Chapter 3

It had taken him long enough to find a window with the desired view, but finally, here he was inexplicably doing more of the same, watching Storm. She was in the middle of a multicolor bed of flowers meditating, praying to some goddess. He wondered if this goddess of hers ever responded to her prayers. He didn't even pray to the God everybody else knew. Faith was not his thing. However, because of the way he was feeling since the dream, he knew that some kind of divine intervention was going to be needed to make it through the day.

He barely had the time to pretend he was doing anything but looking out the window before Bobby Drake and Rogue found him. Normally nobody could surprise him but at the moment he was quite distracted. That woman is quite an attraction. Distraction! He corrected himself.

"Hi Logan. We were lookin' for you." Rogue said smiling with Bobby standing tall behind her. Wolverine looked them over. He couldn't help but notice that lately those two were becoming inseparable. He liked Bobby and was happy for Rogue. It also meant she was no longer hung up on him.

"We need to ask you something." Bobby said and Wolverine kept silent waiting for him to continue. When neither of them spoke he became impatient.

"Spit it out, kids. I don't have all day." Rogue spoke first, tip toeing around the subject, not knowing how to ask the question, so she let it out slowly.

"We…kind of wanted t' know if…you were…'fraid during the missile attack?" Wolverine snorted.

"What kind of question is that? You'd have to already be dead not to be afraid of being blown up out of the sky."

"That's not what she means." Bobby interjected and Wolverine looked at him waiting for him to explain. "Were you afraid with what Storm did? We have never seen her use her powers to that extent. All those tornadoes, the wind, the powerful rumble of the thunder…"

"Ain't irrational fear. Ah mean if you felt this way as well then it's kind o' normal for us t' be a little 'fraid. So, were you?" Rogue asked, her expression matching what she was feeling.

"What exactly are you afraid of? Her powers or is it her?" Wolverine said very serious. He found it a little unfair that after all she did for all of them, they were having second thoughts about Storm's loyalty or good intentions. Or perhaps I'm just too on edge today.

"I think it is the realization of how real this all is. We are here in this school with so many kids that are like us. We try to learn to use our powers, to understand what we are, what we can become. Until now, for us kids, all was like studying musical notes on a pentagram. But it is only when you hear the music that you realize what you were really looking at. We see Storm every day. We learn academics from her and we learn about our powers from her too. It seems that along the way we failed to realize that the reason she is the teacher is because she has already become who she is suppose to be. Sure we have seen her using her powers, but we never thought she was that powerful. Some think she could even be more powerful and that is scary." Bobby said in a rush but his words were spoken like he had been thinking about the subject since the whole missile situation happened.

"It's almost as i' she's in a whole other level o' her own." Rogue continued for him. "Ah've heard she has even been worshiped as a goddess back in Africa. Ah can certainly understand why. She has this stately persona, this…regality t' her that makes her, Ah don't know, unique. Ah sure am glad she is on our side. Ah mean, how could you stop her?" Rogue started to think about her own question, like looking for a solution to a problem that didn't exist. This time Wolverine had to voice his indignation even though Storm didn't need to be defended.

"Are you questioning her loyalty? Is that it? Do you think one day she is going to lose it and fry you on the spot? Or perhaps you think one day she is going to side with the highest bidder. You want me to tell you that I wasn't afraid so you can convince yourselves that you don't have to worry. Or do you want me to say that I was, and what would you do then, tell the Professor to keep her on a short leash?"

"No, you have misunderstood us." Rogue said defensively. "We didn't mean that." Wolverine opened his mouth but he didn't have time to say anything else as Jean's voice interrupted him.

"Logan." Jean looked at him intensely to keep him quiet and he sighed. He was more than happy to have someone put an end to the heated conversation, even though he knew the heat was coming from him. Jean then turned to Bobby and Rogue and talked to them in a tone that left no room for doubts. "I understand how you feel. I was there with you and saw what she did, what she is capable of doing. But I've seen this before and knew about the extent of her powers. Perhaps it took you by surprise to witness it so close and personal, but now you know as well. But let me tell you something that you should know by now. Storm may be one of the most powerful mutants, but that does not compare to the power of her heart and her undying determination to do what it's right. She has a lot of passion for what she does and that includes doing whatever it is in her power to keep us safe. As part of the X-Men team, I have seen this many times over and I know she will not stop as long as she is breathing. And one more thing, even with all her power and the many ways in which she can destroy an enemy, Ororo has sworn to never take a life, even if it means loosing her own. She will be there for you, for us all whenever we need her. I suggest you get use to the idea of her being who she is and forget your fears because there's no need for them." Rogue and Bobby lowered their heads as if ashamed of having been afraid of a fellow x man and silently left, leaving Jean and Wolverine alone.

Wolverine kept quiet during Jean's short speech. He was surprised by some of the things Jean had said about Storm that he didn't know. But mostly he was surprised to learn how she felt about her, about how close the two of them apparently were. When the kids left and Jean fell silent, he took it as his cue to leave as well, but her words stopped him. "You didn't answer."

"What?"

"You didn't answer Rogue's question. Were you afraid?"

"Were you?" Wolverine asked back still not answering himself.

"Of course. That was quite a display. The whole thing was more than unnerving."

"I was too. I'd never seen a live tornado, let alone so many, being manipulated at will like rag dolls. So much power at her fingertips. The kids were right. It suddenly hits you. That is why she is called Storm. To think I made fun of that when I first met you all. If only I had known who I was messing with. Like Rogue said, we are lucky that she chose our side." Wolverine shook his head understanding more and more the veracity of his own words. "Although I should add you were pretty amazing yourself, destroying that missile."

"For all the good it did us." She said sounding disappointed.

"Well, between the two of you, you kept us alive long enough until Magneto appeared. At that point we were all like the kids, scared out of our minds." Jean made a gesture indicating that she agreed with him.

"Speaking of the kids, don't you think you over reacted?"

"I know, I know. I'm just a little on edge today."

"I've noticed. Care to share what is bothering you?" Jean walked to the window resting her cane against the wall as well as her body, and crossed her arms in front of her chest, waiting for his reply. Wolverine moved away from the window in an attempt to keep her from seeing that Storm was just outside that very window. To him, she was suspicious enough as it was.

"There's nothing to share."

"I beg to differ." Jean looked down like in deep thought and then spoke again. "What is it about her today that makes you so nervous and moody?"

"Who?" He wanted to play innocent but he knew she was on to him. Damn telepacrap! He thought.

"Ororo." She said matter-of-factly, looking at him.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Jean couldn't believe that Wolverine kept pretending with her of all people.

"Come on, Logan. The way you were acting this morning from even before the moment she entered the kitchen."

"How was I acting?" He said nonchalant.

"Like a good obedient boy." Is she upset? I'm the one who should be upset at this interrogation. Wolverine thought before answering with yet another question.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"You wouldn't put the beer back in the fridge for me and you haven't come to my defense. Plus you have spent part of the morning diligently looking out of the windows." She looked out the window for a long moment and then back at him again to let him know he couldn't hide things from her.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Jean tried to respond to that but he kept talking. "Have you been watching me all morning? Or perhaps you've been up here without invitation." He said touching his head hard, his temper rising. "I don't appreciate that, Red. Besides, it is not me who you should be keeping track of." He started to leave.

"What do you mean by that Logan?" She knew he had heard her, but there was no one to answer. He had already gone. His words made no sense to her and she couldn't figure him out. To her he was more of a stranger that day than the first time they met.

To be continued…