Group Fic

Chapter 8 by David (aka Virtued Legacy)

The Windrider had a lot to think about and spending time in a car with Remy on a humid day was not going to help her think – at least she wouldn't be able to think about the things that needed contemplating. So while he drove on the interstate below, she flew above, riding the wind at 60 miles per hour, her eyes clouded with white. Something about this entire situation just didn't seem right. Of course anyone in her predicament would feel awkward, but there was an extra irk that caused her to wonder.

Why would Anna even care enough to forgive and forget if they apologized? Since when did Logan make phone calls for peaceful resolutions to sticky situations? Come to think of it, Ororo had spent a long time trying to adjust Anna's dress. When one part was fine another part would bulge or another part would need to be tightened more. Of course it would have been hard to maintain the shape with perfection after so many days of being hidden. But wouldn't Logan notice if there was an odd… wait! Was she that brilliant to be able to be in the right place at the right time at all times in order to cause the confusion but still make everything genuine?

One of Ororo's eyebrows went up and the other one went down as she tried to figure out this enigma.

Ororo replayed the night that Remy proposed to Anna. A lot of the team had been in the mansion's recreation room, just relaxing for a change. Remy and Anna came in from a long night out with smiles on their faces and a big announcement. Before they made the announcement Ororo was called down from the library, Beast wheeled in the Professor from the science lab, and Jubilee giddily pulling Logan in from outside after discarding his cigar. After everyone was stuffed into the rec. room the announcement was made and the joyful conversation began about the date.

Watching everything from her aggrieved eyes, she backed onto the wall by a window. She caught sight of Logan quickly slipping out of the room, keys to his motorcycle in hand and his other hand lifting a cigar from his pocket. There! That's it. Logan was obviously planning on going on a drinking binge for the night and he would've certainly smelled like cigars even if he hadn't because he had been smoking before Jubilee pulled him in – but he had arrived back in the mansion briefly after he left, approaching Ororo in the library. And he didn't smell of cigars.

Ororo's eyes widened and her heart began to race rapidly. "Dear heavens…" she whispered to herself. "She planned all of this. She wanted to ruin her name so we would kick her out of the mansion and the only place she would have to go is back in her arms!" Ororo shook her head. She had not been adjusting the dress on Anna's body – although somehow Anna did eventually get the ruby. Maybe after Ororo had left the room. But that's why it was taking so much effort. And of course Logan wouldn't have been able to sense it because he hadn't been at the mansion since the night of the proposal! He had been attacked and heaven knows where he was being held.

Ororo began to descend from the sky rapidly, moving towards the sunroof of the car Remy was driving. She landed abruptly, shaking him from his daze immediately. "Remy, where is the phone?" Ororo asked, frantically pushing snacks to the side. She picked up the cell phone before Remy could answer and dialed the main number to the mansion -- knowing Jean would be expecting a call.

"Remy?" Jean's voiced answered.

"Jean it's me!"

"Ororo I've been having trouble…"

"Stop! And listen to me," Ororo said, trying to hush Jean but not getting through.

"I can't find anything in Rogue's head that substantiates…"

"Jean shut up!"

"What?" Jean asked, shocked.

"It's not Anna! It's Logan – it's – Jean? Jean!"

The telephone at the mansion was gently placed down on the receiver. "Sorry I had to do this to you Red, but I've waited too long and worked too hard to get my daughter back for you to ruin it now. Once the X-Men hate her for what they think she did, I'll use this shape to get her to leave. Then as Logan I'll abandon her and finally show up as my true self. I'll finally have my daughter back and I'll be all that she has to run to." Logan's manly hands lifted Jean's unconscious body off of the floor and slung her small frame over his shoulder.

"Remy, we must move quickly!" Ororo shouted.

"What de deuce is goin on?"

The car lifted off of the pavement, the wind accelerating beneath it and behind it, as Ororo's eyes clouded over and Remy's heart began beating fast as he remained uncertain of the outcome of Ororo's sudden need for speed.

"Ororo! Talk to me!"

Ororo's hands ran through her long, white hair in frustration. "I can't believe this!"

"Can't believe what? Tell me something!"

She shook her head. "I didn't sleep with Logan…"

"But…" Remy looked at her and shook his head in confusion. "What? But you did. You both admitted it."

"It wasn't Logan. It was Mystique."

"Mon Dieu!"