Gone, But Not Forgotten

X-Men: The Movie

Angel of Neptune

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DC: I do not own X-Men.

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Sprinkles of water gently fell from the rust-free shower head and trailed off the light chocolate skin of the beautiful weather goddess who seemed to be glowing radiantly. A slender hand wrapped around the faucet and twisted it until the water came to a complete stop. The smile on her face grew as she wiped off the water from her facial features before stepping out of the shower. Ororo wrapped a big fluffy peach-colored towel around her slim, naked figure.

The peaceful wind rider made sure the towel was fit and snug as she picked up her favorite cream-colored brush, which she began to stroke through long strands of pure white hair, water dripping. She placed the brush down and picked up the hair dryer. Within moments, her hair was dry and a bit frizzled.

Taming her hair was sometimes a long process. It all depended on how she was feeling. There were days where she was just too tired to do anything. There were days where she simply threw it up in a messy, yet still stylish, bun. The days when she had time, she straightened and properly styled it. Today, she didn't seem to mind to spend the extra time. Nothing was going to bother her; she was in a too good of a mood.

She took the already heated straighten-er and spent the next hour tackling her frizzled hair, watching it shape into its classic form. Then, she simply brushed it once, making a face upon picking up the hair spray. It had always been a smell she couldn't stand, especially now. Ororo simply stored it away with the rest of her hair-care products.

Ororo reached to the towel rack behind her, grabbing the clothes she had set out just before her calming and relaxing shower. Within moments, the weather witch was dressed in a pair of comfortable blue jeans, a plain white top and a cotton black trench coat. She started into the mirror, smiling at what she saw.

It wasn't exactly her reflection, no. It was that of the great and loving weather goddess who was before her. She saw the even more beautiful N'Dare Munroe; her dear mother that had given up her life for her young daughter in a terrorist bombing. Well, she figured it was a terrorist bombing, at least. Whatever it was, it had left her on her own for the rest of her life.

That was such a horrible day. Goddess, she remembered that day as if it just happened yesterday. She had been such a young girl; barely five years old, minding her own business in the living room, playing with her dolls. It was all rather sudden. The room began to shake; began to crumble. N'Dare was instantly in the room while her father waited at the entrance of the cellar. N'Dare grabbed her daughter, but never made it to the cellar. The building was falling.

There was no time. Maternal instincts kicked in. N'Dare curled up on the floor, using her body to shield her daughter; her only child. It was because of N'Dare Munroe that Ororo stood in front of this mirror today. Her father had had the chance to save himself. He was standing next to the cellar door, but he refused to enter until he knew his wife and daughter were safe. It had cost him his life.

Ororo released a soft sigh as she finally stepped out of her personal bathroom and into her attic bedroom, taking the golden wedding ring from her dresser. She only took it off when she was in the shower or cleaning herself up. She slid it back on her finger and started down upon it, her smile returning once again.

Her father, David Munroe, came from the States. Her mother was born in Africa. They met in her mother's village in Kenya. He was visiting, taking picture for a reporter who worked for a magazine. Trust David Munroe to fall for a High Priestess, of course. Then again, trust N'Dare to fall for an outsider photographer.

Sure enough, by the end of her father's stay in Africa, N'Dare had been convinced that she was to be with this man. She went back to the States and married. David got slightly upset when N'Dare refused to wear her golden wedding ring. She saw no reason behind it. It was just a piece of metal. In the end of it all, she began to respect David's wishes and she did wear the ring to make him happy.

Ororo giggled lightly as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Her soft slender hand reached for her framed wedding photograph on the nightstand. Just like any woman, it was the happiest day of her life and she had shared it with her favorite blue 'demon': Kurt Wagner. She placed the photo back on the nightstand. That memory was just a bit over two years old.

It was a peaceful, small wedding in the gardens on the mansion's grounds; small and quick. It was, indeed, a day she wished her parents were still alive to witness. She wanted her father to walk her down the aisle. She didn't want to walk it alone as she had to. A tiny sigh escaped her, reminding herself that they weren't gone; they were still with her, of course.

There were days where Ororo could still smell her mother's sweet lavender perfume during awkward moments when she was alone. It first happened years ago in her dark office where she was grading History papers. She had brushed it off, thinking maybe she was just too tired. Now of days, she merely started to talk to herself when that scent came around. She felt like her mother had returned for a brief moment to gently wrap her arms around her grown daughter's body. Yes, it did sound a bit corny, but there really was no proper way to explain those short experiences. It was simply something that you just and to experience first hand to understand.

Ororo laid back on the comfortable mattress, allowing it to take her shape as she hugged a pillow to her chest, waiting. She was waiting for Kurt to finish teaching for today. Ororo had taken the whole day off due to her doctor's appointment. Her classes were told to use their History hour as a study hall. Most of them were glad to have their test placed on hold. It gave them another day to study, or good off in most cases.

She inhaled deeply. Ah, there was that wonderful lavender smell; a constant reminder that her mother was still watching over her, protecting her just like the day she died. Ororo never figured out how she managed to survive five long days under that fallen building without any food or water. All she could remember was her cold mother's body wrapped around her. It wasn't a very pleasant memory.

No one expected to find anyone alive under the rubble. That's why it took them, the workers, so long to find her. They worked slowly; taking their sweet time while Ororo slowly began to suffer from hunger and thirst. When they did finally find her, they called her a 'miracle child.' They were amazed. Bitterly to this day, Ororo hoped that they were all suffering from the guilt of nearly abandoning a young girl to die. She hoped it haunted them in their dreams, knowing they would rather browse through the local street market instead of unexpectedly saving an innocent child's life.

The small stay at the orphanage wasn't exactly pleasant either. There wasn't enough food or water to go around on most days. Some of the older kids were bullies. They constantly teased the younger children. Ororo shook her head, grateful to have been taken away a short weeks after she got there. She became an apprentice to a master thief where she learned and master all of his old tricks, some of which she still used to this day.

Of course, her students didn't know about this useful piece of information. Their History teacher could easily pick their pockets without a challenge during class if she wanted too. Even the staff had a hard time believing it at first. Ororo had proven herself by pick pocketing the wallets of both Scott and Logan at the same time by bumping into them.

After her stay with the master thief, Ororo got the rather sudden urge to head to Kenya. She didn't understand why at first, but there was something enticing about Kenya. She traveled alone through the Sahara Dessert; a difficult journey indeed that proved itself to be quite dangerous.

She remembered passing out miles away from the Kenya border from exhaustion, only to wake up what she was told was days later, in a hut in a small African tribe that belonged to the Hungan, the tribe's leader who instantly addressed her as the traitor wind rider, N'Dare.

That's when everything became clear: She had returned to her mother's homeland. Hungan continued to grow more and more upset, explaining she should be sent into exile for abandoning the tribe for an outsider. Ororo wasn't going to allow him to insult her mother. She stood up and fiercely stated that she was N'Dare's daughter; she demanded for him to step down from his position of tribe leader so she could take her rightful place among her people. Hugan refused, and their private feud was then made public.

It was trail after trail after trail, but in the end, it was Ororo who stood victorious over Hungan. She had shown to, not only him, but the people of the village that she was, indeed, her mother's daughter – and not by looks alone. She too had the power to control the weather; the elements around her. She became known as the 'Wind Rider' and as her first act, she banished Hungan from the tribe.

Unfortunately, playing the role of Goddess seriously got to her head. She felt empowered; better than everyone else. She received a very rude awakening upon arriving at the mansion. It took a while to get used to, but she had done it. Everyone had been helpful in many ways, especially aiding her to learn the English language.

Ororo rolled over on her back and stared up at her bare ceiling, still slightly smiling to herself. She placed the pillow behind her head, tempted to fall asleep as the lavender scent disappeared. The weather witch had had a very long morning. A couple of hours of sleep would do her some good.

Her bright blue eyes began to sting from tiredness as her eyelids began to droop. It was useless to fight against it. Kurt wouldn't be here for another few hours anyways. Instantly after that thought, the wind rider had drifted off into a very peaceful and relaxing sleep.

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Kurt Wagner sat at his desk, tapping his foot on the ground restlessly. His glowing yellow eyes gazed around the classroom filled with students working on this evenings homework assignment. The blue-skinned mutant watched the clock hanging on the wall. Just like the students, he was begging for the day to be over. It took forever for this last class hour to roll around.

For the last two weeks, Ororo had been under the weather; rather sick. Yesterday was the final straw. They both agreed that she had to see a doctor this morning which he knew she had, of course. Now he just wanted to know what was wrong.

Finally, what they all wanted to hear! The bell softly rang in the room. The students all stood and quickly gathered their belongings. Kurt watched as they all exited the room. The demon teleported to the door, saving himself a few seconds. He locked it. After making sure the room was empty, he picked up some trash here and there. Next on his list was to put away his own supplies and turn off his computer before teleporting once more, this time to their attic room.

There she laid in all her breath-taking beauty, fast asleep. A smile twitched onto his lips as the romantic fairy tale of 'Sleeping Beauty' came flooding into his mind. He advanced further into the bedroom only to sit at the floor near the bed on his knees. He couldn't help but stare upon the perfect face of his beloved. Ororo was in a class of her own, one of which no one came close to. He had actually been amazed to find out that she had feelings for him all of three years ago. He couldn't help it. He was a demon in love with a Goddess.

'Sleeping Beauty' came running back to his current train of thought. A kiss from her true love will awaken her. This situation was dead on. Kurt leaned forward, closing the space between them as he locked his blue lips against her soft lips, which locked against his in return.

Ororo's eyes fluttered open slowly as their kiss broke away. She smiled lightly as Kurt now sat on the edge of the bed; Ororo sat up. Their lips met once again, this time producing a more passionate kiss that lasted twice as long as the first. "Do you feel better, mien Engel?" Kurt murmured softly against her.

"I'm with you, aren't I?" Ororo replied tenderly as her smile grew.

Just watching her smile, even after two years of marriage, made his heart skip a beat still. He simply smiled back in return. "Vhat did the doctor say, Liebe?"

"He said nothing was wrong." Ororo answered. "He said I'm as healthy as I should be." She watched with amusement as he gave her a puzzled look.

"But, you vere feeling like you had a constant case of the stomach flu. I don't understand." Kurt stated officially dumbfound.

Of course, Ororo reminded herself. She married the cute one. "Yes, Kurt, I know, but I'm fine." She wrapped her hands gently around his as her bright blue gaze met his yellow, "I'm pregnant." She watched her favorite 'demon' begin to smile again. "We're having a baby." She added.

It took a moment to settle in, but Kurt pulled his weather witch into a hug, only to pull away at moment later, "You're so beautiful. I love you." He said softly. "I can't believe it. Ve're going to be parents."

"Yeah, Daddy." She said, giggling lightly, pulling him into a deep kiss.

End

AN: Please review.