Old Beginnings:

Chapter 1

Logan awoke without a start for one of the first times in his life. He forced his eyes open and stretched his arms and legs as though he had no worries or nightmares or major problems of any sort at any time of his life. In fact, he felt well rested, and he was, as well rested as he had ever been . The dream Logan had was a new one, a dream about a dream, a dream un-experienced to him and perhaps useful towards unlocking his past. Finally, something new for Logan. For this he was thankful, but also wary of such things. He would tell Xavier and hope for some change, something that could shed some light on the grey areas of his past.

He arose from bed groggily, showered quickly, and threw on some clothes he found lying around his dark room in the Xavier mansion. As Logan headed out the door and down the hall he thought only of the new dream and where it may lead him. As he made his way near the end of the hall he stopped and froze. Logan had heard a footstep, a slight one at that, someone who knew what they were doing no doubt. He spun around. To his surprise the hall was empty. The spy may be able escape his ears, but it was not likely this spy could escape Logan's nose. He sniffed the air and tested the scent.

The air held several scents and smells, but one was so familiar to Logan that he took three

steps down the stairs, swung himself over the banister with one hand firmly gripped tightly to it, and swung the other arm around the waist of the spy who had been flying steadily under the stairs for some time. Logan set down the spy. Due to the incline of the stairs he now had the she-spy in a low dip. Sure enough, the mystery scent had been that familiar scent Logan knew and loved so much, the scent of Sandalwood.

There was but one Goddess Logan knew existed with such a heavenly scent. Ororo Munroe, Known also as the X-man Storm. She was Logan's Best friend. Most mornings she met the X-man known as Wolverine in this manner. She would surprise him in some way or another. Each time would be different. A few times she managed to get into his room while he was sleeping. There was no other who could ever manage such a thing or any who would ever dare to try.

Ororo spoke, "Logan, good you are already up", She said as Logan pulled the both of them upright on the stairs, "We are all going down to Breakstone Lake. I do mean everyone, even the Professor will be there, picnicking. You are coming as well, I have just decided. I want you there. It is far too often that you are brooding in that room of yours. I may just get you a lamp to shed a little light. Well then, let us go."

Ororo gazed at him with a look in her cool blue eyes that would have any other lapping up milk from the palm of her hand. Not Logan however, he was in a mere trance he answered, "Sure 'Ro. Only you could make me do something I only kinda want to do. I'll be ready fer ya to fly me over to the Lake in five minutes, I gotta fix my hair, just wait here. If ya leave I'll chase ya, and you know what happens at the end of a chase." He told her with a snicker in his voice.

"I shall soon find out, though I rather doubt you will catch a Goddess, oh Feral Creature." The beauty said now hovering in the air, looking anxious for Logan to change for that would signal the start of the race, as other X-men had already gathered at a nice spot on the Lake. All of this, of course, was just another game. A Game of a flirtatious nature.

"Just wait darlin', wait 'till I have my hands on ya, then ya won't be so high an' mighty." They held each other's gaze for a few seconds then Logan sprung up the few stairs and to his left bounding down the two hundred foot hall as though it were only a few steps. He flung his door open without bothering to close it and left his shirt on and dug around for his swim trunks while removing his other pants.

During all of this Ororo was rather tempted to peek down the hall and see what she might see though Logan's carelessly open door. While she was doing all this plotting before she knew it she saw Logan at the top of the stairs. The race was on Ororo did not fly she ran to make the race more interesting. The two ran at speeds at which it appeared they were flying side by side. Both X-men bolted throughout the mansion and the grounds. They raced at their high speeds for just under a mile until they reached the white sandy banks of the Breakstone Lake and collapsed aside each other.

Logan no longer remembered the strange dream which woke him so oddly today, should he remember it he would not have cared. The care he had now was to the catch his breath by the Goddess that lay beside him. Nothing else matter for the moment. Nothing. Not the team. Not himself. Not mutants. Not humanity. Nothing. Just her.

The X-men had all agreed that today they would take a break. They had more than earned it. The past several months had been very stressful on all the X-MEN. Several members had either left or come back to the team. Current team members included Psylocke, Jean, Storm, Rouge, Gambit, Cyclops, Wolverine, Archangel, The Beast, and Nightcrawler, a surprisingly large team. Cyclops was sharing leadership with Storm again and things had gotten hectic. They had all been on various missions and come back weary only to find another problem had arisen. Today they were on call but not on duty. They all wanted and needed a break. Even mutant super heroes needed a break every now and then.

They had all just broke for a quick lunch and where now setting up teams for a volleyball match. Scott and Ororo where, oddly enough, opted the team captains. The two went through the X-MEN one by one picking members. To Ororo the scene reminded her of young boys and girls choosing players for a baseball game.

Each X-MAN wore a bathing suit of some sort, the men in a pair of swim trunks or cut-off blue jeans and the women in either one or two pieces with a short pair of trunks or shorts. They where all lined up along the side of the court waiting to be chosen by a team captain except, of course, for Wolverine. He was being his typical self, standing several feet away, under the old willow tree, hoping to not have to play.

Scott called for a player first, "Warren." He shouted.

Then it was Ororo's turn to call. "Jean." She called out to the telepath.

"Switching sides, are we dear?" Scott asked Jean through their telepathic link, with a rare and subtle mocking tone in his voice.

"Now Scott," She answered also telepathically, "You get me on your team every time we have a game of any kind. I'm Ororo's friend too you know?"

Scott only smiled then went on picking his team members; He called out, "Rouge"

Then Ororo shouted, "Remy."

"Hank"

"Kurt"

"Betsy," Scott looked at the newly formed teams and smiled again."Ororo, looks like I got the advantage. I have four, you have three."

Ororo thought for a moment, when something caught her eye. "Not for long you do not." She said and walked off in the direction of a shadowy figure that hung back a distance in the shade of the large willow tree. When she approached him she did not have to say a word.

"No, absolutely not." He growled, bringing his hands out of his pockets and crossing them in a defiant gesture.

"Please Logan, it will be fun, I promise" Strom pleaded attempting to coax him into it. Logan looked as though he had the biggest decision of his life to make. Ororo knew it was not concerning the match. "Logan is something troubling you?"

He did not respond he only said, "Look, I only came out here 'cause it's a beautiful day and there are lot's of beautiful women runnin' around half naked. Given, that most of them are married, but that don't spoil my fun."

"I think you are lying."

"Do you, now?"

"Yes, and I believe you came out here because you wanted to be with your friends even it is ten feet away from them. I know you better than you will let yourself admit Logan. So, please, come and play a game with us." She looked at him with a pleading face.

"Alright, don't use that face on me Darlin'." His face seemed to relax slightly as if that monumental decision she couldn't quite place earlier had been decided. "BUT, you have to meet me at our usual place during sunset. I got business ta' discuss."

"Of course, old Friend." Ororo smiled sweetly and took Logan by the hand and led him to the match. "I have one more." She announced.

"Alright chere' let's do 'dis." Remy announced and clapped his hands together. He removed his tank top and moved to the court.

"I don't believe it! You where right." Scott whispered to Jean concerning their conversation last night. Jean responded, " I told you. Now come on Let's play." She shouted the latter part while tossing the volleyball into the air and hitting it firmly with her palm.

✘✘✘

The game was going well, Ororo's team was leading by 3. Most of the men had removed their shirts or tanks do to the heat, Even Logan. He was acting so strange today. Logan was playing harder than Ororo had ever seen him play any game. He seemed to have a strong motivation, or perhaps it was just his mood. Logan had a tendency to be unpredictable.

Suddenly Ororo's thoughts were stopped as she heard a shout from Logan. "Head's up 'Ro." He called.

She shook off her wondering for the moment and jumped high into the air. She pulled her arms over her head and they met the ball hard, knocking it over the net. As the ball cleared the net, heading in Hank's direction. He saw it coming and stood on his hands in turn hitting the ball with his feet. That launched the ball straight up. Rouge saw her chance and flew up ready to spike the ball back over the net. She had done so, but had hit the ball with so much force that it ruptured upon connection with her fist.

"Oops. Sorry ya'll" Rouge said blushing scarlet.

"Great," Yelled Remy, frowning at the remains of the ball. "Now we can't play no more." His frown slowly turned into a smile as a thought struck him. "Chere," he whispered to Rogue, "Maybe you and me can go play somewhere else, no?"

A smile appeared on her face in response. More of a smirk really. Remy shared her smirk as Rogue took Remy by the hand and they set off to some secret 'Private' place.

"We have been playing for an hour, you know." Said Ororo to the Cajun man as he walked away. "Perhaps it is best to retire for the day or…" Her voice trailed off in attempt to lure the others interest.

"Or what Chere?" He asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Or perhaps we could take a quick swim?"

"I love the way this woman thinks" Stated Jean whipping some sweat from her forehead and removing her t-shirt, which had been clinging to her form, and revealing her swimsuit top.

"My thoughts exactly." Declared Hank Already bounding towards the lake.

"I most certainly agree my fellow blue furred X-MAN." Kurt said, He teleported about twenty feet above the surface of the deeper part of the lake. "CANNONBALL!" He shouted.

Ororo ran for the lake after the others and stopped short. She turned around and saw Logan heading back to the mansion. "Oh no, you don't." she muttered. She called his name. "Logan!"

He turned and saw her coming towards him. "Oh no, one favor for you today is more than enough." He said shaking his head.

"Alright then, here is a perfectly good reason why you should go, several in fact. First off, I know you are just as over heated as the rest of us and are going to take a shower when you get back to the mansion anyway, so why not just take a swim instead? And secondly, because I want you to." She smiled again at him.

"Aw 'Ro, you're makin' me go all soft." He looked at her again. "Alright fine" He began to trudge towards the lake, but Ororo again took his hand and pulled him to the lakeside. "I sware you're gonna be the end of me."

"That is not such a bad thing, is it?" She smiled again and took Logan into the water. A half-smile crossed his lips, but he quickly wiped it away and continued towards the lake.

✘✘✘

The swim in the lake after the volleyball match had been wonderful. The cool water had been most relaxing after the heat of the game. Ororo had gone back to the mansion to get some clothes and perhaps grab a quick dinner, which she ended up missing. By the time he had finished swimming, Logan headed back to the mansion. He said he had something he needed to get. She talked for an hour with her friends, until she realized that she had only 30 minutes before sunset, when she was supposed to meet Logan. So, she headed back, changed her clothes, and flew out the door, quite literally.

On winds of her own creation, she flew to meet her friend. She was flying about four acres into the woods of the Xavier estate. By a small pond, stood a weeping willow tree about fifteen feet from the water's edge. Logan always asked her to meet him there. Perhaps, it was because he had once spotted her skinny-dipping there, or perhaps because it was so serene and peaceful. Knowing Logan, and she did, the first option was more likely.

All day she had wondered about what it could be that Logan had seemed so very preoccupied with. Something had been there I his gaze. The way he had watch her all day as he stood under the tree. Even while they swam he had been gazing at her. So strong and deep was that gaze. Almost as though he was trying to figure out a question involving her.

Logan said he had business to discuss. Ororo thought silently as she flew to meet her friend. "Although…" she whispered, "It must be something more personal for him to ask us to meet at 'our spot'." She paused deep in thought then whispered, "Could it be?"

She could she him in the distance now, his figure slowly rising and becoming larger. In that moment she knew that she loved him. He was her dearest friend, yet she loved him as so much more. She had loved him for five perhaps six years now, but never let herself come to terms with it.

"Why do I think of such things now? I know Logan better than that. He has been wounded by love so many times and has never shown me affection like that before. Although, there is the flirting and excessive catcalls, but those are nothing more than play. Are they not?" Ororo thought as she flew closer and closer to where Logan waited for her. "Wake up, Ororo" she told herself. This is your best friend, not your love interest. I cannot think of such things now as he has business to discuss.

Logan's dark form looked towards her and now he appeared to be no more than fifty feet away. His figure was silhouetted by orange, red, and pink glows of the setting sun. She landed about five feet away. As the wind that held her aloft died down, her hair approached her old friend and gave him a tight hug.

Bright lady, she thought as she walked over with Logan to edge of the pond. I have defeated Apocalypse, Onslaught, Magneto, and countless others, yet I cannot find the courage to tell the man I love my feelings.

Ororo mentally shook her head at herself. Then she stared out into the sunset and waited for what was to come.