A/N: Hello everybody! Are ya'all happy to see the new chapter posted? And o' happy day! I finally have a beta-reader for this fic! Can you say yay? YAY! So a special shout-out goes to Booster1 for putting up with my poor grammar and spelling skills. :) Well, now that we've got that down, let's began shall we?

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Chapter Thirty Two- The 'Click'

Ori was bored out of her mind. She had nothing to do. She should be training, but she had no clothes with her other than skirts. She would've borrowed pants and a shirt from one of the Slayers or X-Men but none had her body type. Kitty's pants were too long in the legs and Rogue's were way too short. Buffy's were too short as well and Faith's were too long. No one's worked.

Hank had offered to make her some clothes because a machine somewhere deep in the school had the ability to make clothes, so Ori had given him the designs for her X-Men uniform. She had been happy with how the sketch had come out since her drawing skills were mediocre to say the least. Hank had said he'd see what he could do.

On top of that, things had grown awkward between her and Pyro. They couldn't be in the same room together now that they had admitted their attraction to one another. It made her heart ache when she thought about how many good laughs she had missed with him. She wanted to spend time with Pyro. He was more than just an attraction, he was becoming her best friend and she missed him terribly.

But she couldn't be in the same room with him without wanting to jump into his lap and kiss the daylights out of him. And from the looks Pyro sent her, she could tell he felt the same way. The glances and long looks they sent one another were heated and powerful. It sent a shiver up her spine just to think about it.

And on top of that everyone else seemed to be getting with someone now. Rogue and Gambit made no secret of their new relationship with their small kisses and looks whenever together. Sure, Rogue still called Gambit 'loser' and her other normal insults but you could hear the tease in them and Gambit seemed to be calling Rogue by her name a lot more now. Tabitha and Xander were together without a doubt - they were even talking about moving in together when Deltoramina was defeated. They went everywhere together, Xander even training with Tabitha. And now there was Buffy and Colossus. Someone had to be naïve to not see it. It was the way they acted together that gave it away. The brush of hands and secret smiles. It screamed 'we're together and we're liking it!'

But not everyone was together, Ori thought and she took a small comfort in that. Lance and Kitty were still circling one another like a lioness and rabbit. Kitty seemed to be more willing to admit her feelings than Lance, since it was she who was constantly trying to seek him out and he was the one avoiding her. And then there were Sidney and Jack who had been beating about the bush for five years. Sidney may have kissed Jack almost a month ago but they weren't doing anything about it. Sidney was still confused about her emotions towards Jack and worried about the whole we-can-never-really-be-together scenario. And Jack, always the gentlemen, didn't want to push Sidney into something she wasn't ready for or force her to love him.

And immediately after Ori thought that, she felt like kicking herself for being so selfish. Kitty, Lance, Sidney and Jack were going through the same thing she was. They were feeling the same sadness she was. Why should she be happy that they weren't together? If anything, she should be hoping they get together and heal their hearts.

I'm such a selfish, selfish person but what can you do? Ori thought as she turned the corner to the next hallway.

She stopped abruptly when she heard the rippling sound of silver laughter. Recognizing it, Ori groaned softly and edged to the corner. She peeked around it and her suspicions were confirmed. She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

It was Colossus and Buffy. Colossus had said something, or suggested something, that made the Slayer laugh. Now their bodies were locked together and molding. Colossus had Buffy pressed against the wall and was now nibbling on her neck.

"We… should… ahhhh… we… should… come on ya big lug… my room… before someone walks down here and… oh!... sees!" Buffy gasped, her fingers rising to tangle in Colossus's hair.

Too late, Ori thought grimly and backed away. The last thing she needed was to be reminded of what she didn't have but wanted terribly. Some people have all the luck, Ori thought. There was Buffy, the kick-ass awesome Slayer as Dana had said, with a really handsome guy all happy and lovey-dovey. It sucked, big time.

Ori walked down the opposite hallway to that of Buffy and Colossus. She didn't feel like being reminded how bad her love life was. And even if she had wanted to, there was no way she could pick up a guy to kill her sexual urges now.

It was like Faith had said: "You wanna know what really sucks about this whole end of the world thing? Robin's on the other side of the country and I'm doing this monogamy thing so sex is out of the picture. And on top of that, there is no way to get cigarettes. So now I'm just anxious and horny."

"I think Faith may just be exaggerating on that point." Ori muttered to herself unhappily. Then she drew in a nervous breath, "At least, I hope so."

She continued the slow walk down the hall. She allowed her feet to drag across the carpet. This was just great. What she wouldn't do to have something to do. Anything to do. She wasn't meant to be cooped up like this! She was a wild spirit… the wild fire… walls didn't do it for her.

"Oh, Ori!" Hank McCoy called and hurried over to her. Happy to have someone to talk to, Ori turned and smiled at him. "I got your uniform done so you can start training. I tried to follow your designs," he said happily.

Ori's face brightened immediately and she took the bundle from the Beast's hands with a lopsided grin, "Oh thanks Dr. McCoy, you are too cool! Now I can start training! You have no idea what that means to me!"

Hank, always happy to make someone smile, patted Ori's head in a fatherly manner and said in his intelligent voice, "I'm happy to help, Ori. Now, I have to get back and talk to Willow. She wants to do some hard research."

"Bye!" she called as Hank moved onward. As soon as he was gone, she made a face. Research? Who could get excited about that? Thank God she wasn't computer savvy or she'd probably have to be helping Willow right now. She hated research, obviously.

"On to more important things." Ori muttered and caressed the bundle she had in her arms like a new born. She turned and raced to her room.

Fifteen minutes later, she stood in front of the mirror in her room examining her X-Men uniform. It was perfect, just as she had envisioned it. Kudos for Hank, Ori thought as she ran her hands down her leathery new outfit. It molded to her body like a second skin, perfect for training.
Happily, she twirled around and decided to get a head start on her training… or try to catch up. She threw open her door and rushed out.

She crashed into a heavy body and she plopped to the floor. Glaring she raised her head and started into Pyro's green eyes. Her body felt suddenly… constricted in her uniform. "Pyro…" she stammered and hastily stood. Pyro didn't notice and he seemed to be staring. Suddenly self-aware she opened her arms up. "What? What's wrong? Does this make me look fat!?" she demanded hotly.

What the hell was she wearing? Pyro thought. This was what she was going to fight in? This… this… leather thing. It fitted her like a second skin, showing off her generous swell of breasts, curves and long legs!

The torso part of her uniform was gold, coming to a triangle point in the middle of her inner-tights. The leg part of her uniform was black and it rode high on her hips, outlining the end of the gold part of her uniform, and covered around her backside like pants would. The arms of her uniform fell to her wrists and they were black as well, stopping where her neck met her shoulder. Her boots had high heels, sported her trademark gold, and were tucked under her tight black cat-suit. The final touch to all of this was the black belt that rode high on her outer hips and came low in the front of her abdomen. The middle of the belt was silver and embedded in it was a black X, making the makers of the uniform known.

All in all, Pyro decided, it was a risqué outfit and he couldn't seem to not to like it. He felt a slow grin come over his face.

"This is what you're fighting in?" Pyro asked and began to circle her.

Ori felt her own smile coming on her lips and she followed Pyro with her eyes, "Yeah. Why? You don't like it, or something?"

He was looking at her legs, her chest, the gentle sway of hips, "It's not that I don't like it, it's just that won't you… and the tightness of the uniform might… well 'distract' some people when they should be training, luv." Like me. "Look at my uniform. This is the uniform you want." He motioned to his loose pants and shirt. Ori rolled her eyes but didn't mention that Pyro's uniform was all skanky with sweaty from training with Buffy and the other girls.

Ori cocked her eyebrow at him and said in her husky voice, "Oh, but I want to be a distraction. I figure, during battle those Tora-Kone will be too busy looking at me to think about fighting. After all, they were men before, right?"

Pyro just shook his head and said, "I just don't you get, luv. Anyway, you have to have a name for yourself. We mutants on team usually do that. Like I'm Pyro but my real name is John St. Allerdyce."

"It's a surprise to me that you people don't have spilt personalities." Ori muttered but then said, "And for your information I do have a name. I was thinking 'Gold-Fire'."

"Gold-Fire?" Pyro repeated and then his lips began to twist with suppressed laughter, "Gold-Fire!? Blimey, and I thought Ms. Marvel was dumb. You take the cake, luv!" Then he promptly burst out laughing.

Ori's eyes sparked with her golden power and she placed fiery hands on her hips. "Think it's funny, do you?" she demanded, tapping her boot with annoyance.

"I think it's a bloody right riot!" Pyro managed between his booming laughs.

Ori sneered at him, raised her hands from her hips, "I'll give you a good laugh," and shot her heated power from her palms. It had almost hit its mark when Pyro lifted a hand and forced it to stop in its track. Ori's eyes narrowed.

"Are you forgetting my powers, luv?" he asked.

"Why you!" Ori cried with a laugh and lunged for him. Pyro hadn't been expecting that and they both fell to the floor. Ori started out on top, but she kept on using her powers to try to burn Pyro so he had to constantly move. This maneuvering had Ori slipping and sliding to the floor. Using her moment of weakness as an advantage, Pyro straddled her, grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. Laughing, panting, they looked down and up into each other's eyes.

The laughter died down…

Something warm, like a very nice tasting champagne, slid into her stomach and she closed her eyes and savored the wonderful feeling. A purr rose from her throat and she was sure she heard Pyro groan. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she asked.

Almost gulping, Pyro looked down at the succulent body and said, "I'm getting to it, luv." and then he lowered his mouth to her awaiting one.

All her life, Ori realized, she had been waiting for this. She had waited all her life for the 'click' and here it was, finally. The heat that was hers, that burned within her, was in Pyro, burning in Pyro. They were one and the same. Two halves to one whole. She could feel it as the heat sparked inside her and as she slid her hands into his hair. Fire sparked at her fingertips and coiled in his hair, but Pyro didn't notice. He was the only one that she could do that with. Ori knew that she could allow her full fire power to circle through her fingertips and Pyro wouldn't even notice because he could handle it. He was the first, the only.

He couldn't seem to get her close enough. He wanted to absorb her into his skin. Pyro had never felt this wonderful in his entire life. Their tongues danced to the beat of intimacy. He could feel Ori's fire working its way through his hair and he used his own powers to control it, use her own fire to caress her. He hadn't known there could be this much heat in a kiss. So much power and fire. And what Ori's body did made him want to get on his knees and worship her. The little gasps and sighs and wiggles of her body made him insane. He groaned against her lips and bit into that delectable lower lip.

Pyro's hands reached out and molded themselves to Ori's pliant body. He ran them up and down her body, drawing gasps and moans from her lips. His hands alone, lit with her own golden fire, wreaked such pleasure from her she thought she was going to explode. Was it possible that a kiss could be so delicious and painful at the same time? She arched her back and met his eagerness, increasing her fire.

Finally she had to pull away, had to breathe. Her lips were wet and swollen and her heart was pounding. There was something new in her, something that made her burn more then her power ever could. It was a wonderful feeling, a blanket to wrap around her.

Funny how powerful love was…

She looked up into his eyes and she hoped that she saw it swimming there as well. Gasping with the new emotion she leaned forward and said softly, "Pyro… I think… I think… I love you…" she said huskily.

Pyro smiled and the pressure in her chest released. He leaned down and trailed one finger down her cheek and asked, "'Think'?"

"Know." Ori said and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I know I love you."

"That's good because I love you, too." Pyro said.

She sighed softly and said, "Isn't funny? All my life I was afraid of the whole 'love' thing. I also thought that it caged people in, stopped them from being free. But with you, I'm not afraid. Or maybe just a little…" She looked away.

Pyro saw a new emotion come into her eyes. Was it sadness? He could see the ache in her heart, "What is it, Ori?" he asked and she looked back up to him.

"I need to tell you something," she said softly. "Something that I hadn't been able to tell anyone before - not even Sidney. I hadn't been able to tell anyone… not until you. I want to tell you…"

"Ori…"

"Come with me." Ori commanded and stood. She held out her hand and gave Pyro a choice. He could walk away now and not have to tell with the sadness of her burden or he could accept it and have her love. Pyro made the decision without a hesitation.

Ori led him to her room.
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A/N: There! We're done! Sorry if some of you are bored by the whole Ori/Pyro thing (since Ori is an OC) but I just want to do one more chapter involving their get together before we move along with the next couple! So yes, next chapter Ori tells Pyro her secret (pretty sad, really) before they finally can get together!

Booster1: Naw, by tomorrow Faith is gonna be back to hating the Buff-ster! That's what I like about Faith, the mood swings she goes through make me fell good about my own ones!

Hellmouth2: A career out of it? Well, that is my plan but I'm so very pleased you think so! It's always nice to be praised and you do quite a good job at it! I think you've just become my most loyal reviewer…

wllw979: I hope you liked the fluff! I just enjoy writing it ever-so-much. That and angst… ironic, no? And that's okay, sometimes we need to take a break from anything we liked. Example: I love Chinese food. However, one week every time I caught a whiff anything Chinese I had to vomit. Next week? I was fine and back to begging mummy dearest to get me the broccoli and chicken!

Gemini-Elf-2004: Wowza, a 110 percent? [beams] Why, thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the story and stick with the reviewing!

"You're father's a virgin…"

-Lizzy Rebel