.

Logan stared down at the sleeping Ororo with uncharacteristically tender eyes. She'd refused to sleep in her room again tonight and he hadn't the heart to turn her away. He'd noted the tear stains on her cheeks and had wisely said nothing. Instead he made space in the bed for her.

If it was ever said that the Wolverine cared about no one but himself it would be a lie. He cared about the silver haired beauty on the side of him and it hurt him to see her in pain, pain he knew she would never admit to. He'd been the only one to realize how much Remy's words had really hurt Storm and even though she didn't say anything he knew her heart was broken. It had to be.

Storm murmured something in her sleep and a teardrop rolled from the corner of her eye. With a soft growl Logan reached forward and swiped it away with a calloused fingertip. Maybe he should castrate the Cajun. It would only be fair, Logan thought especially with him causing Ro so much pain. Logan clenched his fist at the thought, a predatory gleam appearing in his eyes, disappearing just as quickly. Ro would never forgive him if he did, and he couldn't live with Ro's hatred.

Rolling over to his back he placed his arms under his head and stared at the ceiling until sleep overcame him.

********************************************************

Remy rolled over with a groan and laid spread eagle on his back next to a sated Rogue. It had taken everything he possessed to make love to Rogue tonight; his heart just hadn't been in it. He kept seeing Storm's face, the look of intense pain on her face a millisecond after he told Rogue he loved her. It was a look of heartbreak she couldn't hide in time. He wondered what it all meant.

"Remy" Rogue said in a sugary voice, a voice that was starting to grate on his nerves, "Could you get me some water please.I don't think I can move."

Without answering her Remy rolled of the bed and pulled on a pair of gray sweat pants and headed for the kitchen. He'd been desperately searching for a reason to get away from her anyway. He needed to clear his head and think about the mess his life was. He needed to see Storm.

Even though he knew it wasn't a good idea he changed his direction and headed towards her room. Once outside her door he paused, wondering if he should go in.

You're already here.the voice in his head told him reasonably.

It made up his mind for him and his hand reached for knob. That was when he heard a caustic voice behind him.

"Don't you think you've done enough Swamp Rat?"

Remy whirled around in surprise to find Wolverine leaning in his own bedroom doorway, his arms folded and a cigar in his mouth.

Oh great he thought to himself .the angry boyfriend. He wondered if Logan was going to make a scene. He really wasn't in the mood for a confrontation with him.

Running his hand through his hair Remy sighed "I'm really sorry about this morning Logan." He paused and then continued grimly "I had no business in Storm's room especially. especially now that you and she are together" he finished in a rush, "It won't happen again."

It nearly killed him to offer his apologies to the other man but never let it be said that Remy LeBeau was a poor loser.

He somewhat reluctantly moved away from Storm's door "I only stopped by to apologize to." He broke off as Storm materialized behind Logan in his open doorway.

"Logan I-" she began.

Logan heard Storm's gasp as she saw Remy and he groaned softly. He really didn't think she needed to see the Cajun right now, seeing how she was really vulnerable.

"Storm" Remy called her name helplessly, unaware of the note of longing in his voice.

Logan heard it though and his brow drew together as he suddenly saw the entire picture.

The Cajun was in love with Storm!

He wondered why he didn't notice it before. Turning to look at Storm he felt a surge of sympathy for her as she stood and stared mutely at Remy. She resembled a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck.

Knowing he was going to hate himself if he didn't do this, Logan cleared his throat and said gruffly to Remy "I got to go do something, maybe you two should have a talk. or something."

The panicked look on Storm's face made him want to take back his words immediately. Hardening his resolve and telling himself it was to make her happy he didn't let her look of betrayal sway him.

A small sound of protest left Storm's throat when Remy nodded his head gratefully. Not giving Storm chance to say anything Logan abruptly left. The instant he vacated the space in the doorway Remy entered his room closing the door behind him. He had no idea what Logan's reasons were for giving him the time with her but he wasn't going to question them either.

Storm, still shocked at how easily Logan abandoned her said nothing. Instead she wandered over to Logan's bed and sat dumbly. The silence grew oppressive as each waited for the other to speak.

Remy stood and watched her as he tried to sort through the jumble of thoughts and desires in his head. He had no idea where to begin or what to even say to her. His sharp eyes noticed tear tracks on her face and he had a sinking feeling that he was probably responsible for them. Slowly he walked over to her and took her hands in his. Her hands were cold and clammy. Soft.like the rest of her.

Going with his instincts he knelt down in front of her and stared into her eyes. "I'm so sorry Ro. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never should have come into your room in that condition." Remy prayed she could see the sincerity in his eyes. He would do it all over if he could. He would it in a way that she would never have been hurt.

"It's okay Remy" Storm cut him off in a soft cheerless voice averting her eyes. She had to get rid of him because any moment the tears were going to come and she didn't want him to see her crying. There would be no way for her to explain to him the reasons for her tears without telling him the entire truth. And that was something she could never do.

"No it's not" he gripped her chin gently in one hand and turned her face back to his. His eyes immediately noticed how moist hers was and he swore softly when a traitorous teardrop spilled. Swiping at it with a calloused thumb he said in a hoarse voice, "Don't cry. please, I didn't mean to make you cry. I've been an idiot. I didn't mean to make you cry." Remy had no idea what to say to her to make her stop. Each tear was slowly squeezing his heart, hurting him the way he'd hurt her.

At his words Storm cried harder, her tears falling like rain from the sky. They dropped wetly onto the back of her hands and his.

Remy did the only thing he could think of. He comforted her in the way she used to comfort him when he'd first came back to the mansion. He wrapped his arms around her and held her silently, letting his body say for him what his mouth couldn't. As her body shook from the force of her sobs he drew her down to the floor and into his lap.

"Stormy please don't cry. I can't stand it. It's breaking my heart." he admitted in a low tone. It was more than breaking his heart, it was tearing it apart. Remy shifted so her head nestled into his shoulders, continuing to hold her despairingly while she sobbed her own heartbreak. His own eyes stung as her pain pierced him like a lance.

Storm's arms crept slowly up around his neck and she held onto him even though he was the cause of her pain.

She loved him so much.

"Do you want me to get Logan?" Remy whispered his question to her. He hating the very idea of it but since he didn't want Storm to cry anymore he would've done anything. Thankfully Storm shook her head and he gave a small sigh of relief. Tightening his arms around her he continued to hold her as she wept.

Gradually her sobbing slowed and her shoulders stopped shaking as her weeping began to subside.

Her grip on him though still remained tight. She buried her face even deeper into his neck as he rocked her gently and rubbed her back soothingly. Soon the only sound in the room was now an occasional sniffle from Storm who was too embarrassed to face Remy now that her crying fit had run its course.

With a hand that trembled slightly Remy lifted her face out of his neck and turned her face to his. Her eyes were shut and she didn't open them. Without thinking he followed his instincts and lowered his head to hers. With his heart thumping heavily in his chest he gently brushed his lips against hers, once. twice... three times.

Her eyes finally fluttered opened and he braced himself for the revulsion and rage he was sure he would see in them. He'd only been fooling himself by thinking maybe she felt the same way about him. Her eyes locked onto his but what he feared he would find in them was replaced by uncertainty.

"Remy." Her voice was soft and hesitant and she lifted her hand to his lips, letting her fingers brush them gently.

The feel of them on his lips was like nothing he'd ever experience and for a quick second he wondered if he was going crazy from desire for her. Before she could move her fingers he opened his mouth and quickly caught her forefinger. Holding it hostage he gently ran his tongue around the sensitive tip. A small gasp of surprise.and pleasure escaped her.

Letting her finger go he bent his head again. This time her eyes stayed opened as he kissed her hungrily. His tongue brushed against the seam of her lips begging to be let in and she complied wordlessly. As she felt the velvet softness of his tongue she moaned, timidly touching her tongue to his questing one. It wasn't long before both tongues were involved in a duel neither cared who won.

With a growl he broke of the heated kiss and stared into her eyes saying, "I've been waiting so long to do this". Even now he couldn't believe that he was actually kissing her.touching her the way he was. He couldn't get enough.he wanted so much more.

Shifting again this time Remy laid her gently on the carpeted floor and stretched beside her. Reverently he ran his hand up and down her leg which was bare. She was still in the t-shirt that she normally slept in and he was glad of that. It offered him many advantages. He kissed her again and she responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close to her.

As they devoured each other she made a small hungry noise at the back of her throat and Remy deepened the kiss even more. She tasted so good to him; if he could have he would have swallowed her whole right then and there.

Fearing he would lose control, Remy tore his mouth from hers and trailed small little kisses along the column of her neck. She sighed heavily with pleasure. His hands moved up to cup breasts that were heavy and full, squeezing and weighing them in his palms.

"Remy wait" Storm breathed "I can't do this. What about Rogue?"

Remy groaned out loud unable to actually believe she would think he would actually give a damn about Rogue when she was in his arms. He hurried to let her know that Rogue was the least of his worries.

"Chere believe me, I could care less about Rogue right now" he bent his head to kiss her again but Storm had other ideas and twisted away from him.

Feeling as if she had been suddenly doused with cold water she froze. "That's not what you said this morning" She said in a cold voice that matched her features, twisting her head away from him again she scrambling to her feet.

He was right behind her.

"Storm, wait... I can explain" he sighed wondering if he would be forever fated to be interrupted when he was with her. He really didn't want to talk about this morning, at least not yet.

He wanted to hold her in his arms and make passionate love with her first but knowing her it wouldn't happen until he explained. So that's what he tried to do. "This morning I would've said anything to shut her up."

"Really?" she said disbelievingly arching one eyebrow imperiously, "So you're saying that you don't love her" she scoffed. Even as she scoffed she held a small measure of hope in her heart that maybe he was telling the truth. As far as she knew Remy had never lied to her.

"No" he said firmly staring into her eyes with his red on black ones, "I don't love her, I care about her, but I don't love her." With an almost weary sigh he sat on Logan's bed.

In a voice that held regret he admitted "I just don't know how to tell her that it's over and that I love someone else."

Storm stopped breathing.

"You're in love with someone else," she said woodenly and she turned her back on him, screaming silently at the injustice of it all.

He was involved with Rogue, kissing her just a few seconds ago and was now in love with someone else. Will it ever stop, she wondered, was Remy fated to forever cause her pain?

Turning back around to face him she said scathingly in an effort to hide her pain. "Yet here you are with me minutes away from..." she blushed unable to finish.

Remy grinned suddenly, "Don't remind me." only to stop at the look on her face. His eyes widened and he was hard pressed not to smile when he realized she was jealous! For her to be jealous that had to mean that she cared he told himself. His heart rate sped up. She cared.

"Don't you want to know who I'm in love with" he asked softly walking over to her, itching to have her in his arms again. Especially now that he knew she cared.

"Not particularly" she said coldly "I refuse to get involve with your love life anymore Remy LeBeau." She turned her back on him again. She was drawing the line right here and now. There was no way she could let Remy continue to hurt her regardless of the fact that he had no idea how she felt about him.

He winced at her usage of his full name and closed the distance between them. Placing his chest against her back, he smiled when she froze.

"That's going to be hard since I'm in love with you" he said mildly. Even though he sounded as if he was merely discussing the weather his heart was beating fast and his palms were sweating. The truth was now out in the open and he was so afraid of her rejecting him, he barely breathed. He knew she cared but did she care enough was the question.

"What" she whispered hoarsely spinning around swiftly only to bump into him. "Is this some kind of a joke" tears were in her eyes again. "Remy how could you be so cruel" she cried.

He was instantly confused, what did he do now?

"Are you that eager to sleep with me that you would lie to me like this?" the hurt was apparent on her face; she didn't even try to hide it.

"No" he all but yelled at her appalled that she would think that of him. He knew he had a reputation but damn.

"It's not like that Ro, I love you, I do" he grasped her shoulders in his hands when she made to turn away from him. "I love you Ororo and no one else. I can't think of anything else but you.it's like you're living inside of my head.always there no matter what. I've never felt like this about anyone.. anyone" he stressed.

Her eyes scanned his face for signs that he was being honest with her only to widen as she read the truth in his eyes.

"You love me," she whispered amazed at the possibility. She looked like she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. With trembling hands she touched his face almost reverently, caressing his strong jaws with her fingertips, so scared to believe the apparent truth in his face.

Remy rubbed his face against the cradle of her palm "So much that it scares me to death" he admitted in a whisper.

With a small cry Storm grabbed his face and pulled his lips to her for a fierce kiss that burned through to the both of their souls.

With a gasp Remy broke free from the hot embrace "Does this mean you feel the same way?" he asked with a roguish grin that didn't quite hide the fear that was still in his eyes.

"I love you Remy LeBeau" Storm said against his lips and proceeded to kiss him again.

"What about Logan" he asked grimly, ready to battle the fellow mutant to the death if it meant he could be with Storm. He waited for this moment for too long to let anyone get in his way.

"What about him?" she answered "he means nothing to me, we are just good friends."

Her words were the sweetest music to his ears. Remy held onto Storm tightly afraid to let her go and discover this was all a dream.

"What are you going to tell Rouge" Storm whispered next.