She breathed a sigh of relief when she found him in his room pacing the length of the Oriental rug like a caged animal. He hadn't gone on the rampage and that was a great relief to her. For a while, she was concerned about Jean's wellbeing. Maybe they had gotten through to him after all. He glanced at her and grunted as she stepped into the room, firmly locking the door. He looked so vulnerable, so agonized, like a wounded animal, that all she wanted to do was clasp him to her breast and soothe his hurt away.

"'Ro..." was all he said, as he plopped down on the edge of his bed dejectedly. His shoulders slumped and the heels of his hands dug into his eye sockets, while his fingers made deep furrows in his thick, mussed hair. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. His hands then went up to cradle his head.

Ororo, feeling his misery, made her way to him and knelt before him. She removed his hands from his head, replacing them with hers. Cradling his head between soft, loving hands, she gazed into his eyes fondly. "Darling, I know what we are asking of you goes against who you are. I also know what it is taking out of you to deny your baser nature. But know that you are not the animal that people have equated you with. You are a caring, loyal, hardworking man. A man who is valued and adored." Her eyes glowed with something so deeply meaningful that Logan was held spellbound looking into them. "You are the man whom I fell in love with and whom I love oh so much."

The emotions churning in her beautiful eyes held his attention raptly. He was positive that his own unspoken bag of emotions were evident in his eyes as well. Logan dropped to his knees to join her on the floor.

Logan's arms reached out to grasp her waist and pulled her flush against him. Ororo's arms reached out to knot around his muscular neck. His hands came up to frame her cheeks, while gray eyes worshiped the features of her face. His thumbs rubbed against her moist lips, as her eyelids shuttered as she felt his caress through the depths of her being. Her breath escaped from slightly parted lips in a contented murmur. Logan stared at her mouth briefly before touching his lips to hers. Raw lust seared through them and instinctively their bodies moved closer together.

Instantly, a primal hunger seized them and all the sexual tension and longing that had been present since they first laid eyes on each other burst free of all the obstacles. He clasped her to him for dear life as his mouth fused with hers. Powerful yet gentle arms wrapped protectively around her back and molded her against him. The sensations assaulting her made her light-headed. Her hands drop from around his neck and settled on his waist, then moved around to his back, where she explored the brawny muscles under his black tee.

Logan groaned at the little jolts of electricity her touch was shooting through his skin. His hands held her head steady while his tongue sunk deeper into the depths of her mouth, savoring her unique taste. His tongue battled with hers as the very essence of the kiss increased in pace and intensity. When it finally became too passionate and too sensual for them to ignore, they broke apart under its power.

The only sound in the room was that of their harsh breathing as they kneeled wrapped together in each other's arms, relishing the enormity of what they just shared. Their eyes found their way to gaze at each other. He reached out to gently stroke the jawline of this wonderful creature kneeling before him and she intuitively leaned into his caress. "I love ya too, 'Ro."

Slowly he stood and reached down his hand to her. She gave him a shy smile before clasping his hand, enabling him to pull her up to her full height. He ducked his head and began unbuttoning the buttons of her sky blue chiffon blouse. He peeled the opened blouse of her body, not caring where it landed on the floor. His fingers lightly grazed the spot between her breasts before he reached around her to unclasp her white lace bra. Throughout his movements, his eyes never wavered from hers. Now, they thirstily drank in the sight of her glorious naked flesh.

Logan buried his face between her breasts and kissed her soft smooth skin tenderly. He slightly lifted his head to worship her beautiful breasts with his eyes, before leaning in to kiss them. His words were barely audible. "I want ya, 'Ro. I need ya."

"Yes, Logan, Yes," Ororo breathed, sensations rocking her body.

He raised his head and held her gaze, their eyes transmitted many messages to each other and they received each one.

Ororo's arms reached out to lift the black tee and slipped it over his head. She placed her hands on him and combed through the thick mat of dark hair on his chest with her fingers. She sighed. He indulged her playful exploration until she touched his nipples. His breath came out in a hiss and he caught her hands and pressed them over his manhood straining through his jeans. "Feel how much I want ya, 'Ro. Only ya, darlin'."

Suddenly, he scooped her up in his burly arms and gently placed her on the bed. His eyes wandered leisurely over her, before his hands moved to unsnap her white linen slacks and slid the zipper down her abdomen. Slipping both hands into the opening, he peeled the offending clothing down her legs and with her help discarded it, like the blouse, not caring where it landed. Soon enough her lace thong followed the pants.

He gave a strangled growl at her nakedness. She was magnificent, truly a Goddess come to life. His dreams were no comparison to the real thing. His fingers followed the path his eyes graphed and she couldn't stop the flow of emotions inside her even if she wanted too.

He inhaled deeply, getting drunk off of their combined scents, then ran his fingers through her white silken tresses fanning the pillow. He gave her his patented crooked smile before gently cupping her breasts in his hands and lifting them slightly. Her lids were heavy over her eyes as his thumbs stroked her until she felt herself tighten under his masterful manipulation.

"Christ, 'Ro. Ya're so damn beautiful. Better than my dreams."

Her throat hurt with the constricted muscles unable to contain her emotions. Her fingers outlined his lips as she replied, "So are you, my love," and then drew his head down to her.

His mouth was wet and hot as he closed it over the chocolate kiss crest. He tugged on her gently and then tortured her with his tongue. His hands were on the small of her back, urging her hips to cradle his hardness. Her natural movement against him caused a deep growl to rumble from his chest and in desperation, he clasped her to him.

The purring coming from her made the blood pound furiously in his veins. Her sounds, her scent, the feel and taste of her, filled his brain and wiped out every rational thought. He left the bed only long enough to strip off his jeans and underwear. Ororo studied him and her eyes widened at the sight of his fully aroused manhood. Goddess! The man was a sight to behold. He was full, long, thick and very hard. She got giddy thinking about the pleasure it was about to bring her.

The mattress sank under his weight as he rejoined her. His eyes were hungry and consumed every inch of her before he lay down, blanketing her body with his. They both groaned at the contact. They had finally come home.

Logan buried his face between her breasts and held her tightly. Ororo's arms wound around his back. His naked masculinity so complemented her femininity that they both gloried in the contrasts…hair-roughened skin against silky skin and hard muscles against soft curves.

His hands began a sensuous assault, thrilling her with every touch. They found her breasts and massaged them gently, then grew bolder and teased the responsive nipples into hardness. Lowering his head, he took her nipple between his lips and laved it. Her cries of bliss were music to his ears.

Ororo arched and writhed under his large body, as his hands began its slow torture going down her fevered body. Her whimpers of pleasure spurred him on as he continued his downward journey. When he reached the moist, yielding core of her womanhood, his fingers tenderly stroked her. Arching against him, she cried out his name, pleading with him, as the pleasure he was bestowing on her was so great.

With an obliging thrust, he answered her plea and cry. Logan took a moment to fully appreciate the woman he was now joined too. His eyes were shining with the love held for her. Ororo reached up to touch his face with trembling fingers. "I love you," she mouthed.

They moved together as though choreographed, in perfect synchronization, each bringing the other to the height of ecstasy and filling a need that they hadn't realized existed until now. They chanted love words too each other, encouraging each other to fulfillment, filing a deep void in each other. This act of love was the manifestation of an ancient force that they made no apology for existing. It was that same ancient force that compelled him to make her his for life. As they both got caught up in the culmination of their passion, his mouth found its way to the delicate tasty flesh at the base of the side of her neck. When she felt his teeth trailing along the smooth soft skin, she instinctively tilted her head to the side to give him unlimited access to complete the mating ritual. His feral instincts took over as his large canines sank into the tender flesh, puncturing the skin easily and with minimal pain. He sucked on the wound, tasting her blood and then licked it soothingly to help dull any pain he may have caused.

He didn't leave her immediately, didn't want too. His breathing was harsh and uneven in her ear as he nuzzled the marking slightly with his heated whiskered face. He held her tenderly and possessively, sniffing her, recommitting her intoxicating scent to his brain. She adjusted her hips more comfortably under his weight as she felt him still hard inside of her. He groaned before he began to move inside of her again, bringing her to another bout of fulfillment.

Finally, when they were totally spent and their breathing had returned to normal, he left that warm silky haven. It was an act of will that enabled him to leave her tight sheath. With their legs entangled, he pulled her close and nestled her head against his chest.

"Ya okay?" he asked, his fingers traveled up and down her spine in a soothing, rhythmic dance.

"Yes, very much," she murmured. She was dying to ask him how he was feeling after the discoveries of earlier, but she didn't want to mar their intimate interlude. She wanted, no needed to savor the beauty of their intimacy a while longer before the real world and its problems came crashing down around them.

Logan sensed that she wanted to ask him about the events in Charles' office earlier, but honestly, he didn't want to taint the beauty of their lovemaking by thinking or talking about Jean and her treachery. There would be time enough for that. Right now, he wanted to marvel in the loving, sensuous creature in his arms.

Ororo reached up and touched the mark. The skin was raised where he had bit her as she lightly ran her fingers over the marking. She knew all about the mating ritual of wolves and knew that she was his now for the remainder of their lives. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that she was his and he was hers.

Logan quirked an eyebrow as he looked at her touching his mark. It was finished. After all the pain and loneliness in his life, his beast had emerged to experience her and do what it had wanted to do since meeting her. Its claim on Ororo as its mate had come to fruition and he couldn't be happier. "Ya know what that means?" He queried.

Her brilliant smile was all the answer he needed. "Yes, I do. It means that we are mated for life. We are more or less married."

He smiled, but his eyes were serious. "I'm completely bound ta ya for the rest of our lives. There will be no other but ya, darlin'." He leaned down to kiss her deeply. "How ya feel 'bout that?"

"I feel complete, Logan," she whispered. "I now know that the emptiness I felt inside of me could have only been filled by you."

"Me too, darlin'. I feel like I've finally come home," he replied ardently. "I love ya, Ororo Munroe." Never had he been accepted so deeply and unrestrainedly. Never had he felt this level of peace and contentment. She had entrapped him with such perfection that it had gone beyond mere physical union and encompassed spiritual amalgamation.

His confession of love sent ripples of pleasure through her. Ororo turned onto her side so she would be better be able to see him and encouraged him to do the same. "I love you, Logan." She grabbed one of his hands and linked their fingers together, wanting to properly cherish their shared intimacy.

They laid in comfortable silence, each caught up in their own thoughts, the problems of their lives all but forgotten. A long while later, they fell asleep in each other's arms, knowing that things would never be the same again from that moment on.


The air around the mansion was about to become more oppressive with the arrival of this blast from the past. Forge. Charles, at first, thought that his government contact had sent his former student to him with news about the FOH. But not even Charles, the greatest telepath in the world, could have been prepared for the mutant inventor's real reason for returning. Xavier had learned that Forge was back to win a second chance with Ororo because Jean had all but convinced him that Ororo was single and would welcome another chance with him. Charles was stunned. How much havoc was Jean planning on wreaking? It was another problem the unstable reckless woman was about to set in motion.

The core of his X-Men was so fractured right now and he was at a lost as to how to go about putting the splintered pieces back together. The problems he should have seen coming, but his promise to maintain his distance from the personal lives of his children, allowing them the opportunity to resolve their issues and his aversion to using his powers to interfere in their lives prevented him from seeing Jean's insecurity and what she was really capable of being clouded by that insecurity. How did he take his family pass all the havoc Jean's volatility had caused? Scott's lack of confidence and implosion of his marriage, Jean reprehensibly manipulating Logan's mind, her apparent abhorrence for Ororo and now luring Forge back to the mansion under the pretense that Ororo was his for the taking.

Eyeing the man sitting on the sofa across from him warily, Charles groaned mentally. The gist of the telepathic picture of what Forge was recklessly and unashamedly projecting was that he was not leaving New York without the wind rider by his side. Forge's presence and his intentions were bound to cause the biggest problem of them all. The mutant maker was bound to end up severely injured or dead. Xavier knew that the Wolverine and the Weather Witch were now mated for life. Two days ago, he had noticed the distinguishable mark on her neck and had become incredibly curious and had asked Dr. Hank McCoy, the other resident feral about it. To say he was impressed and marveled at what he had learned was an understatement. The ultimate conclusion Charles had arrived at was that the relationship between Logan and Storm was a unique one and God help anyone who tried to insert his or her self between them.

Charles was now tasked with handling a new problem. How does one stop an incensed Wolverine from killing Forge for wanting to take his mate? Stopping Logan from going after Jean was difficult, but in the end, they had succeeded. Charles had the depressing feeling that that task would feel like a walk in the park compared to stopping Logan from gutting Forge for daring to proposition his mate. Charles sighed. Things were about to get worse before getting any better.

Charles steepled his fingers. Leaning forward he said, "I would have appreciated you giving me proper notice of your arrival Forge. Not to say that I do not welcome you here, but you know the upheaval that happens when someone arrives unannounced."

Forge flashed Xavier a brilliant smile. "I'm sorry Professor, but I was always under the impression that the doors of the Xavier Institute were always open to past students."

"While that is true Forge, you cannot deny that proper notice as to your potential visit would have been appropriate," Charles retorted.

Forge nodded. It took all it had inside of him not to roll his eyes at Charles and his holier than thou attitude. He was here with one sole purpose in mind and once that was accomplished, he was out of here and wouldn't be looking back. He guessed that he would have to do some royal sucking up while he was here to achieve his goal. Jean's more than passionate push had made him believe that he had a legitimate chance of reviving the relationship with Ororo and he was resolved to do whatever it takes to rekindle that relationship.

"I'm sorry, Professor," he repeated. "I figure while I'm here, I can upgrade the Danger Room, blackbird and war room and whatever else you may want me to take a look at."

Charles sobered a bit. "That will be very much appreciated." After a few seconds, he added. "I will get someone to prepare a room for you."

Forge stood. Part one accomplished. He was back.

Charles waited until the mutant had exited his office, before mentally summoning Hank to help him stave off a catastrophe that potentially had lethal consequences.