things that they slid in rather subtly.

(Aimed to all) The only bit that got my concerned was the stuff about Jean. You are right! I haven't mentioned her, only at the beginning! Man, I feel so dumb. I got carried away with the relationship of Logan and Aurora developing to think about Jean. I would think that Logan ahs put it to the back of his mind, because Aurora's appearance has spurred up a lot of new emotions and thoughts with her been related to his past and all. so I would say that he doesn't mention it because he doesn't want to.. but Scott.. *sigh* I had originally decided to make him arrogant and crabby as a way of him dealing with grief, and to purposely direct it to Logan. But I can see why those idea's haven't reached anyone. Cos I didn't mention them! .

This chapter is going have Jean's influence into it. And I shall certainly bring her into future chapters, especially when fights develop.

God. I feel so dumb. x.x;

Get your hankies out for this chapter folks. It's a tearful one, if you're like me. D:

Chapter 40

Logan didn't take her far, just up into the silent corridors where the stench of death and unhappiness grew faint and stopped tugging at his emotions. Aurora was still visibly upset, shaking her head and staring off with tearful eyes, the hand slipping from her waist to cover at her mouth, trying to console herself, all from one word that brought back too many painful memories.

Logan just watched her for a moment, waiting for her to try and regain some form of control. She wasn't doing very well, for tears crept out of her eyes and began to stain her pale cheeks. The running of tears shimmered softly from the sunlight that blasted merrily through the windows, her eyes being lit up by reflection.

And within those few seconds a dull wham hit Logan from inside, his stomach suddenly feeling tight and his chest taking in air far quickly than it should. After all those months of solid emotion, nothing managing to break through the control he had on his feelings suddenly shattered, and he found himself drowning in a series of feelings he had only a few months ago.. When Jean was alive.

Aurora was now leaning against the wall, a few feet from him. Her head was in her hands and she was crying quietly, fingers hiding her face from the world, wanting everything to close in on her and leave her alone to give her time to understand why she felt so reliant upon her memories and why she felt so lost without Alkali Lake.

Logan just stood there, feeling his soul cave in to the emotions. He recognised it.. He only had it once before, as far as he could remember. He had it for so long, and it wasn't worth the time, for it was snatched from his grip and left wounds that could never be healed, not even by his mutation.

His feelings for Jean. That was it. That's why they were so familiar. The sense of longing had now began to rattle at his mind, a sense of security in how warm he felt from the flood of happiness that managed to melt and let his usually hidden expression of positive emotions be free and soar along.

Logan stepped over to her, her crying painful to have to listen to, for it now wrenched at his heart unlike he felt before. His arms gave in with being restrained and wrapped around the shoulders of Aurora, cradling the distraught female inside his warm band of strength, a sense of security glowing from him and comforting the plagued mind of Aurora.

Aurora looked up, wiping a falling tear from her cheek, "I'm sorry." She said softly.

"For what?" He answered, looking down at her, a warmth radiating strongly from his gaze.

"Me.. I must bring back so many terrible memories for you."

Logan said nothing, but remained embracing her.

"I can't help it.." She said softly, "Every little thing that reminds me, it tears me up inside and leaves me feeling so lost."

"You're not lost.." Muttered Logan gently in her ear, "You're just confused with your memories, you don't know what to do for the best, and you don't know what is right for you and what's wrong. You feel like your world in falling in and there's nothing left to hold you anymore."

Aurora looked to him, astonished by how true he was, how everything he said made such perfect sense to her.

"Do what I did." He murmured softly, holding her close, "Believe in yourself."

"Believe in myself?"

"You know who you are. You're Aurora, a shape shifter. You belong in this place with us. Nothing else matters but the present and future. The past is a mistake that needs to be left behind." Logan spoke softly, transferring his words to her ears, trying to coax her memories to rest and stop hurting this woman so that didn't deserve the distraught. He held her close in his arms, trying to support his feeling into her to refresh her mind of her past.

But it was all too short, for whilst he had her in his arms, guilt now racked at his brain, mocking and laughing and Aurora felt Logan slip from her, not being able to do it. He couldn't touch her, he couldn't think of her for memories of Jean were resurfacing and demanding attention that he had tried to hide.

*** To view pictures and detailed profiles of my created characters, visit: (www.freewebs.com/xwotw)

*bawls into her hanky and asks for hugs from random reviewers* Hug? HUG?? ;.;

(Sorry Goth, I did warn you that some romancy stuff may creep in. But hey, Aurora needs someone there for her. *sniffles into hankie*)