Saints and Sinners – By Darlin

AN – To all who've been kind enough to review I'm glad to see you're enjoying this as much as I am and thanks for taking the time to review.  Amber Myst, here's your update; bluebell, I quite agree with you – they should give Logan a normal relationship and a happy life for a change; Dark Topaz, hope this update is fast enough for you; Isis Aurora Tomoe, glad you're enjoying the Jean and Hank silliness; LilWolvie, there may be a little bump in the road this chapter, just a wee bit; orlimoon, reviews like yours will definitely inspire me; Shadowface, this chapter is a little longer than usual and I'm working on the next; and xmenloganfan, I appreciate the feedback, again I'm really trying to get this story together as quickly as I can.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chapter Eight – Confusion,  Confrontations, and Much Contemplation

We last left Logan and Ororo riding through Central Park in a horse drawn carriage just as the same confusing thought occurred to them exactly at the same time – that their date was a big mistake. Logan hadn't planned to put his arm around Ororo and at first he didn't even realize he'd done so but when his thoughts started getting the better of him he rather abruptly came to his senses and immediately jerked his arm away. Ororo was startled at the sudden movement and turned to see what was wrong.  She saw Logan staring off into the distance as if he were looking for something so she too turned and searched the landscape. When she saw there was nothing of note she turned back to Logan who was now looking straight ahead.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Thought I saw Spiderman," he replied dryly.

"As in Peter?"

"Do you know any other Spiderman?" he quipped.

She didn't appreciate the snide attitude but she asked politely, "Where did you see him?"

"Um . . . over there but he's gone now," Logan said with a vague wave of his hand.

"Oh.  Too bad he didn't stop to say hi. We haven't seen him in a long time."


"Huh? Oh, yeah. Hey, driver we gotta get to Dartagnan's can you get us there fast?"

"Can't leave the park till after eleven tanight buddy," the driver informed him.

They both Looked at their watches – fifteen more minutes. Ororo looked around wondering where Peter Parker was and what he was doing in the park and if he needed their help. Logan looked around wishing he'd just driven them home.  The whole horse and buggy ride, like flaming tourist, was just too romantic for his taste. He didn't know what had come over him taking her to Central Park and all. Well, he knew all right but he didn't like it. The girl – and he definitely meant 'girl' – was starting to get to him and he didn't like that one bit either. Oh, yeah he'd like to get into her pants – what hot blooded male wouldn't? But he'd been having fun all night without even thinking about that and that just wasn't right. It ain't normal, he told himself.

"Bub, stop the horse so we can get out," Logan barked, his voice almost desperate.

The driver seemed not to have heard him as the horse kept clomping steadily along.

"Are you in a hurry to get back?" Ororo asked with a touch of resentment in her soft voice.

Logan turned to Ororo, looked at her then turned away. Don't look at her, he told himself. Don't look, don't talk, just wait it out an' it'll be over before I know it, he thought.

"If you're in such a hurry to leave then let's go," Ororo said with a look of disgust which Logan missed although he didn't miss the anger in her voice.

A strong breeze hit him pretty hard and Logan, despite his resolve, glanced at Ororo only to find she was gone.

"What . . . where did . . .?"

"Come with me if you want to live," Ororo laughed as she held her hand out, arm outstretched while floating above him.

Her short dress was billowing up around her hips as she waited for him to respond. He couldn't help but stare. I mean what man wouldn't? White lacy panties, not quite thongs but cut off in the back midway – he didn't know what they were called but he liked what he saw.

"Yer showin' yerself to all of New York, darling," he finally drawled when he'd collected himself.

"You didn't think of that when I flew us over here?" Ororo asked ruefully. "This is New York, Logan and it'll take more than my big behind to shock them."

"Just cover yerself up," he stammered uncharacteristically as he glanced around to see who else might be enjoying the sight of her tantalizing unmentionables.

Ororo laughed, reached down, looking a little bit like Tinkerbell without the wand, and grabbed Logan's arm. Rising back up into the air she forced Logan along with her.

"Yow! Are you crazy?" Logan yelled.

She laughed without answering but continued to drag him through the air until they reached the SUV. She let him go some distance before reaching the ground and with a curt wave she took off at a speed that he hadn't known she possessed. Logan fell like a sack of rocks but he landed on the pads of his feet much like a tiger would. He watched her disappear into the night while rubbing the back of his head and wondering, totally baffled, what had gotten into her?  

What had gotten into Ororo quite specifically was Logan or rather her incomprehensible feelings towards him. She realized it was foolish of her not to have thought that dinner meant a date but it was just plain stupid for her to have allowed the evening to actually turn into a real date in her mind as the night had progressed. And apparently Logan must have felt the same way – why else would he have been in such a hurry to ditch her? She almost couldn't blame him. Neither of them needed further complications in their lives especially with Hank and Jean living with them but his eagerness to get away from her as quickly as he could hurt.  She couldn't deny that.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


It was in the wee morning hours when Logan finally arrived back at the house. He hadn't bothered to return straight away. Instead, he'd stopped off at a favorite bar, ran into some acquaintances, and had a rousing good time getting as drunk as he reasonably could with a healing factor working overtime to prevent insobriety. He parked the SUV in the garage.  Yes he drove back semi-drunk which we all know is foolish and wrong, but one must allow that his regenerative faculties aided him considerably.  He then sauntered up to the house where he picked up a very familiar scent which stopped him in his tracks.

"So you want to explain yourself?" Ororo asked as she leapt from her window and landed in front of him clad in only a long silk robe.

"You should be sleeping."

"I couldn't."

"Well it's late – get some sleep."

"I can't."

"Well I can so I'll see you later."

"Oh, no you don't! Listen, I want – I need to know what happened tonight."

Moonlight streamed over Ororo making her look more becoming than he cared for. He looked away wondering how he could work up the nerve to tell her why he'd panicked. He barely understood it himself.

"I felt like you were kicking me to the curb!" Ororo raged.

"Kinda like how you dropped me on the curb, eh?"

"Maybe," she said with a devilish smile.

He sighed but remained silent. They stood there looking at each other, neither moving nor desiring to be the first to admit what was going. Finally Logan looked past her when he smelled someone he had no desire to see just then. Ororo didn't see Hank lumbering up behind her but she saw a look of anger flash on Logan's face.

"It's past curfew, kids," Hank said in his deep voice as he came up to them.

"Curfew?" Ororo spun around and studied Hank with disdain. "Since when did you become dorm mom?"

"That's funny, Ororo. Ha. Ha. Ha. But if you must know I was upgrading the security system when I saw there was a glitch. As it came from your room I thought I'd see what you did to bypass the system. I really felt it was fail proof this time but you always seem to get past anything I can design."

"I haven't found a lock or a security system yet that I can't outsmart," Ororo remarked confidently.

"Your skills are indeed exceptional, that I must admit.  Perhaps we can discuss this in the morning.  I mean if you can still get out there's something wrong.  I'll have to recalibrate the system.  Maybe Forge can come down and help me figure out . . ."

Hank started back to the house mumbling absently to himself. He hadn't once looked at Logan.

"Are you coming?" Hank asked turning back to the pair when he realized that neither of them had moved.

"In a minute," Ororo said.

The hair on Hank bristled as he stomped back inside.  He'd been on his very best behavior and had thought Logan's and Ororo's little squabble would have made Ororo prefer to be with him.  Once inside he stealthily hid behind a curtain hanging from an open window where he could observe their every move.

"I just don't understand you," Ororo said. "Why did you want to get rid of me all of a sudden?"

Logan glared at her. He was tired of her. He was tired of Hank and he was tired of himself for that matter – letting some skirt get to him like he was a kid fresh out of junior high – it didn't make a lick of sense. To make matters worse he could still smell Hank which meant the Beast was probably lingering nearby watching them. That man's stench was going to make Logan snap. Right now all he wanted to do was rip out someone's heart and he knew exactly whose heart he wanted. He'd rip out Hank's heart and feast on the bloody organ without a moments remorse.   Yeah . . . good thoughts, good thoughts, he was thinking with a quirky lopsided grin.

The sudden gleam of bloodlust in Logan's eyes made Ororo take a step back. He looked dark and vicious in the moonlight, not handsome in a rugged or even cowboyish way, just plain dark and scary. She could sense the rage within him and it made her feel ashamed of herself. What had she been thinking? There was no way she and Logan – no she refused to ever think like that again. There was no she and Logan!  She'd made a horrible mistake trusting him.  Her trust in Logan had caused her to break up with Hank the man she probably should still be with. 

Logan smiled outright but his smile was anything but friendly. It was daring and sly and too, full of lust. Ororo felt unexplainably drawn to him and yet repelled by him also.

"Let's just say you're no Jean," Logan said in the deepest, quietest, and roughest voice that Ororo had ever heard.

"No . . . I'm not," Ororo said with a smile that was tight and forced.

His words startled her, cutting her to the quick, but she refused to let him see he had gotten to her.  Her heart was pounding in her chest so hard she felt it might explode. Her hands turned icy cold and she fought down the sudden urge to hit him. She wanted to punch him so hard he would feel it the next day and the next.  Then as suddenly as the darkness had settled over Logan's features his face quickly became blank and unconcerned. He stepped past her and went inside leaving Ororo to wonder what had just happened.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Neither Hank, Ororo, nor Logan were able to sleep much during the remainder of the night and morning came all too soon. Ororo hated mornings. She had always been a night person which actually came in handy when one was a thief. She hated more than anything not being able to sleep in or not being able to sleep at all. Looking at the clock slowly moving from one minute to another hour after hour only made her tenser than she was. The only times she hadn't been able to sleep before were when she and Hank had fought. Thinking of Hank now made her feel guilty and foolish.  Hank had actually been nice, and pleasant, and non-confrontational last night. He'd been polite and kind even. He hadn't once gone all crazy and he'd ignored Logan without acting all macho just like a real man should do or so Ororo thought.

It made her wonder if she had underestimated Hank. She hoped she hadn't because where would that leave her now? She didn't have a clue. She had truly cared for Hank. It wasn't love, she now knew this but she had cared deeply for him.  It didn't matter to her if he was blue and furry or orange and built like a rocky pile or muscles; she had liked him for who he was – intelligent, sweet, strong, and confident – not because Xavier was controlling her mind.  Feeling restless and agitated she sat up in her bed wondering if maybe Hank had been justified in the way he'd acted towards Logan when he'd seen them together.  After all, she had been seriously tempted to punch the living daylights out of Logan last night.  Maybe Logan was just the type of person that grated on your nerves and you couldn't help but want to smack him.  Certainly you couldn't trust him.

Well, that wasn't the truth.  No matter how much she wished it was she knew it wasn't.  Painting Hank in a good light and Logan in a bad light wasn't going to make everything better.  She knew Hank was wonderfully brilliant but he was also self-centered and he had never understood the nuances of maintaining a relationship.  She'd always felt as if she was the last item on his list of things to do – oops, forgot I gotta spend time with my girlfriend, guess I can spare 30 minutes.  And Logan, he wasn't always annoyingly cocky and arrogant and mean.  She'd truly believed he was trying to be a better man and even though what he'd said had hurt last night she couldn't take that from him.  She wasn't Jean?  What was that supposed to mean?  How was she supposed to take a comment like that?  She wasn't good enough?  Or was she better – or just too good for him?  She doubted that.  She couldn't see Logan ever thinking a woman was too good for him. 

It was almost impossible for her to understand him or Hank or men in general for that matter.  What was a girl to do? Go shopping was her first thought and without hesitation she hurried to prepared for the day. The sooner she got ready the sooner she could get to the mall. Then when she got back she was going to cut up the dress she'd worn last night and write off all men for a good long time.  That thought brightened her mood considerably and she felt ready to face anything.

As Ororo was showering Logan was pacing to and fro beneath her window and as he paced Hank watched his every move on one of the many monitors Xavier had placed in discreet places. It had taken all of Hank's willpower to restrain himself last night and remain calm enough to act as if nothing was bothering him.  If it hadn't been for the ingenious plan that he'd come up with he probably would have lost it. He knew Logan liked Ororo and because he knew Ororo fairly well he could tell that she was starting to like Logan. He couldn't understand how she could but there was little point in denying what he could plainly see. After listening to their brief conversation last night he figured Logan was playing hard to get and personally Hank thought Ororo was just naïve enough to fall for it.  Therefore Logan had to go.  Hank had every intention of getting rid of Logan as soon as possible and after today he was positive that he could.

Even though Logan was pacing behind the large oak outside Ororo's window he was sure that Hank was probably watching and if he wasn't watching he would probably play the tapes back later to watch Logan's every move. It didn't take a brain surgeon for Logan to realize that Hank was probably fuming that morning whether he was watching or not. Of course Hank wouldn't have any way of knowing what was going on between Logan and Ororo.  Sure with his beast-like hearing Hank could've picked up their conversation but Logan hadn't said anything revealing.   Still, Ororo had chosen to stay outside with Logan rather than go back inside with Hank and that had to rankle.  The Beast really let Ororo get to him.  It was sad.

That thought touched too close to home though.  It irritated Logan that he had let Ororo get to him so much. It infuriated him beyond words that last night he'd wanted to kill Hank and take Ororo right there on the ground.  He'd prided himself in controlling his urges of late but last night he'd nearly lost it. He'd told Ororo that she wasn't Jean and he'd meant it. Jean had pretty much been nothing but a piece of ass. As crude as that sounded there was no other way around it, no better way to explain it. Like any man would he'd enjoyed the sex and yeah, he'd even cared for Jean but it had been sex, pure unadulterated sex, that had bound him so tightly to her.

The thing with Ororo was that he didn't just want sex from her and it was that fact that he couldn't understand.  It bothered him.  It wasn't that he used women for sex but he didn't think they were much good for anything else or at least in his vast experience they weren't.  He had only to look at Jean to see the truth of that.  As soon as she found out who he really was she turned her back on him without even wanting to know the facts.  She'd immediately assumed the worse.  Somehow he felt Ororo would've given him a least a few minutes of her time without sticking her perky little nose in the air and jumping immediately into bed with Scott. 

Something told him that had Ororo been in Jean's shoes he would never have been tempted to go where he'd gone, done what he'd done.  He couldn't see Ororo ever sending mixed signals like Jean.  There was no fickleness in Ororo.  She might be hiding the true vulnerable Ororo that dwelled inside her soul but her spirit was pure and kind.  That was why Ororo was no Jean.  Jean had never inspired him to want to change – not like Ororo.  Something about Ororo had made him want to be the man that she thought he was becoming even though he knew he wasn't – or at least not that first week when he'd talked to her in the kitchen.  But now he felt like he could be better somehow – a better man, but it was only because Ororo believed in him that he even wanted to try.

To have a woman believe in him meant more to him than he had ever thought it could.  That in itself made Ororo different – even special though he hadn't wanted to admit it before.  There was no way he could say he didn't want her anymore. Not after last night. He wanted her – every last inch of her. More than friends, more than lovers.  He could still see her floating high above him as if treading air, her white panties peeking out at him as if calling to him. He hated that – being a slave to lust. But what he hated more than that was not understanding this need he had for her.  It was like losing himself. He'd wanted Ororo from the moment he saw her in that dress yesterday but he also knew he wouldn't have acted on it even if she'd thrown herself at him which was something he'd never imagined – passing up sex from a beautiful woman – absolutely unheard of.  Of course he couldn't ever see her doing that, throwing herself at him, even though last night had started so well.  Last night – man, he had been in control until after dinner and then he'd lost himself and he couldn't exactly say when he'd lost himself.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd held a girls hand much less put his arm around her like a love starved boy.  And he had been loved starved he just hadn't realized it. Lust was a poor replacement for love. There was that word again – four little letters that meant nothing but trouble. He'd always steered clear of that emotion though he might have come close to it with Jean.  Nope, love was a chain.  Any man could tell you that.  You might as well hand over your freedom on a silver platter.

When a woman got her hooks into a man he became a puppet – an idiotic mindless puppet with her pulling the strings. It never failed.  He'd seen it happen to many a man and he'd always sworn that it would never happen to him.  The closest he'd come was with Jean and now here he was falling for Ororo.  Falling hard.  And why?  He barely knew her.  He didn't – no, he couldn't get any closer to her.  He wouldn't let himself have anything more to do with her. He wanted her but he wasn't going to let himself fall any further for her either. He'd play it smart and ignore her again – yeah, that would be the plan. But still he looked up to her open window waiting for her. When did this become a habit, he wondered – what was wrong with him?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 

Inside Ororo's room she was just grabbing her purse.  Not the little cute one from last night but a sensible Coach purse.  She was just opening the door when Scott knocked.  Her heart leapt in her throat when she saw heard the sharp raps; her first thought that it was Logan.  In that split second she was both terrified and elated but when her mind registered that it was only Scott felt her stomach jump crazily before it settled into queasy turbulence.  Despite being overwhelmed with disappointment she quickly covered.

Scott, the first male to see Ororo that morning didn't miss the look of hope quickly followed by sudden regret that flashed over Ororo's face when she opened her door but what he noticed most was the puffy eyes and how tired she looked.  He hadn't always paid attention to minor things like that.  Like when Hank had voiced his distrust of Xavier, but that was one of the things that had made him start paying more attention to things he might not have noticed before.  Maybe if he'd been more aware of what Hank was going through he could have prevented Hank from starting so much trouble.  He didn't want any of them losing it like Hank had, using poor judgment and causing devastating situations that could've been easily prevented with just a little perception.

That was one reason he'd asked Logan to come back.  Though he and the Professor had agreed that they needed to know more about Wolverine and the people that had laced his skeleton with adamantium they also felt that they could help Logan.   And then there was that old adage that Scott believed whole heartedly - keep ones enemies close.  He'd give Logan a fair chance to prove he'd changed but he wasn't going to hold his breath.  In the meantime he was always on his guard and he was prepared for anything Logan might throw at them.  It was kind of like a constant training session and Scott kind of liked that – staying on his toes all the time.  He felt it made him a better leader. 

"Are you okay, Storm?  You look like you've been up all night," Scott remarked.  Being more attentive had not made him any less tactful.

"Oh, thank you so much.  You're so kind," Ororo squealed in mock glee.  She stepped past him shutting the door behind her.

"Hey wait a minute.  I have the schedule for the danger room workouts," Scott said as he handed her a sheet of paper. "You're scheduled for 11:30 am Monday through Friday starting next week but I'd like you to have a mini session today.  Can you meet me at twelve?"
"I guess," Ororo said. She stuffed the schedule into the back pocket of her jeans and started down the stairs.

Meanwhile Hank was grinning from ear to ear. Still watching the various monitors he saw Ororo and Scott coming downstairs while Logan was still waiting to catch a glimpse of Ororo outside. He thought how pathetic Logan was then gleefully leapt from his chair and rushed out to take care of his little annihilate Logan program.

Logan had stuffed a slim cigar in his mouth and was trying to light it as he waited for Ororo to show only the wind didn't seem to want to cooperate. Hank bounded up to Logan and reminded himself not to smile. It wouldn't do to get Logan's suspicions roused. The two men looked at each other. Logan could sense the excitement building within Hank but he waited for him to say something or do something before he took action himself.

"Logan, Scott wanted me to give you your schedule for the danger room. Directions to our new facility are attached," Hank said, handing the sheet of paper to his rival.

Logan stared at the paper for a few seconds before he reached out and took it. It was done Hank thought with a shrug and he turned to leave. Logan watched him go then looked at the schedule. He was scheduled for 11:30 am. A quick glance at his watch told him that he had more than enough time to get there. He snorted in disgust partly because of his own lame self, still hoping to catch a glimpse of Ororo, and partly because of the ridiculous training which he felt was totally unnecessary. He could just see Scott sitting up all night writing up a schedule that worked like clockwork.  He knew he better not be late or he'd never hear the end of it and as it was he was already skating on thin ice.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


A/N – Next chapter – Logan plays in the danger room and someone's mortally injured.   I should be able to get this up by the weekend.